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News

• 2025-11-10

  Preventing suicide is not only a human obligation – it is also a socio-economic gain

  Every year, around 1,500 people take their own lives in Sweden. Behind every statistic is a human being, a family, a community – and a tragedy that affects far more people than the individual who dies.

  Suicide is not only a personal tragedy – it is also a socio-economic concern. Recent studies show that prevention can save lives and significantly reduce costs for society. 

  Björn Sund, adjunct teacher in economics at Karlstad Business School and analyst at the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), has conducted research on efforts to reduce suicides in the transport sector.

• 2025-11-10

  SEK 36 million awarded to Karlstad University researchers

  In the autumn, several research funding bodies announce their decisions. So far, eight applications from researchers at Karlstad University have been granted a total of close to SEK 36 million.

  The Swedish Research Council – Sweden’s largest governmental research funding body – has granted funds to the educational science project “Generationsmöten på svenska folkhögskolan: relationer och lärande för livet”. The project is led by Satu Heikkinen, docent in sociology at the Department of Social and Psychological Studies. It has been granted funding of SEK 3,876,870.

• 2025-11-07

  Regular contact with businesses and industry while studying

  On 23 October, international students at Karlstad University gathered for an inspiring lecture with the Värmland Chamber of Commerce. The regional job market, career opportunities and key strengths were presented under the theme “Discover the Future of Work in Värmland”. The message was clear: international students, we need you!

  – The hardest work is already behind you – moving to Sweden, said Jonas Evaldsson, head of labour market insight and skills supply at the Värmland Chamber of Commerce, which represents over 1,200 member companies. Now, it’s time to think about what you want to do after your studies. Don’t be afraid to explore and make contact with companies!

• 2025-11-04

  When numbers govern the news – the power of metrics in newsrooms

  – The role of metrics has developed gradually in Swedish newsrooms and has had a big impact on both work practices and perceptions of the journalism profession, says Carina Tenor, who recently completed her PhD in Media and Communication Studies at Karlstad University.

  – The title of my doctoral thesis, New(s) metric management, alludes to the more well-known concept of New Public Management, which describes the measurement-based system of management and efficiency introduced in the welfare sector in the 1990s, and which has affected professions in areas such as healthcare, education and social services, says Carina Tenor. The parallel is that journalists, just like nurses, teachers and social workers, have certain professional ideals and values that are not always reflected in measurable data.

• 2025-10-30

  Research Festival on the World of Education

  What research is being conducted in areas such as preschool, leisure-time centers, giftedness, and special education at Karlstad University? You can learn more on November 6, when the research center Educational and Sports Science Studies of Children and Childhood (UBB) invites you to a research festival. Here, research colleagues, professionals, and students in preschool and school settings can explore various research projects.

  The day is divided into different themes, and UBB’s researchers will present parts of their research in short sessions. This format allows attendees to drop in and listen, stay for the entire afternoon, or just for a brief moment. The festival will also be broadcast live on Youtube and will remain available there afterwards.

• 2025-10-24

  Karlstad researcher contributes to landmark Global Tipping Points report for COP30

  As world leaders prepare to gather in Belém, Brazil, for COP30, a new scientific assessment paints a stark picture of the planet’s future. The 2025 Global Tipping Points Report warns that the world is rapidly approaching — and in some cases has already crossed — several critical ecological thresholds. Among the contributing scientists is Dr. Avit Bhowmik, climate researcher at Karlstad University, who provided expertise on tipping points in the Amazon Rainforest, one of Earth’s most vital ecosystems.

  The report, coordinated by the Global Systems Institute at the University of Exeter, brings together over 100 leading scientists from institutions around the world. It delivers the most comprehensive and up-to-date overview yet of how close humanity is to crossing the Earth’s key climate and ecological tipping points. The findings are intended to guide decision-makers and negotiators at the upcoming COP30 conference.