QS: Within the strategy, Lund has promised to implement sustainability across all areas of the institution, including in research, the curriculum and staff. What is the background of this, how was it formed and what does it mean in practice?

Addressing the sustainability challenges requires knowledge and skilled people; therefore, it must be embedded in our core activities: teaching, research and external engagement. The strategy was formed through a participatory process which involved all central decision-making institutions, including the educational and research boards and the university management team.

Inclusion of sustainability in research and education is ensured through the quality system and the annual quality dialogs. The university provides teachers and researchers support with how to integrate sustainability in their research and education. Universities are also major economic actors, which means sustainability needs to be part of how we operate on every level.

QS: The number one ranking also comes with topping the Environmental Impact, Governance and Equality metrics, and securing second for Health and Wellbeing. Institutions often find it challenging to be experts in more than one field. How does Lund manage this balance?

Lund University’s strength lies in integration – environmental impact, governance, and equality are not treated as separate goals but as interconnected parts of one strategy. In addition, the Scandinavian way of an open society with flat organisational structure works in our favour.

Health and Wellbeing is deeply rooted in the Swedish concept of ”work-life-balance”, which is internationally recognised. This balance, combined with access to nature and creative environments, was a key factor highlighted by candidates in our recent international recruitment – with more than 1,300 applicants from leading institutions such as Harvard and Oxford competing for 25 positions.

QS: I’m curious how Lund University’s Scandinavian roots play into its priorities around ethical leaders and student influence.

Ethical leadership in the Nordic regions is characterised by a high degree of trust and transparency, combined with a consensus-driven culture and strong employee engagement. This creates a foundation for societal responsibility, ensuring that environmental and social sustainability are embedded in everyday decision-making.

Closely connected to this is student influence, which has deep traditions in Sweden and perhaps its strongest advocate at Lund University. We have always been at the forefront of student participation, with students represented in all decision-making bodies, including the university management team and the University board.

QS: Where should other universities prioritise their efforts and what can they learn from Lund’s success?

It is the small, everyday decisions that have built Lund University’s success – not just grand plans and strategies. This is perhaps the most crucial factor and also the hardest to implement. Equally important is the strong commitment across all disciplines to research and education related to sustainability, which gives both the scale and quality of our work its significance.

QS: How are you collaborating with others for the future?

Collaboration with all types of organisations – known in Swedish as ”samverkan”– is a core principle at Lund University. We are constantly seeking new partners to learn from, whether universities, corporations, NGOs, students or alumni, together with our international peers, such as Imperial, UCL, and the University of Toronto, we aim to relentlessly push the sustainability agenda forward. For example, Lund university has recently joined the large-scale international research project U21 Nature Positive Coalition, and in December, together with Cambridge, we will organize the conference Knowledge for Sustainable Development 2025 – Breaking Barriers to Climate Solutions.