Established in 1827, KTH Royal Institute of Technology is Sweden’s oldest and most prestigious technical university. Located in Stockholm, KTH accounts for one-third of Sweden’s technical research and engineering education capacity at the university level. Its mission is to develop human capital and innovative solutions for a sustainable society, operating under the strategic vision “KTH 2024–2028,” which prioritizes climate neutrality, digitalization, and gender equality.
KTH consistently maintains its position among the global elite. In the QS World University Rankings 2026, KTH is ranked 78th globally and 12th within the European Union. It is particularly distinguished in specialized engineering disciplines, frequently appearing in the global top 20 for Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Furthermore, the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026 places KTH at 98th globally, highlighting its high scores in international outlook and industry income.
The university is organized into five schools, housing 27 departments and numerous competence centers. KTH is a cornerstone of the Swedish innovation system, maintaining strategic partnerships with industry leaders such as Ericsson, Scania, ABB, Volvo, and Hitachi Energy.
Key Research Areas: KTH leads national research platforms in Digitalization (Digital Futures), Energy, Materials Science, and Life Science Technology.
Innovation Output: Through KTH Innovation, the university provides a world-class incubator for startups. In early 2026, the institute launched a new cohort of 18 startups focusing on deep-tech solutions, including Quantum Computing and Advanced Nuclear Technology.
KTH aims to be a climate-neutral organization by 2045. A significant milestone reached in January 2026 was the implementation of an institutional carbon budget for business air travel, forcing departments to prioritize digital collaboration over physical travel. The university ranks 66th in the QS Sustainability Rankings 2025, reflecting its commitment to integrating the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into every curriculum.
The main campus at Valhallavägen is an architectural landmark, blending historic brick structures with cutting-edge labs like the PDC Center for High Performance Computing. With over 100 nationalities represented and approximately 28% international students, KTH offers a truly global environment. For the 2025/2026 academic cycle, the university reached a record high in gender diversity, with female students making up 41% of Master’s program admissions.
Minna Hakkarainen, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
Professor Minna Hakkarainen is the Head of Division of Polymer Technology at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden. She received her M.Sc. In Polymer Chemistry from University of Helsinki in 1992 and Ph.D. in Polymer Technology from KTH in 1996. Since 2011 she is full professor at KTH. She has >30 years of experience in development of sustainable polymers, including biodegradable, biobased and/or recyclable polymers. She has special interest in end-of-life from mechanical and chemical recycling to biodegradation in defined environments. Design for recycling or biodegradation by utilizing dynamic covalent chemistries is also an important research focus. She published 300 papers in well-known international journals and gave many invited conference presenations. She is currently serving as Associate Editor for ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces and she is in Editorial advisory Board of several journals, such as Biomacromolecules, Macromolecular Materials and Engineering and Polymer Testing.
