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• 2026-10-08

  Living Together Does Not Guarantee Freedom from Loneliness

  "Loneliness is not only about who you live with or how many people you meet," says Malin Knutz, researcher in public health science at Karlstad University. "And young adults stand out in our study."

  Many people experience loneliness despite not living alone. This is one of the key findings of a new study conducted by Karlstad University and Region Värmland. The researchers also found that young adults report the highest levels of both loneliness and poor mental well-being.

  The study is based on responses from more than 6,300 residents of Värmland aged 18 to 90 who participated in the regional public health survey in 2022. The research was carried out by researchers at Region Värmland in collaboration with the subject area of public health science at Karlstad University.

• 2026-10-08

  CTF celebrates 40 years: Welcome to the anniversary event on 22 October

  How can service research help address future challenges in AI, digitalisation, health, and the sustainability transition? On 22 October, the Service Research Center (CTF) at Karlstad University invites researchers, partners, alumni, and other interested guests to celebrate CTF's 40th anniversary and discuss the societal challenges of the future.

  The anniversary event will offer reflections on four decades of research, perspectives from some of the people who have been part of the journey, and conversations about the issues shaping tomorrow's society.

  40 years of research for a changing society

  "When CTF was founded in 1986, service research was a relatively unexplored field. Early on, we recognised the need to understand the growing service economy and contribute new knowledge," says Bo Edvardsson, professor of Business Administration and one of CTF's founders.

• 2026-10-07

  UN Envoy on RisCon26: “A Very Unique Conference”

  RisCon26 opened on Wednesday at Karlstad University with Kamal Kishore, the United Nations Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, delivering the keynote address.
  – This is a very unique conference, he says, expressing great satisfaction with his visit to Karlstad so far.

  The visit began on Tuesday when he took part in a risk walk through central Karlstad.

  – We were able to see how you are working here on risk reduction, particularly through the river embankments that help protect, among other things, the hospital from flooding. That was very interesting, says Kamal Kishore, who also heads the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).

• 2026-10-06

  The Opportunities of Future 6G Technology

  Remote-controlled wheelchairs, three-dimensional digital meetings and robotic control across national borders. Researchers and companies from across Europe have gathered at Karlstad University to explore how 5G and 6G networks could transform the way people connect and interact remotely

  The Horizon Europe project 6G-PATH (6G Pilots and Trials Through Europe) aims to develop and evaluate new digital services in areas including healthcare and education.

  Three of the project's international trials were recently conducted at Karlstad University, demonstrating how next-generation connectivity could create entirely new opportunities for remote interaction.

• 2026-10-05

  Can a Quarter-Hour of Singing in School Influence PISA Results?

  For several decades, singing and music have occupied a diminishing place in Swedish schools, despite scientific evidence demonstrating numerous health benefits, including reduced stress, increased levels of the “feel-good hormone” oxytocin, and strengthened social cohesion. Against this background, the research project Singing for Health in School – A Matter of Social Concern was launched. But can just fifteen minutes of singing each day at school be enough to help pupils feel better and, ultimately, perform better academically? This is the question the research project set out to investigate.

  The project is funded by the Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Memorial Foundation, with the Royal Swedish Academy of Music acting as fund manager. No previous studies have examined this area, making the project unique, both because of the interdisciplinary combination of expertise represented by the researchers and because of the practical singing intervention at its core, which has the potential to be directly implemented in everyday school teaching.

• 2026-10-02

  Kick-off for Hotspot – Celebrating 30 years!

  – We often say that it will be the best Hotspot ever, and I am convinced that it will be. After all, this is the 30th anniversary, says project manager Erica Jansson as the project team for Hotspot 2027 gathers for its kick-off.

  – Yes, it always turns out to be the best Hotspot ever, and it is hard to imagine how it can be surpassed, but somehow it is. Every year. And now we are celebrating 30 years. It is going to be great fun! says Susanna Lundborg, Head of Internationalisation and External Relations at Karlstad University.