Today, leading representatives from universities, research councils and companies gather to engage in conversations that will help determine the focus for the upcoming project initiated by SNS related to research, higher education and lifelong learning. The project will begin in January 2022 and is to be managed by Jonas Klarin, who has recently joined SNS as a new research director.
The day is divided into two roundtable discussions. The first discussion focuses on financing and governing Swedish research, whereas the second discussion focuses on financing lifelong learning and the role of higher education in the development of skills needed in the labor market.
“There is a great deal of interest when it comes to participating. This is very positive, not only because today’s discussion will be beneficial when we put the project’s research questions in concrete terms but also because the positive reaction indicates that this is an important area where SNS is able to make a contribution,” says Jonas Klarin.
The three-year project will take the form of seminars, workshops and a series of reports written by renowned researchers in the field. A reference group attached to the project will be recruited in the fall. This group will consist of key actors with a high level of knowledge and practical experiences who will follow the project from the outset and offer input in order to make the research reports useful and policy-relevant.
Jonas Klarin joined SNS in February after having received his PhD in economics at Uppsala University.
“This is excellent timing. Jonas has a solid post-graduate education in combination with a great interest in social issues, which means that he will fit in well here at SNS. I am very pleased that he will start working with us,” says Mikael Witterblad, head of the SNS research program.