Organised by the Center for Security and Resilience (CfSR) in collaboration with the Akademiska Officerssällskapet (AOS) and Campus Totalförsvar, the event brought together students, researchers, business leaders, and policymakers to share insights and shape new ideas.

Staffan Holmberg, Executive Director of the Center for Security and Resilience.

A platform for dialogue and innovation

The day/afternoon programme, The Future of Total Defence - Dialogue, Insights & Innovation, focused on the next generation. Held in Swedish, it included talks, panel discussions, and an Innovation Lab where students worked alongside experts from 4C Strategies, MSB, the Swedish Armed Forces, MW Group, and others.

Highlights included:

• A strategic outlook by Andreas von der Heide.
• A panel on Total Defence as an Investment Class, featuring Cecilia Fryklöf, Karl L. E. Engelbrektson, Jonas Rydin, and Max Villman.
• A Networking and Career Fair, connecting students with organisations like Saab, AFRY, Verona Shelters Group, and Consilio International.

Evening plenary: Nordic collaboration in focus

The evening session, open to the public and held in the Aula, gathered leading voices from defence, business, and academia.

Keynote speakers included:

• General Michael Claesson, Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces
• Mikael Frisell, Director General, Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB)

Michael Claesson

Mikael Frisell.

They were joined by leaders from across the Nordic region and beyond, including:

• Anna Wijkander (Saab)
• Pia Sandvik (Teknikföretagen)
• Patrik Hofbauer (Telia)
• Klas Bendrik (DNV)
• Svitlana Zalishchuk (Ambassador of Ukraine to Sweden)
• Christoph Lechner (University of St. Gallen)
• Katarina Kaarböe (Norwegian School of Economics)
• Tobias Scheytt (Helmut Schmidt University)

Together, they explored how the Nordic countries can play a larger role in shaping Europe's security and innovation capacity - and how collaboration across sectors is key to meeting emerging challenges.

The first panel.

The second panel.

“It was inspiring to see students, practitioners, and decision-makers engage on these urgent issues,” said Martin Carlsson-Wall, Professor and Director of the Center for Security and Resilience. “This is exactly what we envisioned when we launched CfSR - bridging sectors to strengthen society's resilience.”

Strengthening resilience through collaboration

Since its launch in June 2025, the Center for Security and Resilience has initiated more than 18 research projects and partnerships, including with the Swedish Armed Forces and MSB. The Nordic Security and Competitiveness Day marks the next step in SSE's long-term commitment to research, education, and public dialogue in this field.

We thank all participants, speakers, and partners for contributing to a day of forward-looking conversations and shared learning.