Stefan Svallfors new Secretary General for Humanities and Social Sciences

“I have a very comprehensive and long experience as research leader and research reviewer, which means I know how tough, but also how wonderfully rewarding a life in research can be. These are experiences that I hope will characterise what I do in my role as secretary general,” says Stefan Svallfors.

He considers that perhaps his most important task is to defend the integrity of research into humanities and social sciences. Not just in the self-evident meaning that scientific misconduct and other improprieties must be prevented, but also in a broader sense of safeguarding and broadening the autonomy of research. To a large extent, this is about further strengthening the good collegiality that today characterises the review work within the Swedish Research Council.

“In addition, I am very engaged in the international research funding collaborations that the Swedish Research Council is involved in, and will try to prioritise these.”

Sven Svallfors is Professor of Sociology at Södertörn University, and research leader at the Institute for Futures Studies in Stockholm. He is also a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His research concerns persons employed to provide political advice and policy advocacy, known as “policy professionals”.