Annika Östman Wernerson: KI is charting a new course for the future

The work is being led by Maja Fjaestad, with Professor Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren as senior advisor, along with a committee comprising a wide selection of KI representatives. Our staff and students will also be regularly involved during the process and information about the committee’s progress will be gathered on the Staff Portal. The aim is to have the new strategy in place by the end of 2027.

KI as an influential voice in society

The 2026 election has now been decided and a new government is due to take up office. We will, of course, continue to follow the policies that affect our core issues of higher education and research closely. The university management is intent on making KI’s voice heard in the discussion on the conditions for academia. 

The change of government also coincides with the drafting of the forthcoming research bill. It is not merely important but absolutely imperative that Karolinska Institutet is able to bring its insights and perspectives to the table on how Sweden can create the optimal conditions for research, education and innovation. The process will engage many talented people from our university and will hopefully contribute to the long-term choices that will shape KI’s and Sweden’s future development.

KI’s new Faculty Forum: make your voice heard

On 23 November, the teacher representatives invite KI’s teachers and researchers to take part in the Faculty Forum on the theme Better conditions for research and education: what should KI prioritise?

Take the opportunity to share your perspectives and discuss which changes could make the greatest difference. I hope many of you will contribute to shaping this new forum for academic dialogue and influence.

The Faculty Forum is part of KI’s efforts to strengthen collegial governance through clearer responsibilities and roles, as well as new opportunities for dialogue and influence within the organisation. It is also one of the results of the changes that came into effect at the beginning of July.

Time for this year’s Nobel Week in Stockholm – celebrating science and new knowledge

Next week, the eyes of the world will turn once again towards Stockholm for the announcement of the 2026 Nobel Prize. This is one of the few occasions on which we recognise human progress and elevate the value of science. I hope it can give us reason to see a ray of hope at a time when the world can seem so dark. The Nobel Week begins with the announcement of the recipient(s) of the Nobel Price in Physiology or Medicine by Karolinska Institutet's Nobel Assembly in the Nobel Forum on the Solna campus.

The sterling work done by the Nobel Assembly in selecting each year’s laureates and all the traditions surrounding the prize are without doubt an important part of KI’s history and identity, as well as a reminder of how important research is for the development of society. I look forward to a week that celebrates the power of science to create new knowledge, arouse curiosity and contribute to better health and life conditions for all of humankind. During the week, KI will also be taking part with the Nobel Prize Museum and others in the Nobel Calling knowledge festival in Stockholm. View KI’s programme.