Swedish Universities of the Built Environment

Participating universities

A collaboration between research groups involved in education of Civil Engineers (and corresponding programs) at the four major Swedish universities with technical faculties:

• Chalmers University of Technology in Göteborg

• Luleå University of Technology in Luleå

• Lund University in Lund

• Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm

Background and purposes

• Small research groups and decline in research funding

• Low research volume in relation to sector size and societal relevance

• Strengthen by collaboration: attain critical mass and increase competitiveness in securing international research funding

• Increase the perceived importance of built environment research, education and innovation

• Project 2009-2010 to establish the collaborative initiative Swedish Universities of the Built Environment, financially supported by the Swedish Research Council Formas, the Development Fund of the Swedish Construction Industry and the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems

• 2011: collaboration agreement between 4 universities, basic financial support for coordinator and expenses

Organisation

Organisation

Board 2011-2013

• Thomas Olofsson, Luleå (Chair)

• Jesper Arfvidsson, Lund

• Ivo Martinac, KTH

• Nina Ryd, Chalmers

Coordinator

Anna Kadefors, Chalmers

External advisory committee

To be appointed

Theme groups

• Structural Engineering

• Building Performance Design

• Construction and Facilities Management

• Geotechnology

• Water and Environmental Technology

• Highway Infrastructure and Transport Systems

• Education

Activities

Internal/operative

• Cooperate in PhD, graduate and undergraduate education

• Develop relationships and knowledge of each others’ research and education

• Submit joint research proposals on a national and international level

• Other collaborative undertakings, such as joint publications

External/strategic

• Represent built environment research in relation to funding bodies, politicians and other stakeholders

• Function as a network for communication and knowledge provision: quickly respond to requests for input and needs for working groups.

• Collaborate with external actors in industry, society and other countries.

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