Conference registration is now open here until 1 November 2026.
What do academic leaders in Sweden need to achieve research excellence?
Date: 16–17 November 2026
Location: Karolinska Institutet, Andreas Vesalius Conference Room, Berzelius väg 3, 171 65 Solna
Format: In-person
Organiser: National Junior Faculty (NJF), Sweden
Purpose of the conference. Sweden currently lacks a unified, cross-stakeholder strategy to ensure sustainable academic career structures that enable long-term research excellence. Fragmented career systems, evolving research assessment practices, and increasing leadership demands risk undermining both research quality and talent retention.
This conference aims to establish a national platform for coordinated action by bringing together early- and mid-career researchers, research funders, policymakers, and university leadership from across Sweden. Through structured dialogue and interactive sessions, the conference will address academic leadership, career systems, research assessment, and conditions for research excellence.
A key outcome of the conference will be the NJF Declaration, a national policy document outlining structural recommendations on academic career pathways, leadership development, and responsible research assessment, intended to inform universities, funders, and policymakers.
Target audience
- Early- and mid-career researchers
- University leadership and academic managers
- Research funders and policy actors
- National and institutional stakeholders in research and higher education
Preliminary agenda. The preliminary agenda (subject to revision) can be found here.
We express our gratitude to Karolinska Institutet for their support of this national event (Reg nummer 2026-01353).