About Blue Centre Gotland

Our starting point is that water is humanity’s most vital resource and central to Gotland’s development. Like many of the sustainability challenges of our time, issues relating to water are often complex and difficult to manage, and frequently involve conflicting objectives. We therefore collaborate across disciplinary and sectoral boundaries with various stakeholders to foster innovation and find solutions.

Background

Blått Centrum Gotland (BCG) was launched in 2017 by Uppsala University, Region Gotland and the Gotland County Administrative Board as a collaborative project focusing on water-related issues. The initiative was prompted by a feasibility study.

In January 2026, Blått Centrum Gotland was established as a collaborative centre at Uppsala University (2026–2028), organisationally based within the Department of Earth Sciences in the Faculty of Science and Technology.

Organisation – Stakeholder Council, Centre Board, Working Group

From 2026, Blått Centrum Gotland will consist of a Stakeholder Council, a Centre Board and a Working Group.

The Stakeholder Council comprises two representatives from each organisation (Uppsala University, Region Gotland and the County Administrative Board of Gotland) and acts as an advisory body to the Centre Board.

The Centre Board’s role is to ensure that the Centre’s activities are of a high standard, to maintain oversight of the Centre’s affairs and to ensure that the tasks set out in the terms of reference are carried out.

Centre Board – Chair and Members

• Anna Rutgersson, Professor of Meteorology (Chair), Uppsala University
• Marcus Lindahl, Professor of Industrial Engineering, Uppsala University
• Fritiof Fagerlund, Professor of Geohydrology, Uppsala University
• Tom Mels, Professor of Human Geography, Uppsala University
• Stefan Persson, Head of Unit, Environment and Water Unit, Gotland County Administrative Board
• Andreas Pettersson, Deputy Head of Unit and County Fisheries Consultant, Gotland County Administrative Board
• Malena Bendelin, Regional Executive Administration, Region Gotland
• Mattias Edsbagge, Department of Technology and Community Development, Region Gotland
• Student representative (appointed for one year at a time in accordance with the provisions of the Student Union Regulations)

Working group

• Patrik Rönnbäck, Professor of Sustainable Development (Chair), Uppsala University
• Emma Mattsson, Officer for Coastal and Marine Environment Issues, Gotland County Administrative Board
• Jonas Nilsson, Environmental Strategist, Region Gotland
• Viktor Jacobsson, Communications Officer, Uppsala University

Mission 2026–2028

"The activities of the Blue Centre Gotland shall aim to strengthen and develop research, collaboration and knowledge within sustainable water management and the coastal and marine environment. The Centre shall contribute to regional societal benefit, whilst ensuring that the research conducted is of a high international standard."

"The activities of Blått Centrum Gotland should be partly based on the issues and objectives set out in the Regional Development Strategy (RUS). At the same time, the research carried out at the centre must be of international relevance and not merely regionally based."

"The centre shall also collaborate with the designated focus area ‘Energy Transition, Wind and Water’ within the scientific field of technology and natural sciences at Campus Gotland."