Makerspaces will better prepare the students for working life by ensuring that theory and practice go hand in hand, according to KTH’s president Anders Söderholm. Photo: Jon Lindhe, KTH

Published Sep 16, 2026

Over time, engineering degree programmes have become increasingly theoretical. This is something KTH aims to remedy. A network of makerspaces will give all students the chance to build, experiment, and solve real-world problems throughout their studies.

By establishing accessible and inclusive maker spaces alongside lecture theatres and specialised laboratories, the links between theory and practice will be strengthened in KTH’s degree programmes. For KTH’s President Anders Söderholm, this initiative is not about individual workshops, but about a new way of structuring the entire degree programme. 

“Anyone wishing to study at KTH should know that our degree programmes incorporate an integrated system of experimental learning based on a more modern pedagogical model,” Söderholm says. 

In these environments, students practise skills that are difficult to convey in a lecture, such as tackling open-ended, complex problems, collaborating across disciplinary boundaries, and turning ideas into tested, working solutions. According to Söderholm, practical skills are becoming increasingly important. 

“Engineering degree programmes have become increasingly theoretical, while the AI revolution is simultaneously driving the need for change in our programmes. We are therefore creating makerspaces for our students, where we can prepare them for working life even better by ensuring that theory and practice go hand in hand. This will also develop a learning environment that equips them with the necessary skills for their future careers,” Söderholm says. 

The initiative takes the form of a network comprising specialised maker environments at each of KTH’s five schools, as well as a central makerspace. The new KTH Central Makerspace is set to open in the refurbished KTH Library in 2027, coinciding with KTH’s 200th anniversary. These spaces will be integrated into degree programmes and will be open to all students and staff. They will be inclusive, accessible and easy for beginners to get started with, even those who have never built a prototype before.