Science and Education Policy in Sweden – Some Salient Features

Abstract

Abstract: While there has been a high level of consensus concerning the need of a high and sustainable level of funding for scientific exploration among policy makers in Sweden, there has been less agreement on the governance, organization and form of the research performed in the sector. The research policy debate today centers much on knowledge creation forms and governance. Most debaters agree that there is a need of pluralism in the research sector and that there is a genuine need of not only free basic and applied research but also of strategic research and needs-driven research.

The policy for the higher education system has been quite successful in both expanding the share of the population receiving university education and in broadening the recruitment base to include traditionally non-academic segments as well as students with disabilities or other disadvantages. In terms of gender balance, higher education has also made great strides towards a better gender balanced university.