Abstract:

Society is becoming increasingly digital and shaped by digitalization. Present day society is facing major challenges related to health, the environment, societal safety and economy. To meet the challenges of the future with innovations, there is an increased need for expertise in digital service development.

Research indicates that the population of the world is getting older, healthcare needs are rising, alienation is spreading, economic inequality is growing, the climate is changing and economies are suffering. In short, we live in a society that is in need of innovation and new ways of thinking. In this context, information technology (IT) and digital service innovation have important roles to play. This is reflected in the work done with national and international agendas for digitalization as a way to offer citizens new types of services. This includes digital services that make the work of health professionals easier, raise patient safety, improve health care, make vehicles safer, lower maintenance costs and the impact on the environment and even provide peer support for children who have survived cancer. The role of digitalization and innovation of digital services are crucial for industry and society aiming to advance welfare.

In this paper we report from the work of designing a curricula for an international master program of “Digital Service Innovation” that addresses the need for digital competence in tomorrow’s society. In the curricula there is an emphasis on value. The emphasis on value means that the proposed education draws on sustainability, economic, social and environmental, as a framework for value creation. In short, a digital service innovation, for example, can lead to new experiences, distribution methods, business models, types of interaction, and digital services that enhance the value of physical products. The meaning of digital service innovation in this context is the design of new, significantly improved or previously untested combinations of digital services; services that create new and sustainable values.

The curricula is expected, through the introduction of new pedagogical approaches, and through sustainability as a perspective on digital service innovation, to contribute to future competence provision. Digitalization is an important driver companies’ competiveness. The developments in digital technology alter the labor market’s competence requirements and causes a complex and multifaceted services sector. In Europe, it is estimated that one million people with IT skills are missing in the European labor market. Further, it is a concern that there are too few women in the IT sector. Since the majority of current students in the informatics program are male, one goal of the new master’s program is to increase women's interest in information technology and digital service design. The curricula is designed in collaboration with companies, which engage in the planning, development and implementation of the curricula, in order to help to ensure its relevance to the students and the industry.

Keywords:

Master curricula, digital service innovation.