King receives Royal Jubilee professorship in green transition
KTH is launching a Royal Jubilee Professorship to drive the green transition in Sweden and around the world. This initiative is a gift to King Carl XVI Gustaf for his 80th birthday on 30 April 2026 and recognizes his commitment to the environment and science.
“It is very important that we look to the future and, through research, achieve results in the green transition. This is a collaboration and a fantastic initiative that will make a difference,” says King Carl XVI Gustaf.
"We are incredibly pleased and grateful that this has been made possible thanks to generous donors. This professorship will help us to attract researchers in this field, which is crucial for society," says Anders Söderholm, President for KTH.
The aim is to attract some of the world’s leading researchers to Stockholm and provide them with a platform for interdisciplinary work on climate issues. The professorship is linked to the KTH Climate Action Centre , a centre for climate and sustainability research.
'We are delighted and grateful for the King’s commitment and for this professorship. The climate challenge is global and urgent. This sends a strong signal about the importance of action-oriented research focused on concrete solutions," says Francesco Fuso Nerini, researcher and the centre's director.
Four areas
At the Climate Action Centre, research is conducted across a wide range of fields, from technology and AI to politics and behaviour, with the aim of creating climate-neutral and resilient societies. The work is organised into four areas:
- Climate strategy, policy and economics
- Technology for climate action
- Climate and digitalisation
- Local Transition
The professorship involves inviting renowned researchers to act as visiting professors for one to three years. During this time, they will conduct their own research and help forge new collaborations.
Potential research areas range from sustainable materials and products to the way we build and live in our communities.
Concrete contribution
It is hoped that this initiative will lead not only to scientific breakthroughs, but also to a concrete contribution to the transition towards a more sustainable society.
The programme will launch on the King’s birthday , when the first visiting professor will be appointed in 2027.
"This coincides with KTH’s 200th anniversary and is fully in line with KTH´s vision of taking the lead in sustainable social development," says Karin Larsdotter, Deputy Director of the centre.
Funding is based on donations , totalling 50 million SEK to date, which is sufficient for ten years of operations.
Text: Jill Klackenberg
Photo: Kungl. Hovstaterna