“Thank you for the great collaboration and your fantastic efforts”
DEAN'S BLOG. This year, LTH has been celebrating new successes for excellent research, more training places that will drive the green transition, and the fact that women now make up 40 per cent of those who choose to study at Faculty of Engineering. So writes Annika Olsson, Dean of LTH, who would also like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
– Published 16 December 2024

First and foremost, I would like to thank those of you who have made important contributions to LTH's education, research and external engagement during the year: A big thank you for the great collaboration and fantastic efforts, for the benefit of society.
In many cases, LTH's research is at the forefront of global and European research, and we work closely with business and industry on issues and projects that benefit communities.
Yet we live in a time of many challenges. That makes it even more rewarding to see that our education and research are bearing fruit, and that LTH is doing well. It gives hope for the future.
One example of such success is that LTH will host a new centre of excellence in food systems: "FORCE – Centre for food system resilience and competitiveness". In times like these, there is a great need for food systems that work in Sweden even in times of crisis and war, and this is an area in which LTH can make a contribution.
LTH's nine profile areas – characterised by high quality and excellence – continue to deepen their collaborations and contributions to a more sustainable and resilient world, through strong centres of excellence and strategic initiatives led through the profile areas. Most recently, FORCE, which is strongly linked to the food and biotechnology profile area.
Over the past year, LTH has also received several research grants from, among others, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and the European Research Council, ERC, thanks to our outstanding researchers.
The top 100 placing in the latest Times Higher Education ranking shows that Lund University is doing well, particularly when it comes to collaboration and industrial cooperation. I dare say that this has a lot to do with the dedicated work undertaken at LTH. Lund University is also third in the world in sustainability according to the latest QS ranking, which shows that the contributions we make in both research and undergraduate education are visible and recognised in the world around us.
LTH has also been able to enjoy a continued high number of applicants, new training places that will help to drive the green transition among other things, and the fact that women now make up 40 per cent of those who choose to study at LTH.
In recent weeks, we have celebrated several hundred new LTH graduates including architects, industrial designers and engineers. Incidentally, two of the students who received their diplomas from me were engineers who had trained at the Department of Aviation and Aeronautical Sciences.
Today, major challenges and problems need to be addressed, and together we can work towards different solutions and contributions.
‘Together’ is one of our favourite words at LTH – in education, research and of course our external engagement.
Now I hope you have a well-deserved, restful holiday with your loved ones. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Annika Olsson
Dean, LTH