KTH's activities are concentrated on three campuses

"The aim is to strengthen KTH's future development and finances. Lower costs provide greater opportunities to do so," says Johan Sterte, Chairman of the Board.

The decision, which was made on 22 November, was preceded by an extensive investigation, which in turn resulted in in-depth analyses of the operations in Kista and Södertälje.

"The preparatory work has been thorough. It is a major and important decision for KTH to be able to defend and further strengthen its prominent position in Europe and globally. And to be able to invest in the most important thing we have: staff and students. By consolidating and concentrating operations, we can further strengthen quality," says Johan Sterte.

The pandemic, inflation and sharply increased premises costs are some of the reasons why KTH has generated a deficit, and the campus review has been part of the work to create a balanced economy.

"We are aiming for an even stronger and more successful KTH in five to ten years' time," says Anders Söderholm , President of KTH, emphasizing that today's decision is a crossroads.

 "It is an absolute prerequisite and necessary for the continued strong development of KTH.

What is the next step?How fast will it go?

"At the beginning of next year, we will have projects and timetables ready for the various relocations that describe how it will be done in more detail. But the change as a whole will take several years.

How will it affect staff and students?

"Of course, we understand that this can be challenging, but the change will be implemented with great care and in dialogue with employees and students," says Anders Söderholm.

Concentrating KTH's activities on three instead of five campuses is intended to strengthen research, education and collaboration. For prospective students, there are several advantages to a more complete academic environment, such as a more appropriate range of courses, greater freedom of choice and less overlap between different programmes.

"We will be able to offer our students a better range of courses that match the labour market in computer, electrical and production engineering even better than today when we concentrate our activities," says Anders Söderholm.

For researchers, the benefits of co-location include getting closer to colleagues who are currently located on several campuses, and combined expertise increases opportunities for development.

Is there room for everybody?

 "That will be shown in the more detailed plans, but already today we have about 3,000 square metres of space on the KTH Campus waiting to be used," says Anders Söderholm.

The decision also states that KTH will develop collaboration with its various partners in Kista and Södertälje and together make targeted actions in research and education.

"Our intention is to continue working with our partners in Södertälje and Kista, but to develop other, more sustainable models for this collaboration. This means different types of development initiatives that we will return to.

Text: Jill Klackenberg

Decision in short

To the Decision on the localization of activities at KTH's campus with diary number (V-2023-0821) also belongs the decision support document Relocation of activities at KTH's campus. It describes the review and its various parts, the background and basis for the decision based on the analyses made, and the objectives for KTH's future activities as a whole and for the various campuses. The decision can be summarized as follows:

• Campus Södertälje will move to KTH Campus and Campus Flemingsberg.
• Campus Kista will move to the KTH Campus at Valhallavägen, except the The Electrum Laboratory, whose long-term development will be investigated.
• Projects and timetables for the relocation and financial analysis will be presented to the Board in February and THS's views that are central to the moves will be given special consideration.
• KTH develops collaboration through targeted initiatives with KTH's partners in Södertälje and Kista.

At intra.kth.se/styrning/campusoversyn  you can find the previous analyses, investigations and documents that form the background to the decision.