Researchers wanted for total defence network
A collaboration to strengthen Sweden's total defence has been initiated between KTH Royal Institute of Technology, the Swedish Defence University and the Stockholm School of Economics.
KTH is now looking for researchers who want to participate in a competence network and create a structure for future work.
"We want contact with KTH researchers who may already have research related to total defence, as well as anyone else with expertise that can be of use," says Gunnar Karlsson, Professor of Teletraffic systems.
The Presidents of the universities decided on the cooperation at the beginning of the year after a feasibility study in 2023.
Minister for Civil Affairs Carl-Oskar Bohlin has clearly stated that Sweden must create a modern total defence system, improve the preparedness of the public sector and the business community, and clarify expectations and conditions for all players in society.
"We realised that there is much to collaborate on. The Swedish Defence University is responsible for assessing the type of situations that may arise and how civil society should act with the public sector. KTH Royal Institute of Technology is responsible for technical solutions and system simulations to investigate how operations can be affected by attacks and failures. The Stockholm School of Economics deals with questions about what conditions the business community should have in order to be part of total defence," Karlsson says.
"Also has a social responsibility"
A fundamental expectation of a democratic society is to function as normal as possible in a crisis, according to Professor Karlsson.
"Major cyber attacks can knock out the electricity grid in large areas for several days. There can be major natural disasters and pandemics, and it must be possible to use the same functional preparedness in several different crisis situations. The university also has a social responsibility and it is our duty to contribute when society pays for education and research," he says.
What does it mean to be part of the network?
"At the moment, it means that we meet and organise ourselves and structure the work. If it proves to be appropriate, it may be necessary to draw up an application to establish a centre and see what form of funding may be available," Karlsson says.
Anyone interested in participating in the competence network is welcome to register their interest . If you want to participate in the working group's next meeting on 12 September, you can register by 10 September by emailing Gunnar Karlsson .
Text: Sabina Fabrizi