Strategic research areas

On 31 March 2026, the Swedish Research Council submitted its quality evaluations and assessments, together with proposals for the allocation of funds, to the Government Offices (Ministry of Education and Research).

We recommend the following allocation of funds to strategic research areas as a basis for the Government’s decision:

Health, life sciences, and artificial intelligence

The government intends to allocate SEK 31 million 2027 and SEK 61.5 million 2028 for this initiative. Three applications are recommended in the area:

• Uppsala University. ”Combating the antibiotic resistance pandemic with personalised medicine”. Project leader: Dan I. Andersson. Proposed amount: SEK 11 030 000 in 2027 and SEK 21 843 000 in 2028.
• Stockholm School of Economics. ”The Future of the Swedish Healthcare Ecosystem: Scaling and Integrating AI Solutions for Personalized and Preventive Care”. Project leader: Anna Essén. Proposed amount: SEK 10 370 000 in 2027 and SEK 20 457 000 in 2028.
• Stockholm University. ”Modelling Cell Membrane with AI”. Project leader: David Drew. Participating HEI: University of Gothenburg and Umeå University. Proposed amount: SEK 9 600 000 in 2027 and SEK 19 200 000 in 2028.

A total of nine applications were received for the area.

Quantum technologies

The government intends to allocate SEK 50 million 2027 and SEK 100 million 2028 for this initiative. Two applications are recommended in the area:

• Chalmers University of Technology. ”Strategic Research Area Quantum Technology”. Project leader: Göran Johansson. Participating HEI: KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Lund University. Proposed amount: SEK 30 000 000 in 2027 and SEK 60 000 000 in 2028.
• Stockholm University. ”Quantum Technology Alliance: From Fundamental Science to Future Applications (QUANTA)”. Project leader: Emil Bergholtz. Participating HEI: Linköping University and Uppsala University. Proposed amount: SEK 20 000 000 in 2027 and SEK 40 000 000 in 2028.

A total of two applications were received for the area.

Polar research

The government intends to allocate SEK 22 million 2027 and SEK 44.5 million 2028 for this initiative. One application is recommended in the area:

• Stockholm University. ”Swedish Centre for Integrative Polar Research (SCIPolar)”. Project leader: Martin Jakobsson. Participating HEI: Umeå University, Luleå University of Technology, KTH and Lund University. Proposed amount: SEK 22 000 000 in 2027 and SEK 44 500 000 in 2028.

A total of two applications were received for the area.

Climate-related research

The government intends to allocate SEK 22 million 2027 and SEK 44.5 million 2028 for this initiative. Two applications are recommended in the area:

• Stockholm University. ”Stockholm Centre for Climate Transitions (ClimTrio)”. Project leader: Karin Bäckstrand. Participating HEI: KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Karolinska Institutet. Proposed amount: SEK 14 670 000 in 2027 and SEK 29 670 000 in 2028.
• Uppsala University.” Solutions Frontier for society’s climate Transformation (ShiFT)”. Project leader: Gabriele Messori. Proposed amount: SEK 7 330 000 in 2027 and SEK 14 830 000 in 2028.

A total of seven applications were received for the area.

Crisis preparedness and total defense

The government intends to allocate SEK 24 million 2027 and SEK 47 million 2028 for this initiative. Three applications are recommended in the area:

• Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. ” Prepared for food crisis (BeReady)”. Project leader: Riccardo Bommarco. Proposed amount: SEK 8 000 000 in 2027 and SEK 15 667 000 in 2028.
• Umeå University. ”Total defense in the High North: Building resilient societies under hybrid threat”. Project leader: Niklas Eklund. Participating HEI: Luleå University of Technology and Mid Sweden University. Proposed amount: SEK 8 000 000 in 2027 and SEK 15 667 000 in 2028.
• Uppsala University. ” Strategic Research Area - Effective Crisis Management and Total Defence (EFFECT)”. Project leader: Daniel Nohrstedt. Participating HEI: Swedish Defence University and Lund University. Proposed amount: SEK 8 000 000 in 2027 and SEK 15 666 000 in 2028.

A total of nine applications were received for the area.

Practice-oriented professional research on crime

The government intends to allocate SEK 12.5 million 2027 and SEK 25 million 2028 for this initiative. One application is recommended in the area:

• Lund University. ” Building Resilience in Crime Prevention (BRiC): Advancing professional knowledge of child vulnerability, drug markets and emerging technologies”. Project leader: Katarina Jacobsson. Participating HEI: University of Gothenburg, Linnaeus University and Malmö University. Proposed amount: SEK 12 500 000 in 2027 and SEK 25 000 000 in 2028.

A total of seven applications were received for the area.

Excellence in school

The government intends to allocate SEK 25 million 2027 and SEK 50 million 2028 for this initiative. Two applications are recommended in the area:

• University of Gothenburg. ”From Insight to Impact: Towards improved School Outcomes”. Project leader: Angelika Kullberg. Participating HEI: Karlstad University. Proposed amount: SEK 12 500 000 in 2027 and SEK 25 000 000 in 2028.
• Linnaeus University. ”Evidence-Based Instructional approaches in School (EBIS): From evidence to excellence”. Project leader: Hanna Palmér. Participating HEI: Lund University, Malmö University and Kristianstad University. Proposed amount: SEK 12 500 000 in 2027 and SEK 25 000 000 in 2028.

A total of eight applications were received for the area.

Research on advanced materials

The government intends to allocate SEK 13.5 million 2027 and SEK 27.5 million 2028 for this initiative. Two applications are recommended in the area:

• Lund University. ”Materials 4.0 Sweden: Lund – Chalmers Alliance for Advanced Semiconductors and Intelligent Matter”. Project leader: Lars-Erik Wernersson. Participating HEI: Chalmers University of Technology. Proposed amount: SEK 7 400 000 in 2027 and SEK 15 100 000 in 2028.
• Uppsala University. ”HIER-UPP: Hierarchically Optimized Materials: A Unified Approach for Scientific Excellence, Circularity, and Sweden’s Fossil-Free Industrial Transformation”. Project leader: Per Eklund. Proposed amount: SEK 6 100 000 in 2027 and SEK 12 400 000 in 2028.

A total of five applications were received for the area.