Our ambition is to provide solutions for the great challenges of our time. That’s why many LiU researchers collaborate with industry, the public sector and civil society. Here you can read about our "impact cases” – that is, research that has made a difference out in society.

 Linköping University brings skills and new knowledge to society. Through our research, we look for solutions to contemporary challenges, together with other actors in wider society. We make a splash – locally, regionally and globally.

But what does this look like in practice? Here are some examples of how we’ve achieved results by

  • strengthening core functions of society
  • establishing new arenas and networks for knowledge exchange
  • designing tools and methods that give concrete support to decision-makers
  • helping to identify the knowledge that is needed in the future
  • inspiring learning and promoting civic engagement
  • developing smart technological solutions and making them accessible

Examples of how our research affects society

Firefighters and fire truck.

Research and training that saves lives

Carer is a research centre at Linköping University (LiU) operated in collaboration with the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency. Research is focused on society’s ability to deal with accidents ranging from everyday incidents to extraordinary events.

Landscape with houses, sights and heaven.

The Academy of the Municipalities

The Centre for Local Government Studies is a hub for research and collaboration in municipal and regional development. A close collaboration between academia and public bodies provides important insights for municipal strategies in current topics.

People around a table

Folk high school teacher programme offers a second chance

Linköping University offers Sweden’s only education for teachers in folk high schools, based on research largely carried out here. Folk high schools reach new groups with their teaching methods, ideas/philosophy, and open atmosphere.

Research into the role municipalities play to promote sustainable development

Sustainability strategies in municipalities are increasingly important in the work to meet the societal challenges of today. Research at LiU makes it easier to effectively implement the UN global climate objectives of Agenda 2030 at local level.

Climate change

Climate research for the benefit of society

Cross-disciplinary environmental research at Linköping University breaks new ground. The innovative research with important participants, both from within Sweden and abroad, has given new tools and knowledge to meet the climate challenges we face.

Power generation in an illustrated landscape

Open Modelica helping to solve complex societal issues

OpenModelica is a free tool, partially developed at Linköping University, to model and simulate complex systems. It is an open-source system, which enables many actors to contribute and benefit companies and society.

Surgery

Guidance in difficult healthcare choices from the National Centre for Priority Setting in Health Care

How should healthcare allocate resources when they are not enough for everything? The National Centre for Priority Setting in Health Care at Linköping University helps authorities, regions and clinical activities to prioritise and make decisions.

World-leading cognitive hearing research improves quality of life for millions of people

A collaboration with LiU researchers and Danish company Oticon has paved the way for a paradigm shift in hearing rehabilitation. World-leading knowledge gives tailored hearing aids, and thus a higher quality of life for those with impaired hearing.

hand holding mobile phone

World-leading research at LiU into next-generation mobile networks

Massive MIMO is seen as a key technology in the superfast 5G networks of the future. Scientists at LiU were pioneers, and a close collaboration with Ericsson Research has given Swedish industry a leading position in commercial use of the technology.

Collaboration at Linköping university