Campus Total Defence – a Strategic Collaboration to Strengthen Sweden’s Total Defence
Campus Total Defence is a strategic collaboration between Swedish universities with the aim to strengthen Sweden’s total defence through education, research and collaboration. Luleå University of Technology, together with the Swedish Defence University and Örebro University, have initiated and are leading this initiative. The project is supported by a number of key actors from both the public and private sectors.
Our Key Role
Campus Total Defence now brings together 37 of the country’s 50 higher education institutions to strengthen Sweden’s crisis preparedness and long-term defence capability. As one of the initiators, Luleå University of Technology has a key role – both by coordinating the institutions’ educational initiatives and by leading the network Space and Arctic Security, one of the 12 research networks.
Education
We have a specific role in developing and coordinating education within Campus Total Defence. Our task is both to highlight the educational programmes that already exist and can be linked to total defence, and to identify society’s educational needs in the areas of crisis and preparedness.
The most important part of our work is to bring Swedish universities together, make use of the education that already exists, and further develop it based on the needs of total defence.
Research
Örebro University is responsible for research, organised in networks within different fields of knowledge. Each network is led by a university and serves as a hub for the activities and priority issues that are particularly important for the development of the field.
Researchers at Luleå University of Technology lead a network in the field of Space and the Arctic Security, focusing on issues relevant to societal security and future development, with particular emphasis on Arctic conditions and the space domain.
Campus Total Defense brings together 12 research networks. Explore the list below to learn more about each network and connect with the right contact person.
- AI and Robotics for Total Defence
- Communication and Media in Crisis and War
- Construction, Engineering and Infrastructure in Crisis and War
- Culture in Crisis and War
- Economic Security, Critical Materials, Metals and Minerals
- Governing, Leading and Collaborating in Crisis and War
- Peace, Democracy and Human Rights
- Space and the Arctic
- Supply Preparedness
- Sustainability, Energy, Climate and Security
- Technology and Defence
- Urban and Regional Planning and Total Defence
About Campus Total Defence
Campus Total Defence brings together academia, government agencies, industry, and civil society in a national network. The aim is to create a strong platform to build and secure the knowledge and skills needed for Sweden’s total defence.
The initiative is a response to the shifting security situation in Europe, which has created an urgent need to reinforce Sweden’s defence capability. In the Government’s 2025 Budget Bill it is stated: “Campus Total Defence shall coordinate and expand education and research in the field, with the purpose of supporting the ongoing strengthening of Sweden’s total defence across government agencies and industry.”
Through this initiative, Sweden’s universities will contribute to rebuilding total defence by providing targeted education, developing new research, and fostering conditions for innovation.
How Campus Total Defence is Organized
Campus Total Defence is ultimately governed by a steering group with representatives from several Swedish universities, together with the Swedish Armed Forces and the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB). Starting in the autumn of 2025, a student representative nominated by the Swedish National Union of Students (SFS) will also participate.
The director is Arita Holmberg, Associate Professor of Political Science at the Swedish Defence University.
To ensure that the work is well rooted across society, there is also a Partner Forum with representatives from government agencies and industry. The Partner Forum serves as a reference group and contributes important perspectives to ensure that the activities develop in step with changes in the surrounding environment.
Our Internal Organization
At Luleå University of Technology, the Campus Total Defence working group is led by Associate Professor Niklas Lehto, Head of the Department of Systems and Space Engineering.
National Education Coordinator
Operational responsibility is held by Jenny Jäger, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Health, Learning and Technology, serving as the National Education Coordinator for Campus Total Defence.
Communication Officer
We also contribute a Communication Officer, Liza Östman, who works nationally to strengthen visibility of Campus Total Defence together with the programme office at the Swedish Defence University.
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