Sweden invests heavily in research. The country is among the OECD countries with the highest research and development (R&D) expenditure as a percentage of GDP, and we are also one of the five countries with the greatest proportion of researchers in the population. In terms of the number of publications, we rank sixth, and the proportion of highly cited publications is above the global average – showing that the investments are producing results.

Despite its modest size, SSE has a very high impact, both in Sweden and internationally. The School has the highest proportion of highly cited publications in Sweden for the period 2019–2021. The citation impact is also markedly higher than the global average. The proportion of highly cited publications refers to how large a proportion of a country's or an organization's research articles is among the 10 percent most cited publications in the world, within a specific field.

SSE’s tenacious investment in internationalization, innovation, and academic excellence has contributed to the good results, according to SSE President Lars Strannegård. The school strongly believes in the power of collaboration and open dialogue with other educational institutions and research institutions both in Sweden and internationally.

"We see this as part of a larger context, where we contribute to Sweden's prominent position in global research and development. By combining academic research with relevant practical application, we strive to contribute to solutions and insights that are important both today and in the future," says Lars Strannegård.

Important contacts with the business sector

The Swedish Research Barometer also highlights that the higher education sector only accounts for 23 percent of R&D expenditures in Sweden. The business sector accounts for a full 72 percent and other sectors for 4.5 percent. It is therefore of utmost importance to foster good relationsships with the business community, civil society, and decision-makers, something that has been part of the School’s strategy since its inception over a hundred years ago.The Stockholm School of Economics continues its work to educate, guide, and inspire both current and future generations of economists and decision-makers.