Our partners

The Centre for Sea and Society serves as the main entry point for marine and maritime activities at the University of Gothenburg. Its mission is to initiate, support, and develop transdisciplinary research and education within the marine and maritime fields, while also strengthening visibility and coordination across the University of Gothenburg's activities in these areas.

The Centre is led by Director Per Knutsson, Senior Lecturer at the School of Global Studies, and supported by Co-Director Malin Rosengren at the Department of Marine Sciences. The Centre brings together members from 26 different departments across the University, and its steering committee comprises representatives from all faculties at the University of Gothenburg.

At the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences the teaching and research activities stretch from the alpine ecosystem, through forests, cultivated land and streams, all the way into the marine environment. In these environments  different levels of biological organisation from genes, individuals and populations, to communities and ecosystems are studied. The work at the department involves ecology, evolution, physiology, systematics and combinations of these fields in order to understand the impact of natural and anthropogenic changes of the environment.

The Department of Applied Information Technology, conduct critical and interdisciplinary research addressing the dual challenge of understanding biological and artificial systems while designing future technologies.  In addition the department focuses on exploring how these innovations affect human thinking, organisations, and society. Their research supports the mission to promote disciplinary excellence and to create conditions for innovative interdisciplinary collaboration.

The Department of Business Administration is the biggest department at the School of Business, Economics and Law. The department offers education in business administration and economic geography.

Organisation-based research in business administration and economic geography is allowing us to develop a knowledge and understanding of enterprise which is paving the way for well balanced development of companies and society. Industries, branches, companies and the public sector are all being studied as part of the wealth of research projects taking place at the department.

The Department of Marine Sciences  is Sweden’s most complete environment for marine research and marine education, and is one of only a few such organisations in Europe. With broad and cutting-edge expertise and access to unique marine infrastructure such as research vessels and field stations, the department enjoys excellent conditions for addressing the challenges of the future within marine research and education.

At the Department of Earth Sciences the research and education conducted focuses on how biological diversity interacts with the biogeochemical cycles in different ecosystems and biomes worldwide. At the department, they study how biodiversity is affected by ongoing climate change and the feedback to the atmospheric greenhouse gas balance. An important part is to link the empirical studies to the development of models on both ecosystems and on a global scale.

The Department of Economy and Society educates and conducts research within three subject areas. These are Economic History, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Management of Intellectual Assets, and Human Geography.

Herbarium GB is an infrastructure for biodiversity research at the University of Gothenburg. Today it holds more than one million specimens. The collections reflect the research activity that has been undertaken within plant and fungal systematics at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences over the years. The collection also includes a smaller part of algae. In addition, Herbarium GB harbours collections of plants, mosses, fungi and lichens from inventories undertaken by the county administrations, mainly from the western parts of Sweden, but also from skilled amateur biologists.

Herbarium GB continuously works with digitalising the collections to make the information about species, their ecology and distribution available to a broader audience. Information on specimens and species can be found in the database of Sweden's Virtual Herbarium.

Borås Djurpark is a wildlife park dedicated to conservation, education, and research, with a strong focus on protecting endangered species and promoting a balanced relationship between humans, animals, and nature. Their mission is to inspire visitors of all ages to care for biodiversity by combining engaging animal experiences with active participation in international breeding programs, conservation projects, and environmental education, contributing to the long‑term preservation of wildlife both in Sweden and globally.

The division of Environmental Systems Analysis at Chalmers conducts research to find more sustainable technology solutions and to find ways to transform technology systems to better meet the environmental and resource constraints we face. Their work requires cross-disciplinary efforts, and their areas of expertise are unified through a common systems-based approach. They also offer courses in areas closely related to their research.

Gothenburg Museum of Natural History is the house of zoological biodiversity, and its permanent exhibition displays a wide range of Earth’s fauna – from the single-celled amoeba to the African savanna elephant and the world’s only stuffed blue whale. The museum’s scientific collection includes about 10 million animals from all over the world, but with an emphasis on the region and the North Sea. The museum has extensive educational activities, with up to 1,000 school class visits per year.

Gothenburg Botanical Garden, with its 16,000 different plant species on 40 hectares, is one of the largest botanical gardens in Europe. Its botanical efforts centre around knowledge of the plants. Since its inception, education and scientific research have been the fundamental mission of the garden, but horticulture and recreation also have been important components. Gothenburg Botanical Garden actively collaborates with the University of Gothenburg and serves as an excursion and research garden. Extensive educational activities also are carried out here, with biodiversity as a focal point. Green Rehab is the garden’s programme for people suffering from mental illness. During the year, visitors can take advantage of programme activities and exhibitions. 

Gothenburg Maritime Museum and Aquarium showcases life under and above the surface of the sea. Their exhibitions, programmes and school activities are exciting combinations of cultural history and the natural sciences. In the aquarium, they focus on the marine environment and marine biological diversity. They want to involve and educate their visitors so that they want to help preserve ocean ecosystems for future generations.

Havets Hus is a public marine aquarium focusing on the North Sea. Their mission is to teach and spark interest among current and future generations about life in the sea and its meaning by taking advantage of the knowledge of earlier generations and building on science and innovations. They are one of the few aquariums in the world that breeds and releases sharks.

IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute is Sweden's leading organisation for applied environmental and sustainability research. They are an independent research institute in the fields of the environment and sustainability. With Sweden's most extensive environmental profile, they combine R&D with close collaboration with the private and public sectors. 

IVL work with a broad range of customer target groups spanning the whole of society including trade and industry, politicians and civil authorities, interest groups, trade associations and various collaborative partners.

IVL's research is characterised by interdisciplinary systems thinking, and their consulting assignments are evidence-based, with three thematic areas. They form the basis for our prioritised strategic areas. IVL has a wide range of skills that work together through the thematic areas and there is a variety of activities and projects in each of them.

IVL conducts applied research and consulting assignments for companies that need expert help in the environmental field.

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Naturbruksförvaltningen belongs to Region Västra Götaland. The organisation conducts upper secondary school and adult education activities in four locations; agricultural schools Svenljunga, Sötåsen and Uddetorp and the Biological University of Applied Sciences in Skara. Its mission is moreover to act as a competence centre for the green industries and to contribute to rural development. 

Nordens Ark is a private non-profit foundation that works to ensure endangered animals have a future. They are engaged in conservation, breeding, research and training, as well as doing what they can to increase public awareness of biological diversity. Much of their work is done in the field, both in Sweden and overseas.

Right in the heart of Gothenburg is Universeum, Scandinavia’s most visited science centre with over half a million visitors annually. There is plenty to do here – among other things you can explore the Swedish wilderness, go on a rainforest safari, challenge your body and mind, watch when the sharks are fed, build with fun technology and travel into space. Universeum inspires and stimulates the interest for science and technology in all visitors – students and teachers, children and parents, young and old.

Slottskogens Zoo is a zoo located in the heart of Gothenburg welcoming over 3 million visitors a year. The zoo, found inside the park Slottsskogen constitutes a green haven for the citizens of Gothenburg and a place to explore nature in an otherwise urban area. The zoo is also involved in educational activities and receives many school classes every year educating kids and adults about local and far-flung biodiversity.

Västkuststiftelsen is a foundation to protect and manage nature in Western Sweden, as well as promoting outdoor life. They manage 280 nature reserves owned by the County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland, covering over 50, 000 acres of land. There are two different types of areas; some with the main purpose of protecting valuable environments and hosting endangered species and others with the main purpose of being areas for humans to enjoy and participate in outdoor life.

Partner organisations gain opportunities to:

• contribute to and influence the strategic development of GGBC
• become part of a strong regional and international biodiversity network
• develop collaborations across organisations and disciplines
• increase visibility for their biodiversity-related work
• participate in joint projects, applications and activities
• strengthen knowledge exchange and capacity building within their organisation.

All partner organisations are represented in GGBC’s steering group and therefore take part in shaping the strategic direction of the centre.

GGBC operates through a collaboration agreement that applies to all partner organisations. Organisations outside the University of Gothenburg are required to formally sign the agreement. The Department for biological and environmental sciences (host department) signs the agreement for all partners at the University of Gothenburg. The current operational period covers 2026–2028.

All partner organisations contribute an annual partnership fee. The fee supports coordination, networking activities and collaborative initiatives.

New partner organisations are approved by the GGBC steering group. The steering group meets three to four times per year and includes representatives from all partner organisations. One of the annual meetings is a strategic planning day focused on the long-term development and priorities of GGBC.