COMPUTER SCIENCE

On April 8–9, the first Ethical Hackarinas event was held at Karlstad University. It was two intensive days that put ethical hacking in focus and contributed to increased knowledge and awareness in the field of cybersecurity.

The program offered a mix of inspiring lectures and hands-on activities, with participants from industry, academia, and the public sector. The event was aimed at both beginners and individuals with a broader interest in technology, security, and issues related to inclusion and representation within tech. With a strong emphasis on practical elements, participants had the opportunity to try things out themselves, and no prior knowledge was required.

Two of the attendees explained why they were interested in participating:

The EU-funded project PIONEERS-6G – Platform and Device Innovations for Energy-Efficient, Resilient, and Secure 6G IoT Systems, coordinated by Karlstad University with partners from six countries, aims to develop the mobile networks of the future with a focus on Internet of Things (IoT) services and applications.

6G is the sixth generation of mobile networks and the next step in the evolution of wireless communication. It is expected to be introduced in the 2030s and aims to offer higher speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connections than 5G. It will also be able to support a much larger number of connected devices simultaneously, ultimately fulfilling the requirements of several IoT scenarios.

Muhammad Ovais Ahmad, Associate Professor of Computer Science, has been appointed the title of Excellent Teacher. He is the first at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science to receive the distinction and the fourth at Karlstad University.

The title Excellent Teacher is appointed to educators who develop their teaching by integrating it with research and who help students understand and think in new ways. For several years, Muhammad Ovais Ahmad has worked to connect his technical research with innovative teaching methods:

“This academic distinction shows how important it is to make complex and abstract systems accessible and inspiring for the next generation of innovators”, he says.

In what ways do you develop your teaching?

A number of computer science students have been recognized for their outstanding project work in the Software Engineering course. Two project works were recognized with diplomas: one for “best project work” and one for “best UX design”.

The goal of the project was to develop a web-based tool for event planning and communication. This tool will facilitate the management of both internal and external events and communicate news, etc.

Dr. Jonathan Vestin, Associate Professor of Computer Science, developed the requirements specification and acted as the end customer: "It was impressive to see such a professional app developed by the students within a limited time frame. They not only met the most important requirements but also showed empathetic and innovative thinking."

DigitalWell Arena is now taking the next step in its long-term commitment to digital health innovation in Värmland. After several years focused on establishing a platform for research and collaboration, the work is now shifting towards the large-scale implementation and practical use of digital solutions.

Research at Karlstad University has been a central driving force behind DigitalWell Arena since its launch in 2019. By bringing together around 60 researchers from six research groups and disciplines such as computer science, nursing, psychology, service research and gender studies, the university has built an interdisciplinary research environment for digital health innovation.

Karlstad University (KAU) and Softcode AB successfully completed their participation in IMAGINE-B5G Open Call 2, testing an immersive remote-education solution (SIMONE) at the Norwegian SINLAB facility over a 12-month period. The trials demonstrated the feasibility of real-time 360° video streaming and immersive learning over operational 5G/B5G infrastructure, showcasing the potential of immersive education for the broader education sector.

IMAGINE-B5G is a Horizon Europe / SNS JU initiative that provides an advanced end-to-end 5G/B5G platform enabling large-scale trials and pilots across Europe. The project federates experimental facilities in Norway, Spain, Portugal, and France, offering SMEs, start-ups, academia, and industry access to test innovative vertical applications and platform extensions. SIMONE was one of the 15 projects selected in Open Call 2.