KTH Global Development Hub
Global Development Hub (GDH) explores new ways for universities to tackle
global challenges and accelerate sustainability transitions.
About KTH Global Development Hub
KTH's Global Development Hub (GDH) is a dedicated unit that fosters and promotes education and innovation at KTH within a global context. The mission of GDH is to actively contribute to a fair and green transition for all through engineering education, providing students, teachers and societal partners with the opportunity to address global societal challenges while enhancing their innovation capacity for the future.
The core is our interconnected expertise in challenge-driven education, frugal innovation, engineering, and societal and international relations.
We operate through collaborations and alliances across disciplines, institutions, societal sectors, and continents. Our key activities include training programs for students, teachers and societal partners, student and faculty mobility programs, and participatory research and development, all in close collaboration with African partner universities.
Integrating education and innovation
GDH was initiated in 2017 to integrate education and innovation to contribute to global sustainable development per Agenda 2030 and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. From its inception, GDH aspired to contribute to solutions addressing contemporary societal challenges by establishing partnerships with universities in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Botswana. Together, these institutions aimed to tackle global societal challenges collaboratively.
KTH has provided professional development opportunities for educators at KTH and GDH's partner universities for several years. Over 100 educators have completed the pedagogical course "Learning for Challenge-Driven Education with Global Development Goals." Annually, around ten students from KTH travel to our African partner universities, reciprocated by an equivalent number of African students coming to KTH to partake in challenge-driven education experiences.
KTH Global Development Hub is developing its partnership model and is open to interest from further partners.
Increasing focus on Africa at KTH
KTH is increasingly focusing on collaboration with Africa. With KTH in Africa community , KTH strives to bring together colleagues, faculty members, students and alumni interested in collaboration related to Africa.
News
Strengthening Swedish–Tanzanian higher education, research and innovation partnerships
In April 2026, representatives from KTH Global Development Hub participated in and contributed to the dialogue “From Dialogue to Collaboration: Strengthening Swedish–Tanzanian Higher Education, Resear...
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Re-Imagine Mobility Lab: A Semester in Snapshots
The Mobility Lab was created by the KTH Global Development Hub (GDH) to be a space for students, researchers, and partners to explore how technology, creativity, and collaboration can drive societal c...
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GDH Partner Days at KTH: Strengthening Challenge-Driven Education and Collaboration
From 2–6 March, partners from African partner universities in the KTH Global Development Hub (GDH) network gathered in Stockholm for a week of exchange, learning, and strategic discussion. The Partner...
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