The Advisory Board strengthens the development of the School of Industrial Design

The Advisory Board of the School of Industrial Design serves as a strategic sounding board for the school’s management. Through its collective expertise, the board helps accelerate the realization of the school's vision into practice and provides an external perspective on the continuous advancement of its operations.

The Advisory board’s work is based on Ingvar Kamprad’s vision of a world-leading industrial design programme. It is guided by the statutes governing the school’s activities, which focus on strengthening education, research, teaching standards and sustainability initiatives within industrial design. The board also helps to ensure that resources are used effectively to support the school’s long-term development.

A bridge between academia and the wider world

An important part of the Advisory Board’s remit is to create and strengthen links between academia and the wider world. Through their networks, they can help to identify external partners and guest lecturers. The board also acts as a sounding board on strategic issues, such as how the programme can continue to remain relevant to the societal challenges of the future and how to attract new students.

“We see ourselves as a bridge between industry and academia. Through our diverse experiences, we can contribute with perspectives that complement day-to-day operations and strengthen the school’s development,” says Catarina Mård Löwenadler, Chair of the Advisory Board.

Commitment to the next generation

What unites the board members is a strong commitment to the designers and innovators of the future. Students face a rapidly changing world and often contribute new perspectives and ideas. The exchange between students and the Advisory Board is therefore valuable to both parties. 

Sustainability perspectives are central to the profile of both the programmes and of the board’s work in honouring Ingvar Kamprad’s legacy. By supporting the development of knowledge and solutions that contribute to a more sustainable future, the board aims to help strengthen the role of industrial design in society’s transition. The success of this curriculum is evident in our graduates, who routinely go on to launch award-winning careers and lead innovative design practices worldwide.

Working together for world-leading industrial design programmes

The Advisory Board comprises individuals with senior-level experience across industry, research, and design:

• Catarina Mård Löwenadler, Chair of the Advisory Board, with a background in various senior roles within the IKEA group and in medical technology companies.
• Hanna Ståhl, CEO of the Hamrin Foundation, with experience from Chalmers University of Technology and board member of the IMIT Foundation.
• Johan Ejdemo, Head of Design at IKEA, designer and board member at Beckmans College of Design.

All three members are united by a shared desire to contribute to the development of the next generation of designers, continuing the previous advisory board´s support for the School of Industrial Design’s position as a leading international centre for education and research.

A recurring theme in discussions about the Advisory Board’s work is, ‘togetherness’ – the conviction that the best results are achieved through active collaboration between students, teachers, researchers, industry, and society.