Department of Urban and Rural Development

Sustainable transformations require not only new ideas but also knowledge meeting practice. We combine education, research and collaboration to contribute to the societal change needed to meet challenges such as the biodiversity and climate crises.

  • Our issues range from today’s and tomorrow’s discussions about forests, agriculture, urban and rural areas to climate adaptation from a historical perspective
  • We offer courses that are not available at any other universities in Sweden, and we are responsible for around 90 courses within seven different education programmes
  • We work closely with government agencies, organizations, and other societal actors to develop both knowledge and practice
A forest that has burned, vegetation on the ground has started to grow.

What rural communities can teach us about wildfire prevention and recovery

Rural communities play a key role before, during and after wildfire. SLU research in Spain, Chile and Sweden shows how rural communities help prevent wildfires, respond when they occur and recover in their aftermath. Learning from them is crucial in a future of more frequent and intense wildfires.

Graphic illustration of the earth, animals and people

Popular science lectures with new professors

In 2026 SLU welcomes 11 new professors. On 23 and 24 April the professors will give popular science lectures. Among them is Jesper Larsson, professor of agrarian history.

Portrait photo of Noemi and a logo with the text Fields of Power

New podcast about how control of farmland can drive the rise of authoritarian politics

The podcast 'Fields of Power' explores how ownership of agricultural land shapes democracy and how the loss of this land can lead to authoritarian politics. While rooted in Hungary, the story speaks to broader global patterns of power, inequality, democratic erosion and the rise of the far right.

News & Events

News

loading...

Calendar

loading...
Some of the ongoing projects
Landscape Management

Health Promoting Forests

Providing practical advices for urban forest landowners, through action on how to manage forests for the human best.

Agrarian History

Sami Natural Resource Use from year 1550 to 1800

The project investigates how Indigenous peoples manage the transition from a foraging to a food-producing economy and how that change affects people.

Rural Development

Include2Restore

The project develops inclusive meeting places where people together find solutions for the restoration of pastures in the Karamoja border area between Uganda and Kenya.

Research groups

Research groups

loading...