Karlstad University and the University of Gothenburg are proposed to receive SEK 37.5 million from the Swedish Research Council within the strategic research area Excellence in School. The initiative is one of the largest in Sweden in practice-oriented school research. Its purpose is to develop teaching with the aim of improving student outcomes and increasing equitable learning.
“It is incredibly exciting and a great honor, and a strong recognition of the expertise within the subject-didactic research environment at Karlstad University,” says Christina Olin-Scheller, professor of Comparative literature in Education and professor in Pedagogical Work at Karlstad University. “It is significant for our institution and especially important for teacher education, which is the foundation of this initiative. It is also particularly rewarding because the investment is long-term and will allow the multidisciplinary research environment Rose to grow further, and enable us, together with the University of Gothenburg and international colleagues, to establish a new research center.”
Research to provide concrete support for teachers and school leaders
Within the new research centre, Centre for Teaching and Learning in Schools (CTL), researchers will develop, test, and scale up teaching innovations to improve student learning. A current challenge is that research findings rarely have a strong impact on classroom practice. Therefore, the initiative is based on a three-step model: developing teaching innovations, systematically testing them with different student groups, and then implementing them on a larger scale. The ambition is for research to become a concrete support for teachers and school leaders.
Several research fields will be combined: subject didactics, educational measurement, and research on school leadership. The work will be carried out in close collaboration with schools and education authorities, including those in Värmland and the Gothenburg region, and several municipalities will be involved in studies conducted in real classrooms.
“We are pleased that this initiative on Excellence in Schools enables different strands of educational research to be brought together and allows us to systematically build new knowledge collaboratively. With our focus on subject didactics and practice-oriented studies, we hope this initiative will position Karlstad University as an important actor and knowledge hub in the field, both nationally and internationally, and that we can contribute to improving school outcomes,” says Christina Olin-Scheller.
Government decision later this spring
The Swedish Research Council has proposed the allocation of funds, but the final decision on funding within the strategic research area Excellence in Schools will be made by the government later this spring.
Facts: Excellence in Schools
- Funder: Swedish Research Council
- Area: Strategic research area
- Total funding: SEK 37.5 million over two years, followed by continued funding
- Start: 2027
- Institutions: University of Gothenburg and Karlstad University
- Centre: Centre for Teaching and Learning in Schools (CTL)
- Purpose: To develop, test, and scale up teaching innovations to improve student learning
Learn more about the initiative on strategic research areas.
Learn more about Rose.
