How can universities strengthen Sweden’s preparedness?
Stockholm Science City and the University Alliance Stockholm Trio, comprising Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University, brought together researchers and political representatives to discuss crisis preparedness and how to build a resilient society.
The University Alliance Stockholm Trio and the Stockholm Science City Foundation recently organised a seminar on how Sweden can strengthen its preparedness in relation to information manipulation and critical infrastructure. Leading researchers from the universities presented current research, followed by a discussion with Lotta Edholm (Lib), Minister for Upper Secondary School, Higher Education and Research, and Peter Hultqvist (SocDem), Chair of the Committee on Defence.
The role of universities in a crisis
If Sweden were to face a crisis, universities would have several important roles to play. During presentations and discussions with the politicians, their role as an independent link between knowledge and society's various institutions was emphasised. In a crisis, they could contribute by providing reliable information, evidence to inform decision-making, training and expert support, and interdisciplinary research, as well as by countering myths and fears.
It was noted that a sound organisational structure is important on a day-to-day basis, before a crisis strikes, with clear, decentralised responsibilities and delegation systems. Several researchers also emphasised the importance of closer collaboration between universities and the Swedish authorities.
Links within and between authorities
Sebastiaan Meijer , Professor of Healthcare Logistics at KTH, highlighted the importance of interconnecting different systems and ensuring that staff with the right skills are in the right place at the right time. He also emphasised the importance of being able to easily get in touch with various organisations in Sweden.
“When we try get in touch with a government agency, we sometimes have to overcome many hurdles just to ask a single question. It can actually be easier to contact foreign authorities. If you’re not “friends” in everyday life, you won't be friends in a crisis either,” said Sebastiaan Meijer during the seminar.
The right system for improving situational awareness
Henrik Artman , Professor of Human-Computer Interaction at KTH, discussed how control centres operate in terms of situational awareness and preparedness. With practice, it is possible to predict particular sequences of events by identifying different patterns, running simulations, training in decision-making and using the right computer support.
“The government often purchases off-the-shelf systems rather than involving researchers in the design process. The recent failures we have seen, such as Millennium and Skolplattformen, are due to the fact that the systems are not tailored to specific environments,” said Henrik Artman.
The importance of knowledge and education
Lotta Edholm agreed that Swedish public authorities need to improve their cooperation and communication with one another. She also reflected on the researchers’ analyses and the role of universities in crisis situations.
“Listening to this really gets you thinking. A well-functioning education system is a key factor in strengthening individuals’ sense of personal agency, equipping people with the knowledge and confidence to question facts from a scientific perspective. Free research is becoming increasingly important in our society, and I also believe that individuals in such a system become stronger and dare to apply their knowledge in a crisis,” said Lotta Edholm after the panel discussions.
Peter Hultqvist also discussed how a society should cope with a crisis or war situation and the role played by research and education:
“I embraced the idea that thinking is a vital form of infrastructure. People have the will and the capacity to think independently, but this requires education. Understanding one's history and developing one's own values is crucial and fosters the ability to lead an independent life. If we can apply this way of thinking to a broader societal perspective, we can create resilience. This requires a knowledge base and an educational foundation, as well as maintaining a scientific approach.”
The first seminar in a series on emergency preparedness
The other speakers were Georgia Destouni (Professor of Hydrology at Stockholm University and Visiting Professor at KTH), Lisa Kaati (Associate Professor of Computer and Systems Science at Stockholm University), Predrag Petrovic (Associate Professor and Consultant in Psychiatry at KI) and Johan von Schreeb (Professor of Global Disaster Medicine at KI).
The event took place on 11 March at “The Cell”, a venue run by the National Museum of Science and Technology and KI, and was the first in a series of seminars running throughout 2026 and 2027 on the theme of preparedness. The seminars aim to demonstrate how research can contribute to a better understanding of, and capacity to act on, issues relating to crises, security and societal preparedness.
Text: Tora Zeijlon
Photo: Andreas Namslauer