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Innovations for a more vibrant campus

Portrait photo: A blond woman wearing av dark green blouse standing in a library.
Lisa Ericsson, foto: Tobias Ohlsson.
Published Aug 17, 2021

Hi Lisa Ericsson, Head of KTH Innovation. In September, you will start the Future Campus Challenge together with Akademiska Hus to see how the work environment on campus can be improved both physically and digitally. How can this initiative contribute to this?

Register your interest for Future Campus Challenge

"Innovations tend to emerge in times of change when we move from one position to another. This autumn, more work will be scheduled on campus. We will then be returning to a more normal situation with new experiences from the past year where we have been working from home. Many of us are bound to reflect a bit more about the physical environment on campus and the work-related significance than was previously the case.

"Future Campus Challenge aims to engage employees and students in the return to campus by persuading them to develop ideas that can make the campus a more vibrant place.

Why is this initiative important?

"For KTH, leveraging the creativity of its employees and students and their engagement with their campus is of great value. Future Campus Challenge is an opportunity to encourage the emergence of innovations that can develop an even better work environment at KTH.

Why should people get involved?

"Working with innovations is both fun and educational. By participating, you gain insights into how the innovation process itself works in practice. You can get involved either individually or as part of a team. The latter opens up opportunities for exciting collaborations across divisional borders, roles and campus areas.

What does the Future Campus Challenge aim to achieve?

"The aim is to attract 100 ideas that can improve the work environment either physically or digitally. We hope that as many of these as possible can be realised and prove beneficial, but having said that, the process itself is just as important as the aim. I hope to see a tremendous sense of engagement from all parts of KTH and that the Future Campus Challenge attracts plenty of participants when it gets started in mid-September.

Ulf Däversjö, Director of Innovation and Sustainable Development at Akademiska Hus, talks about their involvement:

Portrait photo: a man, who is smiling wearing a dark jacket.
Ulf Däversjö, photo: Akademiska Hus.

"When we can meet again on campus to a greater extent, we and KTH both want to gain an understanding of what new patterns of behaviour are here to stay and who we, together with users, can make the future campus more attractive and relevant for.

What contribution will you be making in the Future Campus Challenge, and what are you hoping for?

"As KTH’s biggest landlord, we want our campuses to offer a test and demonstration environment. We also intend to explain the challenges we face as one of the largest property companies in Sweden regarding the sustainable development of campus environments.

"We hope to find innovative ideas and solutions that can be put into practice and inspire the development of the future campus, not only at KTH but also in many other parts of the country. We are also looking forward to the actual dialogue and the co-creation process together with enthusiastic users who work and study in the environment we have the benefit of developing and managing on behalf of KTH.

Words: Marianne Norén

Page responsible:press@kth.se
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Last changed: Aug 17, 2021