Sweden isn't a country that's immediately associated with philanthropy. Swedes have a long-standing trust in the state's ability to distribute our shared tax funds in the best way. Higher education is free for students, not just from Sweden, but for anybody coming from the EU or EES. Every year the state earmarks tax funds for research at our Swedish universities and institutes of higher learning.

But if Sweden wants to stay competitive on a global market, if we want to attract and retain the best talent out there, and if we want to be able to meet the challenges we're facing in a multitude of fields, then funding needs to become more diversified, writes president Lars Strannegård in an op ed published in the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter.

Read the whole article in Swedish at Dagens Nyheter's website.