Strategic research agenda launched for a national research programme in the societal consequences of digitisation

Digitisation offers many opportunities for development and increased efficiency in society, but the spread of digitisation also raises issues relating to factors such as ethics, security, democracy and integrity.

The purpose of the research programme in the societal consequences of digitisation is to strengthen research in the societal consequences of digitisation in the long term and from a variety of perspectives, such as competition, consumer protection and competence, participation, security and gender equality.

There is now a strategic research agenda in place, to guide the work forward. It has been developed by the Swedish Research Council in consultation with the actors involved.

The agenda points out three principal activities for the programme:

• Initiating research into the societal consequences of digitisation.
• Strengthening the long-term development of the research field.
• Promoting accessibility and dissemination of research and knowledge about the societal consequences of digitisation.

The agenda includes a research review, which shows that Swedish research into the societal consequences of digitisation is very active in many areas, and is competitive in an international context.

The agenda also includes a mapping of the research funding for the field, and a description of knowledge gaps identified by the programme’s knowledge committee. The knowledge committee consists of representatives from the Agency for Digital Government, the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority, the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, the Swedish Media Council, the Swedish eHealth Agency, the Swedish National Agency for Education, the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth, and the Swedish Internet Foundation.

Research agenda for the national research programme in the societal consequences of digitisation (In Swedish with summary in English)

New call for research environment grant

On 1 February, the Swedish Research Council issued a call for research environment grant in the societal consequences of digitisation. The purpose of the grant is to create added value through collaboration in larger groupings, and to create a long-term perspective. The applicant shall be a cluster of several researchers from different higher education institutions and/or disciplines, nationally or internationally. The first call under the programme – for project grants – was issued last year.

Research environment grant in the societal consequences of digitisation