LTH’s management has identified the establishment in Science Village as an important development issue. What decisions have been taken?
“The faculty managements of LTH and the Faculty of Science still regard the establishment of Science Village as a key issue. And the project planning of the new Nanolab is in full swing with the procured landlord, Vectura. The establishment of operations is underway, but the new focus is that first and second-cycle studies will not move.”
So now the entire Departments of Physics and Chemistry are no longer moving?
“Following the analyses carried out in recent years with regard to research, education and costs, the faculty boards decided in December to move forward by preparing for a smaller-scale establishment. It emerged that a large-scale establishment would cause a lot of problems on the educational side for both teaching staff and students in terms of logistics and scheduling. The students’ own activities would also be adversely affected. In addition, the comprehensive proposal would lead to fairly substantial costs for the faculties and departments.”
What happens next?
“December’s decision means that a rethink is underway. However, the work carried out forms the basis for the analysis now being conducted of which activities at the Departments of Physics and Chemistry in particular would benefit most from being located in Science Village. For example, a group of researchers is currently working on organisational development.”
But has the issue been sufficiently analysed?
“In a way it has, because a thorough job has been done. But now the analysis will be narrowed down to more specifically link it to the activities that would really benefit from being located in Science Village. And we will also look at which activities benefit most from proximity to each other.”
Will LTH continue to work towards a dynamic Science Village where sustainability solutions will have global visibility?
In a way, the responsibility for this issue lies with several different stakeholders, and perhaps especially with Science Village Scandinavia AB, which is owned by the City of Lund, Region Skåne and Lund University. LTH is involved in discussions concerning the broad outlines of the development of the area, and we can work more on the parts we can influence. But the main responsibility lies with others. Having said that, LTH and Lund University want to seize this historic opportunity to create really exciting research and innovation environments around Max IV and ESS.