CIRCLE celebrates its 20th anniversary and looks towards the future
The upcoming needs of innovation research were on the agenda when the research centre CIRCLE, Centre for Innovation Research, celebrated its 20th anniversary and held its annual conference for members and invited guests. Lund University's management was present and participated in the discussions.
Jessika Sellergren – Published 19 December 2024

Innovation research is carried out across the university and several faculties are part of the CIRCLE community. During the conference, different research orientations were presented which contribute to the collaboration and culture within the research centre.
The conference agenda included future research calls, the value CIRCLE can offer its members and relationship-building mingling. The discussions were engaging. Conversations about the future of research were interspersed with discussions about how researchers themselves benefit from being part of the innovation cluster.
One of the conference participants was Lund University's Vice-Chancellor Erik Renström who said:
– CIRCLE is a source of new and wise ideas – a research centre that contributes knowledge to decision makers who have the opportunity to change society.
A research centre with a sound organisation and structure will not stagnate, but rather continue to develop, said Erik Renström.
– Part of this development is the utilisation of research, but how do we combine our knowledge so that it is more useful to the public?
Per Mickwitz, Lund University's ProVice-Chancellor for research, sustainability and campus development, agreed with Erik Renström that the centre’s development must not stop and that a strong brand must be nurtured.
– CIRCLE is an internationally successful environment for innovation researchers and a source of inspiration for other research networks. This strong brand must be managed, but also continuously developed.
In conjunction with the conference, CIRCLE is taking the opportunity to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
Former directors Åsa Lindholm Dahlstrand, Ron Boschma, Björn Asheim and Charles Edquist took a stroll down memory lane looking at past research and trends in innovation.
Markus Grillitsch, Professor of Human and Economic Geography and current Director of CIRCLE, summed up the conference with these words:
– We are here to celebrate the 20th anniversary of CIRCLE. We are taking stock as well as looking forward to contributing with relevant knowledge on the role of innovation and innovation policy – for the necessary changes towards a green, inclusive and resilient society.
About CIRCLE
CIRCLE is a centre for innovation research at Lund University and has been active for twenty years. The centre has approximately 150 members and the Faculty of Social Sciences, the School of Economics and Management and the Faculty of Engineering jointly contribute to the research centre.
CIRCLE aims to work for a better society through a broad perspective of innovation research and in various areas such as the public sector, entrepreneurship, organisation, regional growth and sustainable transition.
The Director of CIRCLE is Markus Grillitsch, Professor of Human and Economic Geography.