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• 2026-05-29

  Leading close to the patient presents challenges for nurses in municipal home healthcare

  Time constraints, inadequate organizational conditions and insufficient collaboration create challenges for nurses leading the care of older adults in municipal home healthcare. This is shown in new research from Karlstad University.

  In her doctoral thesis, Erica Lillsjö explored nurses’ patient-centred leadership in municipal home healthcare for older people. The findings show that nurses in municipal home healthcare strive to lead with a focus on the older person’s wishes, needs and best interests, while also seeking to create a sense of security for both the older person and their relatives.

  – The nurses wanted to lead, and they wanted to lead in ways that promote person-centred care. However, the organizational conditions created challenges for their leadership, says Erica Lillsjö.

• 2026-05-28

  The Knowledge Foundation funds Infinity Fiber – aims to multiply the value of Sweden’s forest raw materials

  The Knowledge Foundation (KK-stiftelsen) is granting funding to the research profile Infinity Fiber at Karlstad University. The aim is to significantly increase the value of Swedish forest raw materials by extending fibre lifespans from today’s 2–3 uses to more than 20.

  The forest industry is central to the Swedish economy but faces increasing demands for sustainability, resource efficiency and biodiversity. Infinity Fiber aims to contribute to this transition by developing new circular ways of using wood fibres.

• 2026-05-26

  International conference on societal risks with a local impact at Karlstad University

  On 7–9 October, Karlstad University will host RisCon26 – Societal Risk Conference 2026, an international conference bringing together researchers, policymakers and practitioners to discuss how societal risks can be understood, managed and addressed in global and local contexts, with a strong focus on practical relevance for actors in Sweden and the Nordic region.

  The conference takes place at a time when issues such as climate change, digital vulnerability and global interdependencies are becoming increasingly visible, highlighting the importance of collaboration across sectors.

• 2026-05-21

  New Doctoral Student Praises Singing Sessions in Preschool

  In early summer, the Ingesund School of Music welcomes a new doctoral student in music education. Her name is Stina Wennberg, and she is passionate about music in preschool – an area that will form the basis of her dissertation, with a focus on the musical aspects of singing sessions.

  Can you tell us about your background and education?

• 2026-05-21

  Glitter with an Edge – Why Eurovision Is More Than Just “Nonsense”

  Behind feather boas, kitsch, and spectacle lies one of the most powerful cultural arenas of our time. According to Richard Ek, who is also connected to Centre for Geomedia Studies, Mia Larson, Professor in Business Administration at Karlstad Business School and researcher at the Centre for Service Research (CTF) and Professor Can-Seng Ooi at University of Tasmania, Eurovision uses playful “camp” to push the boundaries of identity, norms, and politics – while appearing to be pure entertainment.

  The chapter “Camp and Frivolity as Cultural and Political Transgressions in the Eurovision Song Contest Events,” is a part of the book “Tourism, Events and Leisure Perspectives on the Eurovision Song Contest.”

• 2026-05-18

  Right on target – the economist blows the referee’s whistle

  Does changing the coach help? How big is the home advantage? Does the crowd matter? These are questions that interest Niklas Jakobsson, professor in national economics at Karlstad Business School.
  – Much of the discussion in sports deals with questions that are essentially economic in nature, he says.

  Niklas Jakobsson has always liked individual sports, but his interest in team sports has grown in recent years.

  – Football came into my life through my son and the Allsvenskan, while ice hockey is close at hand through Färjestad and the SHL. Both sports stir strong emotions while also producing a lot of data, which makes them well suited for analysis.

  It is mainly football and ice hockey that have sparked Niklas’s interest. And students are quick to engage when the referee’s whistle sounds.