LUSEM Sustainability Festival 2027

Positioning LUSEM as a Sustainability Leader

Lund University was recently ranked number one in the Lund University QS Sustainability Ranking 2026, which evaluates how universities contribute to a sustainable future through research, education and institutional operations.

Building on this strong foundation, the Sustainability Festival aims to further position LUSEM as a leading force in sustainability. By bringing together research excellence, student innovation and industry collaboration, the event will showcase Lund University’s leadership in sustainability while also creating new opportunities for dialogue and long-term partnerships.

What is LUSEM Sustainability Festival?

The Sustainability Festival is a Full-Day takeover of LUSEM! Every space in LUSEM will be activated – lecture halls, breakout rooms, and collaborative areas – creating a dynamic ecosystem where faculty, students, and industry leaders interact continuously throughout the day.

The day will begin with an opening keynote, setting the tone for the festival and highlighting the urgency, opportunity, and relevance of sustainability across research, education, and business.

What’s in it for me?

• Faculty gain visibility, collaboration opportunities, and industry relevance.
• Students gain skills, networks, and career-enhancing credentials.
• Companies gain access to talent, research, and innovative solutions.

Why should companies engage in this event?

Participating companies gain multiple touchpoints:

• Dedicated company presentations.
• On-site presence through booths. 
• Challenge ownership in the Climathon.
• Thesis collaboration opportunities. 
• Direct access to top students and researchers.

• Strong brand positioning within sustainability leadership. 

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Researchers

High-Impact Pitch Sessions

At the core of the festival are research pitch sessions. Researchers at LUSEM present their sustainability-related work in 8–10 minute concise pitches. Each session includes 4 presentations and Q&A. 

The festival will feature several parallel research tracks throughout the day. Every session is repeated three times during the day, maximizing reach and accessibility and participants can curate their own experience by attending multiple thematic tracks.

This format ensures:

• High visibility for faculty research.
• Cross-disciplinary exchange. 
• Opportunities for external collaboration. 
• Greater flexibility for participants, who can move between parallel tracks without missing too much content.

Round Table Dialogues: Research Meets Practice

We will facilitate exclusive round table discussions where:

• Researchers engage directly with industry stakeholders. 
• Concrete sustainability challenges are explored in depth. 
• Opportunities for joint projects and partnerships emerge. 

These sessions are designed for high-value, outcome-oriented dialogue.

Companies

Mini Climathon: From Challenge to Solution in One Day

The day begins with a company presenting a real-world sustainability challenge to participating students. Throughout the day, student teams work collaboratively to develop innovative solutions, combining academic knowledge with practical problem-solving. The event concludes at 16:00 with final presentations to a panel of academics and industry representatives, creating a dynamic environment where theory and practice meet within a single day.

Industry-Driven Thesis Opportunities

Companies will present live research challenges that students can develop into:

• Bachelor’s theses. 
• Master’s theses.

This directly connects academic work with real industry needs, strengthening employability and relevance.

Company Presentations and On-Site Presence 

Companies will have the opportunity to play a visible and active role during the festival through:

• 15-minute company presentations on their sustainability work.
• On-site booths or exhibition stands at the school throughout the day.
• Direct engagement with students, faculty, and researchers in an open and dynamic setting.

Students

Opportunities for Professional Development

To promote active engagement, students will earn digital sustainability badges by attending sessions and participating in designated activities throughout the event. Students who accumulate five badges, indicating participation in five distinct events or sessions during the day, will be awarded an official LUSEM Sustainability Certificate. The certificate will bear the signature of the Vice Dean for Education. This certificate is intended for inclusion in students’ CVs and LinkedIn profiles.

Sign up 

• Faculty and staff sign up
• Company sign up