Alfa Laval and Lund University strengthen strategic partnership – and breaks ground for an innovation center
Alfa Laval and Lund University have formalized a new strategic partnership to strengthen collaboration, drive innovation, and address complex global challenges. At the same time, ground breaks for Alfa Lavals upcoming innovation center – a center that will drive the energy transition through, among other things, the development of heat transfer technology and fuel cells.
Jessika Sellergren – Published 30 October 2025
Building on decades of successful collaboration across multiple faculties, including the Faculty of Engineering at Lund University, the Lund University School of Economics and Management, and Alfa Laval, are now uniting under one single, structured alliance. The partnership is intended to foster interdisciplinary research, and create stronger links between academic insight, industrial application and meeting the future needs of global businesses and academia.
Annika Olsson, Dean of The Faculty of Engineering at Lund University, with special responsibility for collaboration issues, is looking forward to working within the partnership. She says:
“LTH’s vision, to explore and create together to benefit the world, expresses the importance of working together for a better world. The collaboration with Alfa Laval is a good example of this. Further strengthening our collaboration in everything from research and innovation to education and skills provision, will advance our positions and strengthen both Alfa Laval and Lund University.”
The partnership follows the Triple Helix model, bringing together industry, academia, and the public sector to advance strategic capabilities and lifelong learning from local to European and global needs. It will engage all faculties, from in-depth research and innovation to large-scale infrastructure projects, and will include initiatives such as master theses, climate action hackathons, and mini-credential programmes.
Erik Renström, Vice-Chancellor of Lund University, and Tom Erixon, President and CEO of Alfa Laval, have signed the strategic partnership agreement.
“This is an important strategic cooperation agreement in which we will work together to develop new technologies for energy transition, digitalization and sustainability. Our collaboration with Alfa Laval is deep-rooted and has a long history. We are now laying the foundations to work together even more quickly to meet the needs of the future,” says Erik Renström, Vice-Chancellor of Lund University.
Through the joint commitment both partners aim to deliver measurable results that contribute to overcoming today’s challenges. The partnership aligns with Alfa Laval’s global agenda to accelerate the global transition, recognizing collaboration as a catalyst for change.
“By collaborating and viewing global challenges through a joint lens, Alfa Laval and Lund University will strengthen the important interface between academic research and industry application – ensuring that groundbreaking discoveries can be rapidly adapted to meet real-world needs, ultimately supporting both of our agendas as well as the global transition,” says Tom Erixon, CEO and President, Alfa Laval.
Dedicated resources from both partners and a unified governance model will ensure transparency, accountability, and long-term impact.
Annika Olsson gave a speech
The Dean of LTH, Annika Olsson, was one of the speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony for Alfa Laval's innovation center:
”This center will be more than just a building, it will be a hub for ideas, partnerships, and progress. Our strategic collaboration in research and education with Alfa Laval comes timely together with this initiative. Together, we are creating opportunities for students, researchers, and industry experts to work side by side, turning knowledge into solutions that matter,” says Annika Olsson.