Research leadership that shapes the future – and increased number of applications to LTH

Recent weeks have provided two clear signals regarding LTH’s significant role in research and education in Sweden: we are taking on greater national responsibility for research leadership, and we are seeing an increase in applications for our programmes. Taken together, this tells us something important about how we need to work – with a long-term perspective, in collaboration and with a focus on quality at every stage.

Leading research: From idea to environment

The news that LTH has been proposed to lead a new strategic research area (SRA) in advanced materials – an alliance for advanced semiconductors and intelligent materials – paints a picture of what research leadership looks like at its best: bringing together expertise, establishing a shared direction, and creating the conditions for research to take the next step.

At the same time, LTH is involved as a key partner and stakeholder in two other SRA constellations: one in quantum technology, led by Chalmers in collaboration with LTH and KTH, and one in crisis preparedness and total defence, led by Uppsala University in collaboration with LTH and the Swedish Defence University.

LTH’s significant contribution to the country’s SRAs serves as a reminder that research leadership today increasingly requires the ability and leadership qualities to create value across departmental and institutional boundaries in a way that stands the test of time.

LTH’s significant contributions to both advanced materials and quantum technology also highlight a long-term need for large infrastructures. Here, we see clear links to materials characterisation at MAX IV, our Nanolab and the Lund Laser Centre (LLC), as well as the increased use of AI. Being a research leader involves the ability to link expertise with the right resources, ranging from laboratories, small-scale infrastructures and data to large-scale facilities.

In addition to operating within large-scale infrastructures, the leading research universities of the future must be able to identify pressing issues that are scientifically driven yet relevant to society, and collaborate with other stakeholders to tackle these complex issues and problems together. These are skills that our researchers demonstrate on a daily basis.

Building strong, inclusive research environments, where the next generation of researchers can develop, will become increasingly important for future development and knowledge acquisition.

More and more people want to study at LTH

Strong research leadership not only fosters excellence in research today – it also enhances the appeal and quality of education, thereby laying the foundations for the future provision of expertise.

It was therefore welcome to see additional funding in the Spring Amending Budget, which will enable us to train more engineers, particularly as we saw increased interest in LTH when the application period for the autumn semester closed on 15 April. The number of first-choice applicants to engineering programmes increased as did the total number of applicants, which rose by around 4.5%.

These are encouraging figures – but they also come with a responsibility. Higher application numbers are a sign that our programmes are seen as relevant and attractive, but at the same time they require us to continue improving the quality of our teaching, provide students with a good learning environment, and offer programmes that are closely linked to the research and innovation taking place at LTH. It is therefore important that funding is not eroded, but rather increased so that we can achieve this.

There is a common thread between taking a strategic lead in research in Sweden and internationally, and welcoming a new cohort of students: both are about taking a long-term view. We build knowledge that will stand the test of time, and we design courses that equip students with a solid foundation of knowledge for a rapidly changing world of work.

This spring, we will continue our work to strengthen our research environments, safeguard and enhance the quality and relevance of our programmes – and integrate them even more effectively. We are also continuing our systematic collaboration with our key partners, both in academia and in the business and public sectors.

I would like to extend a special thank you to everyone who contributes – researchers, teaching staff, technical and administrative staff, and students. It is by working together that we make LTH relevant, bold and world-leading.

Annika Olsson

Dean of LTH