A close and long-term collaboration benefits all parties and helps create a natural pathway from studies to professional careers for our students. Lund University School of Economics and Management (LUSEM) places great value on collaboration with the business community. A partnership gives companies the opportunity to be directly involved in education through guest lectures, case competitions and other educational initiatives.
Deloitte has been a long-standing partner of LUSEM, and we had the opportunity to hear their perspective on the collaboration and their experiences of the partnership. Deloitte operates within audit, consulting, risk, tax, as well as financial advisory services. Maria Ekelund, Authorized Public Accountant and Partner, together with Emilia Kulick and Johan Meijer, both Senior Audit Associates, are all involved in the collaboration with LUSEM. They describe our School as an important recruitment base for the firm and highlight the unique opportunities the partnership provides to interact with students in different ways.
What was the main reason you chose to become a partner of LUSEM?
“Each year Deloitte recruits a large number of graduates, and Lund University School of Economics and Management is an extremely attractive and important recruitment base for Deloitte, both nationally and for our Malmö office. We also believe it is important to contribute to and gain inspiration from the research being conducted here. For example, we currently have one employee pursuing a PhD at the School, and three students completing internships with us.”
We have the opportunity to meet and interact with students during their studies, which is extremely valuable.
What value does the partnership create for Deloitte?
“It gives us the opportunity to meet and interact with students during their studies, which is extremely important. We participate in lectures to provide perspectives from the business community, and we also meet students through company presentations and roundtable discussions.”
Have you had the opportunity to meet and recruit students through the collaboration?
“Yes, absolutely. We meet students in many different contexts – through lectures, mentoring and internships. We also support Leadership Academy, a leadership programme offered to leaders within student organisations. During the programme, participants develop their leadership skills over the course of a year under the guidance of teachers from LUSEM. Meeting the participants is always inspiring – ambitious young individuals who are faced with relatively complex leadership challenges at a very early stage.”
What part of the partnership have you been most satisfied with?
“LUSEM’s internship programme has proven to be extremely valuable. It gives students a unique opportunity to experience what it is like to work as, for example, an auditor over a longer period of time. Several students have continued working with us on an hourly basis during their studies or have started full-time positions after graduation.”
The partnership with Deloitte demonstrates how long-term collaboration can contribute to the development of both organisations and students. When companies open their doors and engage in education, a natural pathway from studies to professional life is created. The Lund University School of Economics and Management looks forward to continuing this work and, together with our partner companies, shaping a sustainable, skilled and forward-looking region.
