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.
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All researchers within The Bridge
- Achim Grelle Professor
- +46 470-70 82 30
- achimgrellelnuse
- Andreas Stephan Professor, pro 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
- 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
- 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 Giraldo
- julianarestrepogiraldolnuse
- Karolina Pehrson Doctoral student
- +46 470-70 86 48
- karolinapehrsonlnuse
- Marta Kaliszewicz
- +46 470-70 85 64
- martakaliszewiczlnuse
- Mehrdad Zarafshar Senior lecturer
- +46 470-70 84 00
- mehrdadzarafsharlnuse
- Osama Abdeljaber Associate 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
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
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. Twice a year, the partnership has open calls for project funding for Linnaeus University researchers in collaboration with coworkers at IKEA and/or Södra.
The spring call is now closed!
A total of 13 applications, amounting to 25 million, are currently being evaluated by the project committee. Their decision meeting will be held on June 13, after which the approved projects will be announced.
The next application date is 31 October.
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
Apply for project funding
You can now submit your application through our online system.
>> Register and submit your application here
To apply, you’ll need to create an account, complete the application form, and upload the required documents before the deadline.
Support
>> Link to the support portal for applicants
Contact
If you have other questions not related to support, you are welcome to contact us at: thebridge@lnu.se
Long term objectives for The Bridge
- Advancement of both academy and industry,
- faster translation of newly acquired knowledge into implementation and scaling in the industry,
- mutual and shared learning,
- strengthening the companies through proximity to and participation in current research and education,
- strengthening the University through proximity to the companies: 1) relevant, needs-driven research questions, and 2) increased relevance and quality in education,
- an adequate recruitment base for the companies’ skills supply.
Research themes
Sustainability and climate change
There is a need to both quantify and increase the climate benefits from the forests and forest products. To do this, it is essential to ensure forest health and resilient forestry and, by providing and implementing knowledge, establish climate smart forestry and sustainable forest value chains.
Renewable resources and fossil-free production
The aim is to transition to circular and fossil-free production and material flows. Sustainable products and services of the future will require regenerative methods and sustainable and efficient ways to replace fossil materials with renewable ones.
Balancing ecosystem services
Wood is a central renewable resource but forests also provide a number of other ecosystem services to our society. The trade-offs between different ecosystem services are complicated and must be mitigated since the need to preserve, increase and create biodiversity is acute. New effective ways to safeguard and increase biodiversity must therefore be developed and implemented in operational forestry.
The forests and society
A challenging future demands new business models for many forest industry companies and private forest owners, among others. New ways to use the forest raw material can be one way. New emerging markets for carbon credits and biodiversity credits may be another. Developing new business models building on cultural ecosystem services as recreation, ecotourism and wildlife might be yet another way to improve living conditions and economy for forest owners.
Besides the importance of forestry in the countryside, urban forestry also plays an important part for many people in improving mental and physical health.
What can the funding be used for?
The funding can be used for:
- Working time, (equipment) and dissemination activities.
- Both pure research projects and skills development and training activities.
- Joint activities beyond research and capacity building/training activities can be funded if the project committee considers that it strengthens the vision of the partnership.
- Educational projects and scholarships.
- Both seed funding and larger projects.
- Both short- and long-term projects.
Eligibility criteria
Applications must involve at least two of the three partners. One applicant must be a researcher at Linnaeus University.
- Researchers applying need to have 50% employment or more at Linnaeus University
- Funding of working hours may mainly be given to researchers/teachers employed at Linnaeus University.
- A dean's certificate must be attached to research applications OR be digitally registered at the Univerity.
Terms and conditions
- Researchers and coworkers can only be project leaders (PL) or co-PIs for one proposal at each call.
- Researchers who are already financed by the Bridge cannot apply for more funding of their own positions, although they can be PI and apply for funding for others.
- Persons involved in the funded projects are expected to actively engage and contribute to various initiatives within The Bridge.
Evaluation
The project proposals will be evaluated by The Bridge project committee. Projects showing high scientific quality, originality, high importance for the industry and an interdisciplinary approach will be prioritized.
Important dates
Call announced: 2025-03-10
Proposal submission deadline: 2025-05-01
Expected funding decision: June 2025
Expected start of projects: July 2025
Contact & support
Contact thebridge@lnu.se for further questions. Please include “Call #1 2025”” in the subject of your email.
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
- Susanne Ackum, Linnaeus University
- Jesper Andersson, Linnaeus University
- Linda Wilkens, IKEA
- Mikhail Tarasov, IKEA
- Magnus Petersson, Södra
- Kristoffer Segerholm, Södra