Dr. Sara Gustafsson

Biography

Sara Gustafsson is a Professor at Linköping University, focusing her research on sustainable urban development, particularly the role of municipalities in this context. Her work emphasizes strategies and management systems that facilitate actor collaboration. Gustafsson's research primarily revolves around how municipalities can effectively act as arenas where various stakeholders meet challenges related to sustainable development. She advocates for cross-sectoral inter-organizational collaboration, which is vital for achieving meaningful sustainable outcomes in urban settings. Over the years, she has closely collaborated with municipalities and the surrounding community, allowing her to build a comprehensive network involved in strategic environmental sustainability management. Her research includes long-term studies of Swedish municipalities' approaches to sustainability management. Gustafsson teaches courses related to strategic systematic environmental sustainability management to both Swedish and international students, supervising bachelor and master's theses and providing education in research methodology. She has held roles in various research projects, contributing to sustainable development strategies, and has developed courses that invite practitioners to engage with real-world issues.

Research Interests

Courses