Systems engineering and circular economy
The theme day was held at Scandic Frimurarehotellet in Linköping. After an introduction by Erik Frisk, Mattias Lindahl, Professor at the Department of Management and Engineering (IEI) at Linköping University, opened the day with the lecture “Fit for the Future! – How System Engineering Powers the Circular Economy.”
He described how perspectives on resources have changed over time: from being considered almost infinite to a growing focus on careful resource management. The climate transition has also made resource issues a top management concern in many companies and organizations. According to Lindahl, competencies such as systems thinking and optimization are crucial for driving the circular economy forward.
Sustainability at Vinnova
Next, Lotten Juhlin from Vinnova spoke about how the government agency works with sustainability. Through funding various projects, Vinnova contributes to innovations connected to the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. She provided examples of how these goals guide priorities and project selection in Vinnova’s daily work.
Sustainability in Education and Research
After the break, Svante Gunnarsson, Professor of Automatic Control, gave a lecture on how sustainability can be integrated into both teaching and research activities at the Department of Electrical Engineering (ISY).
He highlighted two examples of how sustainability can be implemented in courses offered at the department and shared insights into how research environments can work with long-term strategies. Among other things, he discussed the development and implementation of the sustainability plan for the competence center SEDDIT.
Discussions and networking
During the interactive session, participants were invited to discuss the day’s theme. This provided opportunities to reflect on the lecture content, exchange ideas, and identify shared challenges currently present at the department.
The day concluded with networking and a joint dinner.