Research infrastructures

A research infrastructure is a place where academia, industry, and other actors can meet, develop skills, and create new synergies and collaborations. Research infrastructures also contribute to the development of new generations of researchers.

KTH depends on strong, shared, and long-term sustainable research infrastructures to conduct world-class research and education.

The idea of a research infrastructure encompasses a wide range of activities, from large national research labs to smaller labs and expensive individual instruments.

For most of KTH's research infrastructures, collaboration with the surrounding community is vital. Therefore, KTH offers other universities and businesses the opportunity to use equipment and instruments to contribute to sustainable national research infrastructures and innovations as well as beneficial societal developments.

Optimising utilisation rates and accessibility

Financing investment in infrastructure for research and education requires a collaborative process of stocktaking, followed by an overarching investment programme to improve utilisation rates and accessibility. Cooperation with strategic partners, as well as other universities, provides a good foundation for such a process.

KTH keeps the need for its strategic research infrastructures under constant review to ensure that the investments are utilised as efficiently and widely as possible. In a growing number of technology areas, it is also necessary to collaborate on infrastructure at the international level. KTH participates in the design and operation of several international research infrastructures that are also needed for using KTH’s own researchers.

To ensure access to equipment and instruments in areas of strategic importance, KTH has engaged in work on the appropriate development of research infrastructures, led by KTH’s Deputy President. Several criteria for KTH’s research infrastructures were established and can be found in the following downloadable document:

Criteria for KTH research infrastructures (docx 23 kB)

These criteria demonstrate the importance of research infrastructures being

Strategic, used by many, and open to different actors.
Subject to long-term planning in terms of organization, finance, up-to-date skills, and equipment (maintenance of “state-of-the-art,” as well as their impact on and cooperation with society.
Subject to continuous quality assessment and development.

KTH issues an annual call with central funding for upgrading or purchasing new equipment for the university’s established research infrastructures. Annual evaluations are carried out, followed by discussions with each director aimed at quality enhancement.