Magnus Ljung
Presentation
Project and research leader for R&D-projects, with the common thread to better understand social and institutional innovations as well as the learning and communicative dimension of agricultural and rural development and natural resource management.
Experience of communicating results with stakeholders/end users
As a Principal Extension Officer (statskonsulent) it is part of my profession and daily work to communicate with stakeholders and end users. The main target groups are policy makers, advisors, facilitators and consultants within natural resource management, such as Jordbruksverket, Länsstyrelser, Greppa Näringen, RISE, LRF, Ekologiska Lantbrukarna, Skogsstyrelsen, Hav- och Vattenmyndigheten, Hushållningssällskapen, Växa Sverige, Naturvårdsverket, Svenskt Växtskydd, Säkert Växtskydd, Västra Götalandsregionen, and Biosphere Areas.
Responsible for the content and pedagogics for the competence development program KUR – “Kompetensutveckling av rådgivare i västra Sverige”, involving 100 advisors and a network of 10 leaders. Focusing on pedagogical challenges, digitalisation and norm critique. As part of this, I have taken part in training programs in the integration of horizontal principles in development work (main focus on “likabehandling och normkritik”) organised by the European Social Fund (ESF-rådet).
Working with formative evaluation, integrative research approaches and process design
An important part of my work has been to do evaluations, both summative and formative. Over the years I have made evaluations for Livsmedelsverket, Jordbruksverket, Trafikverket, Hushållningssällskapet, and Svenskt växtskydd, among others. In addition, I support actors when designing participatory processes in natural resource management such as; Länsstyrelsen (BioGov and Mera Tall), Dalslands Miljö- och Energiförbund (environmental strategic program for Dalsland), CAP & Hållbarhet (social sustainability), and Business Region Gothenburg and Mistra Urban Futures (stadslandet Göteborg). During 2025-2026 I am working with a government assignment (Regeringsuppdrag) on the future of competence development within the Swedish strategic plan, CAP, from 2028 and forward.
Key terms are collaborative learning, advisory services, natural resource management, sustainable and rural development, and sustainable land use.
Articles in popular media, pods and films
I regularly publish texts (reflections, analysis, etc) in a Newsletter produced by SLU Kompetenscentrum rådgivning. The newsletter reach approximately 350 subscribers every second month. In addition I do public lectures and webinars, as well as podcasts.
Process design, facilitation and competence development (in Swedish)
In the research projects I am involved in I design and facilitate processes, meetings, and conferences. I have been working with, among others, the following organisations supporting their internal and external communication, learning and collaboration over the last years: RISE, Landsbygdsnätverket Mötesplats AKIS, Dalslands miljö- och energiförbund, Biosfärsområdet Östra Vätternbranten, Jordbruksverket, Riksantikvarieämbetet, Skogsstyrelsen, Havs- och vattenmyndigheten, Naturvårdsverket, LRF, Ekologiska lantbrukarna, Södra Skogsägarna, Hushållningssällskapen, Växa Sverige, Länsstyrelser, IVA, Kurbits, AgroVäst, Havsmiljöinstitutet, MISTRA, samt Forskningsprogrammen SPEQS, Baltic Compass och Trätek.
Additional information
Running a farm, mainly working with lamb production and nature conservation. The farm is located on Falbygden in Västra Götaland. Locally I am chairman of the local Nature Conservation Association (Falbygdens naturskyddsförening), where a main focus is the manual management of semi-natural grasslands being biodiversity hotspots. Board member of Gröna Klustret in Nuntorp.
Research
Involved in EU-projects and responsible for work packages and/or task leader within many projects, for instance the H2020 projects “HNV-Link” and “FutureEUAqua”, the FP7-funded projects “Smartbees” and “Oraqua”, the Interreg- projects “Beespoke”, “Rural regions” and “Waterdrive”, but also national research platforms, such as “SustAinimal”.
Research projects
Educational credentials
Doctoral degree
AgrDr in communication science in 2002. Title of dissertation Collaborative learning for sustainable development of agri-food systems. Main supervisors: professor Ulrich Nitsch, SLU. Deputy supervisor: professor David Gibbon, SLU.
Deputy supervisor for in total eleven PhD-students out of which nine have been successfully defended. Invited opponent on five academic dissertations.
Awards and special commissions
2002: The Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf’s award for extraordinary dissertation in the field of sustainable development, awarded with 50.000 SEK.
2004 - 2010: Member of Hushållningssällskapens Förbunds national board 2007 - 2009: Member of Formas committee no. 17 for information projects.
2008 - present: Reviewer of articles for Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, Sustainability, Environmental Management and Systemic Practice and Action Research.
2008 – present: Opponent at the defense of PhD-dissertations; Anders Larsson (SLU), Anna Bratt (Linköping University), Johan Ottosson (SLU), and Torger Gillebo (UMB, Norway).
2018 – 2023: Member of the International Scientific Steering Committee for the ESEE .
2018 – 2023: Member of the Swedish Transport Administration’s advisory board on architecture (Trafikverkets arkitekturråd).
2019 – 2020: Member of the Swedish Rural Network’s rural development jury (Ullbaggejuryn)
2022 – 2025: Member of the board of Equality Development Center Sweden, EDCS.
2026 - : Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry (KSLA)