Many thanks for all the good work and collaboration this year!

It may not feel so long ago that we all returned from the summer holidays and saw LTH’s new students getting to know one another on campus and in the lecture halls.
Much has happened since then.

This year, Lund University has been ranked as the world’s most sustainable university. At LTH we are also pleased that 41 per cent of our students are women, and that the number of international students from outside Europe has once again increased.
 

Within the framework of the government’s research bill, our researchers have been heavily involved in SFO and excellence cluster applications. In the Swedish Research Council’s call, Lund University was awarded eight projects, four of which are led by LTH. In Vinnova’s call, six projects are coordinated by Lund University, three of them by LTH. LTH researchers also participate in funded projects led by other universities.

LTH researchers have also achieved success in the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF) call for Future Research Leaders, and with grants from the European Research Council (ERC).
 

When it comes to collaboration, we at LTH can highlight this year’s Lise Meitner seminar, which focused among other things on women who have served as role models in the history of Automatic Control engineering. The Lise Meitner Professorship was established in 1999 and is part of LTH’s work on gender equality and diversity, ultimately ensuring excellence and helping LTH attract talented students and staff.

During Almedalen Week in Visby, LTH researchers spoke about biotechnology as a future field and about opportunities for a more sustainable and resource-efficient food supply.

When Members of Parliament from the “Skåne bench” visited LTH together with LTH’s Industry Council, expertise in future foods and the EU’s forthcoming Biotech Act were once again on the agenda, and discussions were held on how we can mobilise nationally for future industrial biotechnology – where Lund and Skåne also have a particular potential to harness.
 

Over the past year, LTH researchers’ expertise in crisis and preparedness – largely due to the unfortunately heightened security situation – has been in high demand in public debate. LTH researchers are also heavily involved in a new centre for preparedness and resilience – coordinated by LTH Professor Johan Bergström.

When we meet again in January, we will continue to explore and create together for the benefit of the world.

But before we think much more about what lies around the corner, I – and we – want to thank you for all the good work and collaboration the past year and wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Annika Olsson

Dean of LTH