We bloggers often write about life around “campus,” and we’re usually referring to KTH Campus, the main one in central Stockholm. However, KTH actually has a total of five campuses, and I’m here to offer a brief overview for any students out there (or already here) who may need it.
- KTH Campus
Also known as ‘main campus’, this is the one that most people refer to when they talk about KTH. The KTH Campus is located in central Stockholm (Östermalm, to be exact) and is bounded to the north by the beautiful forest of Norra Djurgården. It’s where you’ll find the stunning ivy-covered brick buildings (completed in 1917) and the iconic KTH courtyard. The ongoing development of this area has included a living lab and new student accommodations. Thanks to the wide variety of academic activities, research labs, the student union, administrative headquarters, and more, this area has a lively, classic campus feel.
- KTH Kista
The Kista campus, founded around 1980, is located northwest of Stockholm. To get there from KTH main campus takes about 30 minutes by metro, and it’s where you’d find nearly everything related to ICT (Information and Communication Technology). Some call it “Sweden’s Silicon Valley”, as the area is home to some big companies in the ICT sector, such as IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, and Tele2, as well as many smaller startups. Overall, Kista is a great opportunity for students interested in research and the ICT business sector.
- KTH Flemingsberg
The Flemingsberg campus will take you to a southern suburb of Stockholm, just 20 minutes from the center by commuter train. But did you know? This area is one of Europe’s top biotechnology hubs, featuring both research and industrial activities. KTH moved some of its activities in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health to this area around 2002. Today it continues its strong focus on the development of medical technology.
- KTH Södertälje
Getting to Södertälje (a city to the southwest of Stockholm) takes about 50 minutes from Stockholm by train. The KTH Södertälje campus is technically the furthest away from central Stockholm, but there sure is a lot going on. KTH has had a campus here for the past 30 years, but at the end of 2017, it transferred to a new campus in the northern city centre of Södertälje. KTH is also expanding its activities here (think: new courses and a new research organisation in Sustainable Production). As Scania is headquartered here and AstraZeneca has a strong presence, there is ample opportunity for collaboration and applied learning.
- KTH Solna
And last but not least is KTH Solna campus. This campus is the closest to KTH Campus, located right near the border between Solna municipality and Stockholm municipality. It’s a campus focused on research and education in molecular biosciences. The main feature is the Science for Life Laboratory (a national centre shared by local universities for health and environmental research). There are also notably exciting plans for the urban area that KTH Solna is located in, which will be developed into a district that includes learning centres, research institutes, hospitals, cafes, restaurants, and parks.
Have you learned something new? Because I have! Even as a second-year master’s student I have yet to visit a few of these campuses. I hope this offers a little extra clarity about the network of KTH campuses for other students too.
// Claire