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News
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2026-02-06
New study provides unique insight into the work of registered nurses and nursing assistants in home healthcare
A new study offers an in-depth and uncommon insight into how registered nurses and nursing assistants work with fundamental care for older people within municipal home healthcare services. The study shows that care work is significantly more complex and multifaceted than what is often reflected in guidelines, schedules, and care plans.
“The study shows that everyday conditions have a major impact on care quality, and that fundamental care is more complex than what is often made visible in governing documents,” says Karin Sandberg, doctoral student in nursing at Karlstad University and one of the researchers behind the study.
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2026-02-04
Leave No Scale Behind: New Framework Supports Sustainability Transformation at Every Level
A new scientific publication led by Karlstad University climate researcher Avit Bhowmik presents a pluralistic framework designed to guide policy action and grassroots sustainability transformations across all scales—from local communities to global initiatives.
The UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development offers a shared blueprint for progress, built around the core promise to “leave no one behind.” Yet despite their importance, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remain global, ambitious, and often difficult to apply in specific local contexts.
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2026-02-04
Hotspot 2026 Is Just Around the Corner
It is almost time for this year’s edition of Hotspot – the 29th in order. For one full day, Karlstad University will be transformed into a vibrant hub for exhibitors, students, and staff eager to network and showcase themselves. Here is what you need to know about the event.
Hotspot is an annual career fair organised by a project group of around twenty students at Karlstad University, led by project manager Erica Jansson. This year’s fair will take place on Wednesday, 11 February, and will be open to visitors between 9:30 and 15:00.
Ahead of this year’s event, 118 exhibitors have registered to participate, and the project group estimates that around 8,000 visitors will attend during the day – clear signs of very high interest.
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2026-02-03
Connection Between Reduced Working Hours, Improved Health, and Increased Work Ability
Working less can make people healthier – and also more creative and more productive. New research shows that a reduction in working hours can be associated with improved work ability, lower stress levels, and organizational behavioral changes.
Which results would you say are the most important in your research?
– We see strong results regarding health, says Lena Lid Falkman. But equally important are the results on increased work ability and problem‑solving capacity. Not only do employees feel better after a period of shorter working hours, but they also work better. And on top of that, they are happier.
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2026-01-28
Why Does It Matter How Principals Develop Their Professional Competence?
Principals play a key role in the development of schools. They lead the work, organize teachers’ professional development, and drive improvement efforts. But what does the professional learning of principals themselves actually look like? Existing research is limited and focuses mainly on principals’ participation in formal training programs. A new study has shifted the spotlight toward principals’ learning as change in and for practice.
Current research often points to the same challenges—lack of time, and the fact that the courses principals attend rarely lead to meaningful change in their daily work. This dissertation aims to redirect the focus. Instead of viewing learning as something that happens only inside an individual’s mind, the study takes a practice-based perspective: learning is about changing how one actually works.
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2026-01-23
App May Reduce Fear of Childbirth Among First-Time Mothers
New research from Karlstad University shows that the effect is particularly noticeable among women who already during pregnancy experience strong anxiety about giving birth.
Expecting a first child can bring both anticipation and worry. Thoughts about pain, loss of control, and the unknown are, for many expectant mothers, a source of stress. Now, research from Karlstad University and Region Värmland shows that a digital support tool in the form of an app can make a difference, especially for first-time mothers who feel a pronounced fear of childbirth.
