Anna has a special interest in what makes urban and rural regions sustainable, liveable and prosperous. She has an academic background in political science and in urban and regional planning, and long experience in regional development, policymaking and governance.
Senior Research Fellow
Anna Lundgren
Spatial Story
Learning how to create sustainable and resilient futures
What makes some places prosperous and attractive while others lag behind? A long time ago, we thought of that as mainly a story of natural resources. Today, we know that it is a far more complex story of institutional capacity, accessibility to global markets, and human and social capital. And that we must engage with this complexity to create sustainable and resilient societies and regions. So, where can we learn from?
To learn from other regions’ spatial stories is one way. In the greater Stockholm region, we started more than 20 years ago to learn from other competitive and attractive metropolitan regions – what is it that makes them thrive and prosper? In a joint program with local and regional leaders from politics, universities, research parks, and business leaders, we learnt from best practices in other parts of the world. But we also learned about our own Stockholm region by creating new networks and mirroring our own region in other regions.
Another way to create sustainable and resilient futures is to learn from research. Regional research is vast and engages with many different disciplines and perspectives. To get a solid base to learn from, it is important to make the link between research, practice, and policy. One way of doing that is through the Nordic Regional Cooperation Programme, where Nordregio engages with Nordic practice and policy-making at national and regional levels of government, including cross-border regions. Through the development of applied research and fostering dialogue about policy implications of research findings, research can make important contributions to creating sustainable and resilient societies and regions.
Publications
Lundgren, A., & Meijer, M. W. (2025). Skills Ecosystems – a Solution to the Skills Problem? Experiences from the Nordics. Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies. https://doi.org/10.18291/njwls.156990
Lundgren, A. and Teräs, J. (2023). Developing the Economic Competence in Åland: Recommendations and key learning points for policy makers. Baltic Sea Policy Briefing (BSR Policy Briefing 5/2023 – Centrum Balticum)
Lundgren, A (2019). Participation in local and regional development perspectives in social capital, planning and governance. Towards a research agenda. In Matsushima K., K. Kobayashi and H. Westlund (Eds.) Social capital and development trends in rural areas, Volume 12, Kyoto: Kyoto University (ISBN:978-4-907830-12-0)
Lundgren, A (2017). The Openness Buzz. A Study of Openness in Planning, Politics and Political Decision-Making in Sweden from an Institutional Perspective, PhD Thesis. Stockholm: KTH Royal Institute of Technology.
Lundgren A (2017). Openness and Transparency in Political Decision-Making: An Empirical Study through an Institutional Lens. Romanian Journal of Regional Science, Vol 11, No 1.
Lundgren A (2016). The Openness Buzz in Metropolitan Regions: Swedish Regional Development Strategies. European Journal of Spatial Development. Research briefing no. 6.
Lundgren A and Westlund H (2016). The Openness Buzz in the Knowledge Economy: Towards Taxonomy. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy. Vol 35, Issue 6, 2017.
Related Research Projects
Ongoing
State of the Nordic Region Nordic thematic groups 2025-2027 Sustainable Nordic Remote Labour Markets (SUNREM)Finished
Nordic thematic groups 2021-2024 Robust Regional Preparedness Pre-study: Nordic tripartite forum on structural change and the green transition A common Nordic labour market 70 years and beyond (70 ys and beyond) Early career mobility in the Nordic Region Nordic transport infrastructure planning – institutional barriers and opportunities for coordination (NORDINFRA) Not Just a Green Transition (NJUST) – Examining the path towards a socially just green transition in the Nordic Region Re-start competence mobility in the Nordic Region Welfare Institutes in Sparsely Populated Areas (WIiSPA) Marint Gränsforum Skagerrak – external evaluation En bättre sits – evaluation Ensuring inclusive economic growth in the transition to a green economy (EnIGG) The organisation of social services and care in sparsely populated areas in the Nordics Nordic study about regional policy Linking innovation and resilience: Synergy effects for regional development Skills Policies – Building Capacities for Innovative and Resilient Nordic Regions Demographic challenges in the Nordic region from a gender perspective (DEMOS) Health care and care with distance-spanning technologies, e-health and digitalisation Evaluation of Åland “Entrepreneurship and Competence” Programme 2014-2020Related Publications
Local labour market participation in a pan-Nordic context
Towards a Just Green Transition: 10 Key messages for Nordic policymakers
Navigating Nordic discontent: Regional divides, electoral trends, and the green transition
Reaping the Benefits of Nordic Collaboration in Regional Development
Collaborative Regional Leadership in the Nordic Region
Nordic Toolbox for a Just Green Transition
Moving together or drifting apart?
The Common Nordic Labour Market 70 Years and Beyond
Geographies of discontent in the Nordic Region
Svensk-norskt samarbete: viktiga utmaningar och framtida möjligheter
Embracing the just green transition on the Nordic labour market
Competence mobility: How can labour market mobility in the Nordic Region be increased?
How can labour market mobility in the Nordic Region be increased?
Facilitating cross-border transport infrastructure planning in the Nordic Region
In all fairness: perceptions of climate policies and the green transition in the Nordic Region
Cross-border transport infrastructure planning in the Nordic Region – An introduction
Ålands strukturfondsprogram 2014-2020: Utvärderarnas slutrapport 2022
Re-start competence mobility in the Nordic Region
The social impacts of climate mitigation policies on vulnerable groups in the Nordic Region
Just Green Transition – key concepts and implications in the Nordic Region
State of the Nordic Region 2020 -Wellbeing, health and digitalisation
Matching the missing links – Skills development in Nordic regions
Skills Policies – Building Capacities for Innovative and Resilient Nordic Regions
Digital Health Care and Social Care – Regional development impacts in the Nordic countries
Klimatomställningen och relationen stad och land
Skills for Smart Specialisation in Värmland Region – executive summary
Marint Gränsforum Skagerrak – delutvärdering
Kompetensbehov för Smart specialisering i Värmland
Ålands strukturfondsprogram 2014–2020 Utvärderarnas andra delrapport
Related Events
Fra klimaløfter til kløfter– hvordan snur vi unges mistro? – Nordregio at Arendalsuka 2025
Navigating Nordic discontent: Regional divides, electoral trends and the green transition
Nordic Toolbox for a Just Green Transition
Future-proofing the Nordics – what is resilient leadership?
How can we achieve a fair green transition for all?
State of the Nordic Region 2022
14-15 April: The Competence Supply Days
21 October: Health & Well-being in the Nordic Region
Choosing Green – a digital summit before COP26
Hvordan kan digitalisering bidrage til at indfri FN’s verdensmål på Færøerne og i Grønland?
Reglab Sweden Annual Conference
Related News
Shaping the green transition: 10 Key messages for Nordic policymakers
How do we ensure broad public acceptance for climate policies?
How to master cross-border transport infrastructure planning
New toolbox identifies six crucial areas for a just green transition
Nordregio Hosts Norwegian and Swedish Ministries Working with Municipal Policies
What would a fully integrated Nordic labour market look like?
Nordic geographies of discontent – what are the drivers?
Enhancing economic competence in Åland: Insights and strategies for policy enhancement
Meet Nordregio in Almedalen 2023
How to boost labour market mobility across the Nordics?
Nordic transport infrastructure: how to strengthen the cross-border planning?
Nordregio Forum 2021 – some highlights!
Nordregio Researchers at COP26
New Nordic study on regional policy and instruments for economic recovery
Anna Lundgren, Nordregio Senior Researcher, speaks at REG LAB webinar
Matching skills for future labour market
10 December: Welfare in sparsely populated areas and how to organize social services and care
Health & Well-being in the Nordic Region
Open call for regions: Experts are ready to support you in e-health solutions!
Nordic thematic group for innovative and resilient regions publishes discussion paper about skills policies
Open call for new healthcare solutions
Related Maps
