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• 2026-11-11

  Wettergren Foundation invests in sustainable timber construction at Karlstad University

  Forests in Värmland are set to contribute to the sustainable construction of the future through a new initiative by the Berit & Carl-Johan Wettergren Foundation. Research at Karlstad University and Pro2BE will be strengthened through the appointment of an Adjunct Professor linked to the field.

  The initiative aims to increase knowledge of timber as a construction material, from the forest to the finished structure. The focus is on how timber resources can be identified, analysed and utilised more efficiently to meet future demand for sustainable construction.

• 2026-11-10

  BEPPE to Create Better Conditions for Student Learning

  How can subject-specific education research strengthen student learning? This is a central question for the newly established graduate school BEPPE. Its goal is to develop knowledge that can enhance both teacher education and classroom teaching.

  BEPPE – Best Practice? A Graduate School on Subject-Specific Didactic Models in Primary Teacher Education is aimed at teacher educators and is a collaboration between Karlstad University and the University of Gothenburg, with Karlstad University serving as the host institution.

• 2026-11-10

  From Knowledge to Action: Karlstad University Researcher Highlights the Human Side of Climate Transition at COP31

  The world is not short of knowledge about climate change. The real challenge is turning that knowledge into action. This is one of the key messages that Avit Bhowmik, Assistant Professor in Risk and Environmental Studies at Karlstad University, will bring to the international stage when he participates in several official events during the UN Climate Change Conference COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, on 15–20 November.

  This year’s climate conference will bring together researchers, policymakers and organisations from around the world to discuss how science, policy and international cooperation can accelerate climate action. At COP31, Avit Bhowmik will contribute perspectives from his research on sustainability transformations and the challenges that arise between scientific knowledge, political ambition and implementation.

• 2026-11-09

  Honorary doctor 2027 wants to build a more resilient society

  Society’s ability to address complex societal risks has been the driving force throughout Thomas Gell’s career. How can accidents and societal disruptions be prevented? Thomas Gell has contributed to establishing and developing societal risk management as an interdisciplinary academic field at Karlstad University, while also creating lasting structures for collaboration between research, education, government agencies and rescue services. For these contributions to both academia and society, he is awarded an honorary doctorate by Karlstad University in 2027.

  Risk management is a highly relevant field today, but as early as the beginning of the 2000s, initiatives were taken to establish a professorship funded by the Swedish Rescue Services Agency, creating the organisational and financial conditions necessary for academic investments at Karlstad University. Through research collaborations, staff exchanges and doctoral education for government employees, Thomas Gell has built enduring links between academia and practice through the Master's Programme in Risk Management in Society and the Centre for Societal Risk Research.

• 2026-11-09

  Sustainability Day 2026

  Students, colleagues and everyone with an interest are warmly welcome to Sustainability Day 2026 at Karlstad University, a hybrid event hosted by Karlstad Business School and the Service Research Center (CTF).

  This year's theme, The Sustainable Community: From Everyday Services to Resilience in Crisis, looks at how the premises and environments we use in everyday life can also give society capability and resilience in times of crisis. "A shelter that only opens once a crisis has already struck is somewhere we first have to find and get to know.

  – The environments that work best when something unexpected happens are often the places we already know, use and feel safe in, says Samuel Petros Sebhatu, Associate Professor of Business Administration and moderator of the day.

• 2026-11-05

  Is “good job” the right or wrong kind of praise?

  Praise influences employees’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and their sense of pride. But how should managers give praise so that it is received positively? And how should the expression “good job” be used? Research from Karlstad Business School sheds light on these questions.

  Receiving praise from a manager after a successful effort at work can certainly feel rewarding. But what should managers consider when commenting on an employee’s performance? Sven Siverbo, Professor in business administration at Karlstad Business School, has conducted research on these issues.

  The research resulted in three articles: