REAL – Investing in the Future of Trade and Logistics

Lund University is embarking on a unique venture in retail and logistics at Campus Helsingborg with the establishment of REAL – Center for Retail and Logistics. This center will tackle the pressing issues of sustainability, digitalisation, and evolving work environments in the retail and logistics sectors. Lund University and the City of Helsingborg are each investing SEK 4 million to kickstart this initiative. 

Trade and logistics are undergoing significant changes, which places new demands on the industry and the knowledge needed for professionals and researchers. To meet these new needs, Lund University wants to bring together research and education in an internationally competitive way. The center will build on the education and research already conducted at the university, and be located on Campus Helsingborg, taking advantage of the uniqueness of the local area.

Around 500 Swedish and international students are currently studying programmes in commerce, logistics, or sustainability at Campus Helsingborg. The programmes are at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The possibility of a new one-year master’s programme will be further investigated. Within the center, it is also intended that both international and Swedish professionals will be offered tailored courses and programmes.

Campus Helsingborg currently has two interdisciplinary research centres and a research group in trade and logistics. The idea is that the groups will be integrated into REAL and that projects and activities can thus be coordinated and expanded. Future research focus areas are proposed to be sustainability, digitalisation and working life.

“A strong research and innovation environment is a prerequisite for attracting leading companies and researchers to the region. We contribute with research that is world-leading in the field,” says Charlotta Johnsson, Head of Campus Helsingborg.

In Helsingborg, the city, external stakeholders, and Lund University share a desire to foster increased collaboration in trade and logistics. The new center, a collaborative hub for innovation, will serve as a testament to this shared vision. In 2023, Lund University and the City of Helsingborg initiated an experimental lab, and in the future, a think tank and other collaborative initiatives with the business community may also come to reality.

The establishment of REAL has begun and will continue during 2024. A working group with representatives from Lund University’s School of Engineering, Faculty of Social Sciences, and School of Economics has drawn up a plan for organisation and continued work.