Since 2012, Matís has laid the foundation for increased collaboration with domestic and foreign educational institutions, which has resulted in various collaborative projects.
Now that the summer holidays of the universities are coming to an end, it is not out of the question to have Guðjón Þorkelsson, director of Matís, chat.
"Matís has had a successful collaboration with educational institutions in recent years, here work a lot of extremely good scientists and in specialists in the field of food science who have been teaching in universities in Iceland and abroad. In 2012, a decision was made to strengthen this collaboration, which we believe has already contributed to value creation in the food industry in Iceland. We place great emphasis on student internships and thus consider ourselves to be preparing individuals to take on real jobs immediately after graduation. "
"We also believe that we are following the emphasis on research and innovation in the field of food for the benefit of the economy, public health and food security. Food science is a fast-growing field and in view of the extent to which it affects the consumer, the demands for excellent education and knowledge are becoming more intense every day. We believe that by connecting education and vocational training, Matís will become a bridge that connects universities and the business community. But it is especially important that these parties work together and use each other's knowledge for development. "
"Another reason why Matís emphasizes co-operation with educational institutions is efficiency in the form of shared use of staff and facilities. In addition, it is very important for Matís and the food companies to get students to work on practical research projects and thus gain training to become the companies' future employees. Matís is a very large research company on an Icelandic scale and here is a great deal of expertise and experience that needs to be utilized in teaching, guidance and vocational training in food processing. We are also fortunate to have first-class facilities in many parts of the country that are also used for the same purpose. "
"Matís staff has given lectures and instructed in practical exercises in 10 BS courses, 4 joint courses for BS and MS students and 10 MS courses in food and nutrition and industrial engineering at the University of Iceland. In addition, many students in master's and doctoral studies at Icelandic universities have worked on their research projects at Matís and almost always collaborate with the business community, "says Guðjón.
"Matís' policy is to strengthen the competitiveness of Icelandic products and the economy, improve public health, ensure food security and sustainable use of the environment through research, innovation and services in the fields of food, biotechnology and genetic engineering. In order to implement its policy, it is necessary for Matís to work in collaboration with the university community on teaching and training students. Matís also seeks to connect its operations and partners with companies, research centers and offices outside Reykjavík. "
"This year, we have taken even more steps in strengthening food science studies in this country with new collaboration agreements with the University of Akureyri and Bifröst University. In Akureyri, emphasis will be placed on further strengthening research and education in fisheries science, food science and biotechnology as well as collaboration in other areas of teaching and research, with the aim of being at the forefront in Iceland in the fields related to fisheries science and biotechnology. The collaboration between Matís and Bifrastar consists of the development of a new study line in food management science, and Matís will mostly be responsible for teaching and developing subjects related to the handling, content and production of food. "