Sawmill entrepreneur and Vida’s former CEO named an honorary doctor

Linnaeus University’s Faculty of Technology has appointed Christer Johansson as a new honorary doctor for his achievements in the Swedish forest and wood industry.

“It is a great honour, and a surprise, to be awarded such a distinction. The progress that has been made since the 1960s when I started to work in the industry has been enormous. I had the privilege to work in a sawmill company with a lot of incredibly talented colleagues. I participated in education program councils, industry associations, boards and many other forums. Of course, this took up a lot of time but it also provided insight into what was going on in the industry. Having my work at Vida and my contributions to the industry acknowledged in this way now is unexpected, but an enormous honour,” says Christer Johansson.

“Next year in 2024 it will be thirty years since our first research efforts in the forest and wood engineering fields. We are delighted to highlight one of the people who contributed to the structure and content. We are showing how grateful we are at the Faculty of Technology by appointing Christer Johansson as an honorary doctor,” says professor Jesper Andersson, Dean of the Faculty of Technology at Linnaeus University.

Motivation
During his time as the CEO of the Vida Group, Christer was particularly eager for the Swedish sawmill sector to be at the leading edge internationally by maintaining a high level of skills and quality. He participated in different management teams and boards that discussed different research and educational specialisms.

On the research side, Christer was a passionate advocate for developing the production economics of the sawmill sector and promoting the use of wood in the construction of multi-storey buildings. On the education side, he was keen to ensure that the students received broad, interdisciplinary knowledge.

He also wanted students who were studying the Bachelor of Science in Wood Engineering degree to have a solid understanding of economics as a complement to their knowledge on sawmills and timber engineering matters, centred on wood as a forest commodity.

The title of Honorary Doctor is appointed to those who have gained outstanding scientific achievements or otherwise advanced the research of the university.

Christer Johansson will be conferred his honorary doctoral degree during Linnaeus University’s academic ceremony on 2 February at Växjö Concert Hall, when the university’s new doctorates are conferred and new professors are inaugurated.

If you have any questions, please contact:
Christer Johansson, +46 (0)70-555 88 25
Joanna Kron, Communication Manager Vida, +46 (0)73-021 31 16