Harko Verhagen leads Stockholm University's computer science "roadshow" to China
Dutchman Harko Verhagen came to Stockholm University as a PhD student. Fourteen years later he's still in Sweden, Associate Professor at the University's Department of Computer and System Science (DSV), which is based in Kista – the heart of Sweden's tech industry.
Dutchman Harko Verhagen is an Associate Professor at the University's Department of Computer and System Science (DSV). Photo: Jon Buscall.
"Together with a graduate student that I'm supervising, we're exploring the extent to which we can programme and develop characters who are socially believable," explains Harko.
Harko is also involved in a collaborative project involving DSV and the Department of Human Geography and the School of Business.
"The purpose of this project is to explore the interaction between Sweden and India with regard to outsourcing and ICT," says Harko.
As well as contributing to the research and teaching profile of DSV, a major part of Harko's role within the department is handling internationalization and exchange programmes, particularly with China.
"I've been to China many times as part of my work, helping to set up partnerships with Chinese universities as well as facilitating the movement and exchange of both students and researchers," he says. "I've even spent a semester teaching there. It gave me insight into how things are done over there, not just in terms of teaching and research but also culturally. I better understand the way students from Asia are when they come to study with us. It's important to have a good cultural understanding," says Harko.
This year the Department of Computer and System Science received SEK 165,000 as part of the Stockholm University Academic Initiative for a project that will see Harko take a "DSV roadshow", as he calls it, across five cities in China as well as possibly Taiwan.
Harko Verhagen talks about research and the department for international partners at the World Expo in Shanghai in 2010
The DSV roadshow will see five researchers from the the department go over to China to present a variety of the research being done and DSV with Chinese Universities in Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Changchun, and Hangzhou.
"I think this will be a good platform to build further co-operation between our universities," says Harko.
With Swedish universities introducing fees for non-European students next academic year Harko believes this kind of venture is a good way to get the word out about what's going on the Department of Computer and System Science as well as in Sweden.
"There's a lot of great things about Stockholm," says Harko. "It's a safe, clean city: I like living and working here."
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Department of Computer and Systems Sciences (DSV)
Interview and text: Jon Buscall
Web editor:
Paul Parker
Last updated:
August 15, 2011
Source: Communications Office
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