Lessons learned from the BioNut/MedH integration project
On 1 July 2024, the number of departments at KI went down from 22 to 21 as the integration of BioNut as a division of MedH came to a close. The project, which will now continue within MedH, has boosted the work KI is doing on its strategic focus areas as well as the “we” spirit within the department and KI as a whole.
The decision to integrate BioNut into MedH was taken by the university management in September 2023 in order to secure long-term stability for its activities. A project was launched to effect the integration, and as of 1 July, BioNut is a division of the department MedH.
“The integration has been completed smoothly and on schedule thanks to the good cooperation in education and research between the two departments and their management, as well as between central and departmental functions on such things as IT, finances and HR, an approach that I think helps to bolster the ‘we’ spirit throughout KI,” says Maria Eriksdotter, operations manager for the integration project.
The project’s objectives have now been met:
- The integration of BioNut’s administrative and core activities through the establishment of a division at MedH.
- The performance of a risk and impact analysis and the production of a plan of action and a plan for the regular systematic management of future risk assessments.
Immediate results of the integration
BioNut’s core activities have been integration into MedH as their own division with Janne Johansson, former head of BioNut, as divisional manager. Petter Höglund continues as the head of MedH. The MedH management group is now in charge of continuing the work with respect to the plan of action and the risk assessments made.
“The integration of BioNut’s research groups will have a very beneficial effect on research and education at MedH,” says Professor Höglund. “The management group is now reviewing MedH’s departmental organisation to create the best conditions for this. Our strategy plan – MedH 2030 –focuses on synergies in research and education, for which a top-class working environment and administration are essential. I’m very much looking forward to how things will progress over the next few years.”
The education organisation at MedH has now been adjusted to include BioNut’s first, second and third-cycle courses and programmes. For instance, a decision has been made to move syllabi and individual doctoral study plans from BioNut to MedH. Agneta Månsson-Broberg remains as departmental director of education (GUA) at MedH and BioNut’s Magdalena Rosell has been appointed her deputy. Mattias Svensson remains as director of studies at MedH with responsibility for all doctoral students, including those belonging to the BioNut division.
The administrative staff at BioNut and MedH have been physically merged on level 8 of the Neo building in Flemingsberg and are currently developing a common way of working under the direction of Klas Karlsson, administrative manager at MedH.
BioNut’s past departmental deficit has been written off with the help of central funds. During 2024, the BioNut and MedH research groups have been using MedH’s percentage surcharge for indirect costs (INDI) for both research and education. The MedH management group is currently drawing up the department’s overall budget for 2025.
Eventual impact on the Flemingsberg campus
The project’s intended endpoint is to strengthen the integrated financial, scientific and educational activities at MedH. This will require investment in basic research as part of the translational environment at MedH as well as for the entire Flemingsberg campus and Neo. Several proposals have been put forward and will now be discussed further at MedH and with the KI South departmental group. One concern is how to go about attracting researchers and students, another is how to reinforce and coordinate the research infrastructure.
“I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone at BioNut and MedH as well as in Professional Services and the project organisation for their hard work in bringing about this departmental reform,” says KI president, Annika Östman Wernerson. “I believe it is absolutely crucial to our ability to continue developing the affected activities in a sustainable manner so that, for one, we can strengthen KI’s basic research in Flemingsberg. It’s also impressive just how instructive the project has been for all of KI’s nine strategic focus areas."
Lessons learned for future projects
Project organisation
The early establishment of a project team comprising work groups within all aspects of the administrative and core activities at a central and local level has been absolutely vital to our ability to plan and coordinate the activities needed to drive the project forward. The project manager has played a key part in coordinating and supporting every part of this very large and complex project. Through their ties to the management, the project manager and the operative customer have been able to deal effectively with issues arising during the project.
Resources
Since this is the first integration of its type at KI, it was difficult to predict the risks and costs. Everyone involved at the departments and in the project group has contributed many hours of their regular working day. Over and above the costs to cover BioNut’s deficit, SEK 8 million has been used for winding-up costs relating to premises, INDI and staff. MedH has also paid for workshops and social initiatives.
Manual systemic changes
An analysis of KI’s administrative system and the process flows for the integration revealed that most aspects of the migration, such as the transfer of BioNut’s financial data into MedH’s financial structure in UBW, the relocation of BioNut staff and affiliates to MedH in Primula (the salary and staff admin system) and the updating of the authorisation system in IDAC, had to be completed manually.
Communication
A clear structure of regular online information posts and digital dialogue meetings have proved effective in communicating the progress of the project and in helping to gauge the reactions of the staff and ease their concerns.
Schedule
Having margins in the schedule made it possible to test changes to complicated systems and investigate important matters for decision, such as transferring syllabi and altering delegations. It was also possible to handle unforeseen events such as cyber attacks and the freezer malfunction without it affecting the time plan.
Social activities
Physical meetings of various kinds have bolstered the “we” spirit within both the reformed department and KI as a whole.
More information is available in the final report, in Swedish.