For several decades, singing and music have occupied a diminishing place in Swedish schools, despite scientific evidence demonstrating numerous health benefits, including reduced stress, increased levels of the “feel-good hormone” oxytocin, and strengthened social cohesion. Against this background, the research project Singing for Health in School – A Matter of Social Concern was launched.
– We often say that it will be the best Hotspot ever, and I am convinced that it will be. After all, this is the 30th anniversary, says project manager Erica Jansson as the project team for Hotspot 2027 gathers for its kick-off.
– Yes, it always turns out to be the best Hotspot ever, and it is hard to imagine how it can be surpassed, but somehow it is. Every year. And now we are celebrating 30 years. It is going to be great fun!
Pain management in people with dementia is complex. Pain can manifest itself in many different ways, and changes in behaviour may have several different causes. New research indicate that the solution is not a single assessment tool, but rather a more structured and person-centred care process that helps healthcare staff identify, assess and follow up on pain.
“Small deviations from a person’s usual behaviour can be important signs of pain.
Margareta Uusijärvi, originally from Stockholm, is about to begin her third year in the Music Teacher Education Programme at the Ingesund School of Music.
– Without packaging, food waste would increase dramatically, say researchers Fredrik Wikström and Helén Williams at the Service Research Center (CTF) at Karlstad University.
29 September is International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. As global interest in conserving resources continues to grow, researchers Fredrik Wikström and Helén Williams have now seen their book Stop Food Waste translated into English.
The introduction of new waste sorting bins in Karlstad Municipality has turned into a perfect learning opportunity for students enrolled in the Master's Programme in Project Management at the School of Business.
– This project contains many fascinating elements that fit perfectly with our programme, says John Johansson, lecturer in Business Administration at Karlstad Business School.
The project is something of a dream case for project management education.
Screen time is often associated with concerns about declining reading habits and lower educational attainment. A new doctoral thesis by Sofia Oldin Cederwall, new PhD in Comparative Literature at Karlstad University, shows that upper secondary school students who watch television series are doing more than simply consuming entertainment.
Digital technology can strengthen contact with family and friends across national borders, but it can also create new barriers for older people with a migrant background.
Jerry Lidberg, head of operations at Region Värmland’s Neurology and Rehabilitation clinic, has been named Alum of the Year 2026 by Karlstad University. Through his commitment to clinical practice and leadership, he demonstrates how a role of great societal importance can take many different forms.
Jerry Lidberg graduated as a registered nurse in 2010 and completed his specialist nursing qualification in intensive care in 2013.
Many companies want to contribute to sustainable development, but their efforts often have limited impact.
– Many of the companies I studied focused, for example, on putting ‘recycled material’ on a package, says Kristin Caravelli-Svärd.
On 15 October, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Karlstad University invites staff, students, and members of the public to attend this year’s open associate professor lectures.
In an era marked by so-called polycrises, where climate change, energy challenges, economic uncertainty, and global conflicts influence and reinforce one another, societal resilience is becoming increasingly important.
A new autumn semester has just begun. In my view, this is one of the most exciting times of the academic year at the university. There is a palpable sense of anticipation in the air. Our campuses become more vibrant with early activities, welcome events, student gatherings and, of course, many reunions following the summer break.
In many respects, the start of this academic year may resemble previous autumn terms.
When a video call stutters, an online game lags, or a webpage feels slow, internet speed is not always the problem. More often, the issue is network delays, known as latency. In his doctoral thesis, Simon Sundberg investigates how such delays arise and develops new methods for measuring them.
Most people associate network performance with bandwidth, that is, the amount of data that can be transferred per second.
Karlstad University has been awarded SEK 11.5 million from the Swedish Energy Agency and Region Värmland as the SOLVE research centre enters a new five-year phase. The investment will contribute to the development of future solar energy systems and support Sweden’s transition towards a more sustainable energy system.
SOLVE brings together universities, businesses and public-sector organisations in research aimed at enabling a faster expansion of solar energy in Sweden.
Two years ago, Annmari Wangin, a lecturer in methodology, supervision, brass education, brass studio, and wind orchestra methodology at the Ingesund School of Music, visited the Pendo Amani Youth Centre in the suburb of Juja on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya. There, she taught and made music together with children and young people who were actively involved in music. This summer, she returned together with an Ingesund student.
On 7 September, representatives from the Knowledge Foundation (KK-stiftelsen) visited Karlstad University to gain deeper insight into how the university collaborates with industry in research and education.
