The Bridge
A unique partnership between Södra, IKEA, and Linnaeus University that unites academia and industry for innovation and sustainability, focusing on forestry and wood.
The world is facing global challenges and sustainable development will require new thinking, new initiatives and new partnerships. The challenges of today and tomorrow must be solved together. Three parties with roots in the Småland soil – and a common focus on the forest and its values – provide good conditions for a dynamic exchange between academia and industry, with the aim of creating both mutual and societal benefits.
Södra and IKEA, in collaboration with Linnaeus University, aim to establish a joint platform for challenge- and demand-driven knowledge development, primarily linked to the entire forest value chain but also addressing other issues related to sustainability and innovation. The collaborative research projects explore questions about everything from forestry and timber, through development and production processes, to ensuring a long and sustainable lifespan for the products created – while at the same time safeguarding values such as biodiversity, tourism, and cultural heritage. The partnership also enables a close connection between students and industry through the companies’ active involvement in the various programmes, for example in the form of mentorships, guest lectures, project work, and study visits.
News
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European Forest City 2026 and international forest conference coming to Växjö News
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Meet Daniel Knapp: “Working at the edge of what we know is always exciting” News
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Green Light for the 2026 Budget and Business Plan News
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100 days of innovation – students develop sustainable ideas for companies in Småland News
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Features
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Can we help forests adapt to a changing climate? MAY 2025 | Global warming and a changing climate are placing new demands on our forests. Doctoral student Karolina Pehrson is researching on…
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It is possible to build all the buildings in the world out of wood without reducing the number of trees in the forests MAY 2025 | We must find ways to exclude concrete, metal, and plastic when…
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Drones with hypersensitive sensors help researchers map forest health CHANGE issue 2 2024 | Changes in the health of trees and forest stands begin long before we can detect them with the naked eye.…
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Shaping the future of timber structures CHANGE issue 2 2024 | How does wood work, and how can we best utilise this material in design and construction of buildings? These are some of the questions…
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Changing climate creates new threats: “Our trees are not ready to fight back” CHANGE issue 2 2024 | Forest damage is often associated with biological factors such as fungi, insects, and wildlife.…
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World-leading knowledge becomes vital competitive advantages for businesses CHANGE No. 1 2024 | From the tree swaying in the forest to the finished wooden dining table being set for a family meal. The…
Five minute science
Research in The Bridge partnership leads to exciting new knowledge. The results are published in scientific articles in internationally recognised journals, but to be able to disseminate the knowledge more widely, we have developed the concept Five minute science. In these short films, researchers talk about their research in a simple and accessible way to spread knowledge and increase interest in the forest and its values.
Study the films in Five minute science
All researchers within The Bridge
- Achim Grelle Professor
- +46 470-70 82 30
- achimgrellelnuse
- Andreas Stephan Professor, acting dean
- +46 470-70 85 69
- andreasstephanlnuse
- Anna Jensen Professor
- +46 470-76 75 72
- +46 72-565 34 77
- annajensenlnuse
- Ann-Mari Fransson Senior lecturer
- +46 470-76 78 84
- annmarifranssonlnuse
- Daniel Knapp Senior lecturer
- +46 470-70 87 04
- danielknapplnuse
- Donna Maione Postdoctoral research fellow
- +46 470-70 85 49
- donnamaionelnuse
- Elham Badalzadehe Aghdam Doctoral student
- +46 470-70 87 49
- elhamaghdamlnuse
- Esra Sengün Doctoral student
- +46 470-76 70 69
- esrasengunlnuse
- Ihsanullah Sohoo Postdoctoral Fellow
- +46 470-70 85 75
- ihsanullahsohoolnuse
- Jimmy Johansson Professor
- +46 470-70 80 33
- +46 72-526 41 31
- jimmyjohanssonlnuse
- Johan Bergh Professor
- +46 470-76 75 42
- +46 70-292 25 25
- johanberghlnuse
- Johan Fransson Professor
- +46 470-76 70 42
- +46 70-660 86 97
- johanfranssonlnuse
- Johan Kroon Senior lecturer
- +46 470-70 88 49
- johankroonlnuse
- Johan Lindeberg Senior lecturer
- +46 470-70 81 94
- +46 76-760 36 75
- johanlindeberglnuse
- Johanna Sunde Associate senior lecturer
- +46 480-44 67 43
- johannasundelnuse
- Johanna Witzell Professor
- +46 470-70 88 25
- +46 70-230 90 56
- johannawitzelllnuse
- Juliana Restrepo
- julianarestrepogiraldolnuse
- Karolina Pehrson Doctoral student
- +46 470-70 86 48
- karolinapehrsonlnuse
- Marta Kaliszewicz
- +46 470-70 85 64
- martakaliszewiczlnuse
- Mehrdad Zarafshar ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR (Docent)
- +46 470-70 84 00
- mehrdadzarafsharlnuse
- Michael Dorn Associate professor
- +46 470-70 81 56
- michaeldornlnuse
- Osama Abdeljaber Senior lecturer
- +46 470-76 78 60
- osamaabdeljaberlnuse
- Souvik Ray Doctoral student
- +46 470-70 83 81
- souvikraylnuse
- Susanne Knutsson Associate professor
- +46 470-70 80 32
- susanneknutssonlnuse
Ongoing Research Projects
If you're curious about the type of research being conducted within the partnership, you can find an updated overview of all ongoing research projects here: Projects_thebridge.pdf
Research ideas
Do you have an interesting research idea? Twice a year, researchers at Linnaeus University and employees at Södra and IKEA can apply for project funding. Read more under the heading Calls for project funding.
Education
The Bridge supports Linnaeus University's unique programmes and courses in forestry and innovation. Södra and IKEA contribute through, among other things, lectures, degree projects and practical projects, which enables students to apply the theory from their studies to real working life situations. At the same time, the companies get to know the students' curious questions and suggestions for solutions to various challenges.
- Innovation through Business, Engineering and Design - specialisation Engineering, Master Programme 120 credits
- Innovation through Business, Engineering and Design - specialisation design, Master Programme 120 credits
- Innovation through Business, Engineering and Design - specialisation Business, Master Programme 120 credits
- Forestry for Green Sustainable Development, Master Programme 120 credits
Scholarships for students
A part of the Bridge is The IKEA and Södra Scholarship, which can be applied for each year by students on the master programmes concerned.
Calls for project funding
The Bridge Project portfolio is an instrument designed to encourage collaboration between the three partners of the partnership.
Mainly, projects in four main themes are supported:
- Sustainability and climate change
- Renewable resources and fossil-free production
- Balancing ecosystem services
- The forests and society
No calls for proposals will be issued in 2026.
About The Bridge
The purpose of the partnership The Bridge is to establish a joint platform for challenge- and demand-driven knowledge development, primarily connected to the entire forest value chain but also addressing sustainability and innovation in their own right.
The partnership enables a close connection between students and industry through the companies’ active involvement in the various programmes, for example in the form of mentorships, guest lectures, project work, and study visits. It also facilitates active discussions about future skills supply needs.
The long-term goals are:
- To facilitate the transfer of knowledge and drive industrial transformation.
- To accelerate the transition from newly gained knowledge to implementation and scaling within industry.
- To foster mutual and shared learning.
- To strengthen the companies through proximity to and participation in current research and education.
- To strenghten the university through close collaboration with companies: 1) relevant demand-driven research questions and 2) increased relevance and quality in education.
- To provide an adequate recruitment base for the companies’ skills supply.
Organisation
Steering group
- Peter Aronsson, Linnaeus University
- Robert Carleke, IKEA
- Lotta Lyrå, Södra
Project committee
- Andreas Stephan, Linnaeus University
- Jesper Andersson, Linnaeus University
- Linda Wilkens, IKEA
- Mikhail Tarasov, IKEA
- Magnus Petersson, Södra
- Kristoffer Segerholm, Södra