In March 2021, Lund University announced SEK100 million in new funding for a research programme for excellence, focusing on Agenda 2030 and sustainable development for the years 2022-2025. The aim of the programme is for Lund University to create internationally leading environments that can attract funding for forthcoming initiatives relating to sustainable development. This applies to national grants from initiatives in the Research Bill, but especially from the EU framework programme Horizon Europe.

Projects that have been awarded grants in the second round are:

LU4Water

The project brings together research from six faculties at Lund University. This broad collaboration will facilitate the development of a master plan for water policy with the aim of overcoming unsustainable water use. The plan will be applicable on a Swedish as well as a global level. Safe and sound water management is a global need and a cornerstone of the UN sustainability goals.

Six postdocs from the Faculty of Engineering, LTH, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Economics and Management, LUSEM and Faculties of Humanities and Theology will be involved in the project.

Main applicant: Kenneth M Persson, LTH
Co-applicants: Britta Sjöstedt, J; Charlotte Sparrebom, N; Lea Fünfschilling, S; Jonas Nordström, EHL; Dan-Erik Andersson, HT

Circular Economy: Multi-level value chain and policy dynamics for accelerating sustainability transformations

The project will investigate the shift from global value chains to circular supply chains, which are of great importance since global value chains account for half of global trade. The project will highlight tensions between linear and circular business logics, between top-down managed firms and inclusive local bottom-up processes and between a focus on deregulation and on forms of governance that take environmental and social impacts into consideration.

Three postdocs from the Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, LTH, and School of Economics and Management, LUSEM will be involved in the project.
 
Main applicant: Markus Grillitsch, Samhällsvetenskapliga fakulteten. Co-applicants: Fredrik Nilsson, S; Sylvia Schwaag Serger, EHL

In total, the two projects will receive SEK 32.7 million over a three-year period.