Stories from LiU

Woman (Eleni Stavrinidou) wearing a lab coat examines a rose

Electronic roses – a world first

LiU researchers in organic electronics were first in the world to insert electronics into a living plant. This opened up a completely new research field. In the future we might have a rose garden that supplies electricity to the household.

Pioneers in online therapy – helping more people, faster

Mental ill-health is a huge problem in Sweden – and the world. It afflicts individuals directly, but also societies, in the form of increased costs. New solutions are needed – and some of the answers can be found on the web.

Young people in front of a dome theatre film

The programme that can lead to an Oscar

LiU was first in Sweden to launch an innovative engineering programme in media technology. Many alumni are successful – six of them have even won Academy Awards.

A visualisation centre to understand and change the world

To show what actually cannot be seen, and to make complex information comprehensible by way of images. This is what visualisation is about, and this is the objective of the Visualization Center C in Norrköping.

Engineers right on target

In the late 20th century, prestigious MIT joined forces with LiU, Chalmers and KTH to modernise engineering studies. The CDIO framework is now used worldwide, and in 2018 LiU was the first to offer it in medicine.

Man (Fredrik Gustafsson) by a fence with a rhino in the background

Protecting the black rhino with technology

The rhinoceroses in Africa are under threat of extinction. Technology from LiU will improve security in national parks and save the lives of rhinos as well as park rangers.

A new focus on children's allergies

More and more children have allergies. LiU researchers are working to combat the allergy epidemic – using bacteria from the mothers.

Biogas helps with all global goals

It started with diesel smog and meat processing waste, problems that could be solved with biogas. Now the region around Linköping is a stronghold for biogas, and LiU is home to a national knowledge centre.

Two men dressed in white and wearing blue gloves, in front of a table with laboratory equipment.

The world's first student-managed training ward

When LiU introduced problem-based learning in its programmes for medicine and healthcare, lots of people were sceptical. But it was a success. Also successful was the world’s first student-managed training ward.

A man and a woman sit in front of a computer

Simulation teaches teachers leadership

LiU was first in Sweden to develop a simulation where aspiring teachers can train for when a pupil provokes them and get to know their own reactions. "Every teacher should get to do this."

Stress – can it be inherited?

Researchers from LiU were among the first to show that stress can be inherited from chickens to their offspring - something that few believed previously. Today, research is conducted in a large, internationally renowned group.

First digital hearing aid

The world’s first digital hearing aid was developed at LiU. It made it much easier to separate speech from background noise, and to adapt the unit to the individual user. Today, digital technology is standard for all hearing aids.

Better logistics for cheaper, more sustainable construction

Construction workers can spend almost half their workday waiting for materials or shifting them around. Research within construction logistics is to make construction more efficient and give us less expensive housing.

From textile mills to vibrant campus

In the 1990s the Swedish government wanted to see higher education in new locations, and LiU needed to grow. The neighbouring city of Norrköping had the capacity. Its old textile precinct became home to the new and unusually beautiful campus.

A diverse group of individuals collaborates around a table, each engaged with their laptops in a productive setting.

A perfect blend of chalk and cheese

LiU was first in Sweden to combine economics and engineering in an engineering programme. Many questioned whether all of this could fit inside a single programme, but today it is one of the most sought-after engineering programmes in Sweden.

A person using a big touch screen to get a visualization of a skeleton

How did the mummy at the British Museum die?

To solve an ancient murder mystery, British Museum turned to Linköping University. LiU research also lays the foundation for the visualisation table that was used for the mummy exhibition.

The right material saves the supermicroscope

The enormous supermicroscope ESS will help us understand how different materials work. The LiU thin-film researchers played an important role in the implementation of the project, solving a major problem.

Free bus service for students - reported to police

When LiU got a new campus in Norrköping, the students got an idea: a bus line between the three campuses. In 2002 the Campus Bus got rolling, with free travel for students. But the Deputy VC who signed the contract was called in for questioning.