Last year, LUT University received the right to offer bachelor's, master’s, and doctoral degrees in civil engineering. New professors are now building their research groups at a rapid pace. Bachelor’s-level education in the field will begin in Lahti in autumn 2027 in both Finnish and English.
LUT's move may have come as a surprise to industry in the field and to other universities. International university networks may also find it surprising that civil engineering, a traditional discipline and the cornerstone of many universities, is launched as a new field of study in the 2020s. However, the need for new research and education is clear.
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Systems experts, project leaders, and construction professionals
LUT's civil engineering programme aims for a world where the built environment thrives and people flourish. Achieving this goal requires technology-driven growth, business transformation, and infrastructure resilience.
We want the world's most skilled civil engineers have obtained their expertise here in Finland.
LUT is also seeking international impact by addressing sustainability and climate challenges in the built environment. That relies on strong partnerships and the development of Finnish competitiveness. We want the world's most skilled civil engineers, prepared for any challenge ahead, to have obtained their expertise here in Finland.
Society needs systems experts who understand the big picture, professionals in energy and industrial construction, and project leaders in international business. In addition, construction industry experts must increasingly be able to understand decision-making processes and people’s everyday lives.
A direct route for the construction industry to tap into LUT expertise
The profile and content of the new master’s degrees are currently being fine-tuned as precisely as possible to take into account the needs and perspectives of different networks and partners. A comprehensive view of what other universities offer helps prevent overlapping efforts and promotes mutual cooperation.
LUT already has a great deal to contribute to research on the built environment.
LUT already has a great deal to contribute to research on the built environment. Infrastructures of energy systems and the built environment are becoming increasingly interconnected. Materials research that benefits the construction industry is being conducted on everything from biocomposites to steel.
The new civil engineering research provides the construction industry more direct access to LUT's established strengths and international expertise. Doctoral-level experts are needed in both research and companies’ product and process development in Finland and internationally.
The author is leading the establishment of LUT University’s new civil engineering research and education in Lahti.
