Lund University receives historic EUR 33 million endowment from the IKEA Foundation

The IKEA Foundation is establishing a EUR 33 million (350 million SEK) endowment in the memory of its founder Ingvar Kamprad to secure the development of the next generation of industrial-design professionals at the Ingvar Kamprad Design Centre at Lund University. The School of Industrial Design at Lund University has been partially funded by the IKEA Foundation since its inception 20 years ago. The total donation is the largest with the same purpose since Lund University was founded in 1666.

The endowment will enable the Lund University School of Industrial Design to continue to go beyond the traditional scope of industrial design to put people first and help create generations of designers who will play an important role in developing creative, environmentally friendly solutions that help families enjoy safe, secure homes and communities.

“The significance of design has risen for decades, and we believe future designers will be key agents of ethical systemic transformations. This donation validates our philosophy and will enable us to progress long term”, says Professor Claus-Christian Eckhardt, head of the School of Industrial Design.

The aim of the grant is to enable the School of Industrial Design at Lund University to go beyond the traditional scope of industrial design and develop the next generation of industrial design professionals.

“The School of Industrial Design at Lund University has always had an interdisciplinary approach and a track record of educating designers with an innovative mindset. Designers play an important role in society and we trust that the School of Industrial Design at Lund University will continue to nurture generations of highly collaborative, environmentally minded and creative designers that will help humanity better tackle the challenges of the present and future,” says Per Heggenes, CEO of IKEA Foundation.

The IKEA Foundation has established a new foundation by the name “The Ingvar Kamprad Design Foundation (IKDF)”. The board of Lund University will manage and govern this new foundation in line with the purpose of the endowment as set out by the IKEA Foundation in IKDF’s charter. The Ingvar Kamprad Design Foundation (IKDF) aims to support education, research, teaching and administrative staff costs of the Lund School of Industrial Design to secure the school’s position as a top global school of Industrial Design. This foundation is completely independent from both IKEA and IKEA Foundation and is advised by independent advisory board members. The IKEA Foundation donated EUR 15 million at the end of 2018 and the additional EUR 18 million will be added in March 2019.

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