About LUCSUS
Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS) is an interdisciplinary research centre dedicated to understanding and explaining pressing sustainability challenges, while contributing to policy and practice to drive social change.
Since 2000, LUCSUS has been at the forefront of research and education, generating theoretically innovative and empirically rigorous sustainability research while advancing international interdisciplinary sustainability education.
The centre was created 25 years ago as an organisation to harness interdisciplinary environment and sustainability research across Lund University departments, faculties and with other academic institutions. Since then, LUCSUS has grown into a vibrant international centre for sustainability science research and education with a staff of approximately 60.
Major achievements include coordination and participation in many international sustainability research projects and the development of new research fields, coordination of the decade-long interdisciplinary PhD programme (LUCID), and the establishment of our current PhD research school in Sustainability Science, now with 28 graduates. We are also pioneers in sustainabilty education with our LUMES Master’s programme, which started in 1997, and the creation of the new international Master’s programme in Climate Change and Society (LUCAS) which will welcome its first students in 2025.
Research
LUCSUS research integrates natural and social science perspectives to address complex sustainability issues with both critical and solutions-based approaches. We strive to generate theoretically innovative and empirically rigorous sustainability research to guide policy and practice to create meaningful social change.
Our researchers collaborate with research institutions and academics from different disciplines across the globe, and as well as with actors outside academia, both locally and internationally.
LUCSUS research tackles social and environmental challenges through five research themes
- Climate Change & Resilience
- Land Use, Governance and Development
- Urban Governance and Transformation
- Energy Justice and Sustainability of Energy Systems.
- Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management
Education
LUCSUS produces world-class education in sustainability science and equips change agents with tools for solving sustainability challenges.
LUCSUS offers education on masters level as well as doctoral studies. We also offer one course for exchange students: Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science: Concepts, Challenges and Approaches in Sustainability Studies.
Master's programmes
2-year international Master's programme in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science (LUMES). The programme focuses on sustainability challenges from a local to global level through combining both social and natural science perspectives. Since its start in 1997, more than 1000 students from more than 100 different countries have graduated from the programme.
Read more about the LUMES programme on the LUMES webpage
2-year international Master's programme in Climate Change and Society (LUCAS). The programme trains students to analyse and understand the causes and consequences of climate change and how these are rooted in social, economic, political, and cultural complexity. It opens for admissions for the first time in mid-October 2024.
Read more about the LUCAS programme
PhD programme
A PhD research programme with PhD graduates from different disciplinary backgrounds within the field of sustainability. The research undertaken by the PhD candidates is diverse, often focusing on comprehending and addressing sustainability challenges such as climate change, climate adaptation, biodiversity loss, and land use change.
Read more about PhD studies at LUCSUS
Outreach and impact
Creating societal and environmental impacts beyond academia is at the very core of our work. At LUCSUS we work with policy, capacity building, and societal dialogue as pathways to make an impact for sustainable transformation - from a local to a global level.
Through extensive outreach and communication activities - in close collaboration with stakeholders, governments and non-governmental organisations, we work to advance the societal dialogue on sustainability.
Read more about how we work with impact and about our outreach activities
LUCSUS research and the UN Global Goals 2030
The research carried out at LUCSUS is in line with many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those of gender equality, reduced inequalities, zero hunger, sanitation and clean water, sustainable cities and communities, life on land, and climate action. The centre itself has a long standing research expertise in the area of climate change resilience, urbanisation and land use, governance and development.
About LUCSUS
LUCSUS core values
- Our environment is Open, Collaborative, and Caring
- Our perspectives are Bold, Creative, and Critical
- We strive to Bridge Boundaries, Illuminate Possibilities, and Catalyse Change
- We act with Care, Integrity, Hope
LUCSUS is home to
- 60 staff, including researchers, teachers and administrative staff
- 100 master students
LUCSUS history
LUCSUS was established as an independent centre at Lund University in 2005, but started its research work in 2000, then under the name MICLU.
Since 2019 the centre belongs to the Faculty of Social Sciences.
International networks
- 50+ partners from 25 countries
- 1000+ Alumni from 100 countries
Contact Us
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Contact our Researchers
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