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• 2024-10-03

  New research from Karlstad University maps choral singing in Sweden

  Choral singing is a geographically widespread phenomenon in Sweden. Despite this, it has received relatively limited attention in research. Until now. Per Göransson, who recently completed his PhD in Human Geography at Karlstad University, has done research on the subject.

  Choirs have been a popular cultural activity for a long time in Sweden. The phenomenon of choral singing is particularly interesting since an estimated 600,000 people (6 percent of the Swedish population) are choir members. Choirs are found both in small villages and in cities, which makes choral singing a geographically widespread phenomenon in Sweden. Per Göransson has focused on the geography of choirs in Sweden.

• 2024-10-01

  The backlash of digitalisation – a red-hot topic

  It is referred to as “digital backlash” – the dissatisfaction with what our digital existence has become. Karin Fast, professor of media and communication studies, is one of the editors of the new book “The Digital Backlash and the Paradoxes of Disconnection”.

  Karin Fast, please explain “digital backlash”

• 2024-09-30

  New initiative to lighten the regulatory burden on farmers in Sweden

  This autumn, Karlstad University’s Samhällsnytta AB is launching a project alongside farmers, public agencies and advocacy groups. The focus is to lighten the regulatory burden in farming, which has long been perceived as both costly and time-consuming.

  - We gather “the whole system in the room”, a methodology that ensures an active contribution from all parties involved towards sustainable and practical solutions, says Johan Quist, CEO of Samhällsnytta.

  Samhällsnytta along with other public agencies as well as advocacy groups will receive SEK 7 million for the project from Vinnova, Formas and the Swedish Energy Agency. The project will be carried out within the SustainGov innovation programme.

• 2024-09-30

  Researchers: This is what must be done in order to halve food waste by 2030

  Researchers at the Service Research Center (CTF) at Karlstad University have written a report about Nordic food waste with recommendations for political measures. The message is clear:
  – We can either take forceful action right now, or else abandon the goal of reducing food waste by 50 percent by 2030.

  The researchers have identified initiatives and measures that resulted in less food waste in restaurants, schools, retail businesses and Nordic households. Based on that, the researchers propose a number of measures for halving food waste by 2030.

  – It’s everything from implementing political measures in order to reduce food waste, to reinforcing the Nordic collaboration through more clearly defined requirements regarding data sharing, as well as assessment and reporting of food waste, says Helén Williams, associate professor of Environmental and Energy systems.

• 2024-09-23

  Words from senior management: New playing field and new possibilities

  This year, a commission led by Peter Honeth – former state secretary at the Ministry of Education and Research – has been working on behalf of the government to develop a series of proposals to improve teacher education. A survey on how to strengthen support for Swedish STEM programmes (mathematics, technology, and natural sciences) has also been conducted and a report will be presented at the end of the year.

  The purpose of the investigation into teacher education is for more pupils in compulsory and upper secondary school to complete their education and to do so with a sound set of skills and knowledge. The investigators have visited a selection of higher education institutions offering teacher education programmes, including Karlstad University, where we participated in an interview round at the end of spring. One of the themes during the interviews was the importance of concrete knowledge and what teachers need to know in order to teach young people how to read, write and count.

• 2024-09-20

  Materials research for the future

  Materials research at Karlstad University has a long tradition. With strong external funding and close collaboration with the industrial and regional actors, they are now establishing the Materials Research Group, MRG@KaU, taking further steps to contribute through basic and applied research to a sustainable future in material science.

  – In total, approximately 40 active researchers are involved in the Materials Research Group at Karlstad university, says Ellen Moons, Professor of Physics and one of the coordinators of the research environment. A strong interdisciplinary collaboration has developed within the team, with research activities ranging from basic materials research to applied research and industrial applications, as well as between experiments and modelling on length scales from nanometer to micrometer and to the macro-scale level.