View source for Report:9e58f6db-c42c-4b5d-9f49-c97dc532ac58

{{Report
|Report Type=Country Report Cards
|Title=Sweden
|Has Location=Sweden
|Research Infrastructure=In 2019, there were 91,172 full-time researchers in Sweden (1). Sweden has 48 higher education and research institutions of four different categories: 17 universities, 13 university colleges, 5 university colleges of fine, applied and performing arts, and 13 other independent higher education providers (2).
{{{!}} class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="756"
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}'''Organisation'''
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}'''City'''
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}'''Public  universities'''
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.chalmers.se/en/Pages/default.aspx Chalmers  University of Technology]
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}Gothenburg
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.kau.se/en Karlstad  University]
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}Karlstad
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}[https://ki.se/en Karolinska  Institute]
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}Solna
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.kth.se/en KTH  Royal Institute of Technology]
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}Stockholm
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}[https://liu.se/en Linköping  University]
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}Linköping
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}[https://lnu.se/en/ Linnaeus  University]
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}Växjö, Kalmar
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.ltu.se/?l=en Luleå University of Technology]
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}Luleå
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/ Lund University]
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}Lund
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}[https://mau.se/en/ Malmö  University]
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}Malmö
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.miun.se/en/ Mid  Sweden University]
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}Östersund,  Sundsvall
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.hhs.se/ Stockholm  School of Economics]
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}Stockholm
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.su.se/cmlink/stockholm-university Stockholm  University]
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}Stockholm
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.slu.se/en/ Swedish  University of Agricultural Sciences]
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}Uppsala
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.umu.se/en/ Umeå  University]
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}Umeå
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.gu.se/en University  of Gothenburg]
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}Gothenburg
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.uu.se/en Uppsala  University]
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}Uppsala
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="283" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.oru.se/english/ Örebro University]
{{!}} width="473" valign="top"{{!}}Örebro
{{!}}}
|Research Funding=In Sweden, intramural R&D expenditure amounted to SEK 171.1 billion in 2019 €16.8 billion, which comprises 3.41 % of the country’s GDP (1). The business enterprise sector is the largest sector for R&D and accounts for almost 72 percent of all expenditure, while the government sector and the higher education sector account for 4.5 percent and 23.7 percent respectively. The private non-profit sector only accounts for 0.12 percent of the expenditure (1). 

Sweden had 3.325 signed grants receiving €2.25 billion and 289 ERC grants receiving €457.6 million (3).
|Research Strategy=This national strategy aims to strengthen the long-term competitiveness of Sweden as a life sciences nation. It aims to create a functional ecosystem and the best conditions for life sciences. The strategy will provide the conditions for improved health by increasing innovation and advancing health and social care, making Swedish strengths visible globally. This roadmap will serve as a basis for discussion and support in this goal. It highlights three priorities of Sweden’s life sciences sector and high-quality, equitable, gender-equal and efficient health care (4).
|Research Governance=In recent years Sweden’s institutional structure regarding research ethics and research integrity has been centralized. The National Board for Assessment of Research Misconduct is a new Swedish governmental agency formed January 1 2020. The Board took over the responsibilities of dealing with the cases of research misconduct from the Swedish HEI. Decisions by the Board are published regularly on their website in Swedish and can be appealed to the Administrative Court in Uppsala (5). The responsibility of dealing with deviations from good research practice still lies with the HEI, but [https://suhf.se/in-english/ The Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions (SUHF)] has published recommendation on how to deal with allegations of deviations from good research practice (6).

The Swedish Ethical Review Authority, previously known as the Ethics Review Board, is a public agency under the Ministry of Education. It has replaced the regional ethical review committees in their responsibilities of providing ethics review and advice regarding research with humans (7). In case when the Swedish Ethical Review Authority evaluates unfavourably applications for ethics review of research on humans, biological material and sensitive personal data, research principals can appeal that decision at the Swedish Ethics Review Appeals Board (ÖNEP) (8), an independent statutory body under the Department of Education (9). The ÖNEP is also responsible for the supervision of the observance of the Ethical Review Act and regulations supported by the law. Apart from that, it issues ethical guidelines and laws that regulate and place ethical demands on research (8). 

The Swedish Research Council, Sweden’s largest governmental research funding body, publish “good research practice” that gives an overview of research ethics and includes recommendation on good research practice. Researcher applying for funding are asked to include a discussion of the ethical aspects of their proposed research project in their application (9). 

Sweden does not have a national code for research integrity, which has resulted in different terminologies on research misconduct as well as different procedures for handling research misconduct cases within local research institutions in the past. The Swedish Research Council has its own ethical guidelines and internal Expert Group on Ethics (9) which has published the book [https://www.vr.se/download/18.5639980c162791bbfe697882/1555334908942/Good-Research-Practice_VR_2017.pdf Good Research Practice] intended primarily for researchers (10). Research integrity is a mandatory part of the curriculum for PhD students (11). 

Clinical trials involving medicines and medical devices must be approved by the Medical products Agency (12). The Agency's task is to ensure that both the individual patient and healthcare professionals have access to safe and effective medicinal products and that these are used in a rational and cost-effective manner (13). 
{{{!}} class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left"
{{!}} width="224" valign="top"{{!}}'''Bodies  for RE+RI'''
{{!}} width="527" valign="top"{{!}}'''Scope'''
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="224" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.oredlighetsprovning.se/in-english The National Board for Assessment of  Research Misconduct]
{{!}} width="527" valign="top"{{!}}Investigates research misconduct, cases  that previously were handled by the Swedish universities.
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="224" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.registerforskning.se/en/the-ethics-review-boards-become-the-swedish-ethical-review-authority/ The Swedish Ethical Review  Authority]
{{!}} width="527" valign="top"{{!}}Examines applications for ethics review of  research involving humans and human biological material.
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="224" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.onep.se/en/start/the-ethics-review-appeals-board/ Ethical Review Appeals  Board]
<br />
{{!}} width="527" valign="top"{{!}}Responsible for those applications evaluated as unfavourable  by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority. It also has some responsibilities  for the supervision of the observance of the Ethical Review Act and  regulations supported by the law. Apart from that, it issues ethical  guidelines and laws that regulate and place ethical demands on research.
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="224" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.vr.se/english.html Swedish Research Council]
{{!}} width="527" valign="top"{{!}}Publish “good research practice” that gives an  overview of research ethics and includes recommendation on good research  practice. Researcher applying for funding are asked to include a discussion  of the ethical aspects of their proposed research project.
{{!}}}
|Law And Regulation=A number of laws regarding RE and RI are officially instated in Sweden.
{{{!}} class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
{{!}} width="200" valign="top"{{!}}'''Law'''
{{!}} width="551" valign="top"{{!}}'''Scope'''
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="200" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/lag-2003460-om-etikprovning-av-forskning-som_sfs-2003-460 Ordinance  No. 615 Concerning the Ethical Vetting of Research Involving Humans (2003)]
{{!}} width="551" valign="top"{{!}}Protects the human dignity in  research. The law provides for the ethical review of research  involving human beings and biological  material from humans.
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="200" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.global-regulation.com/translation/sweden/2988473/regulation-%25282007%253a1069%2529-with-instruction-for-the-regional-ethical-review-board.html Regulation (2007:1069) With Instruction For  Regional Ethical Review Boards]
{{!}} width="551" valign="top"{{!}}Established regional ethics review  boards with the purpose of examining applications for ethical review under  the Act (SFS 2003:460)

if the ethical review of research  involving humans.
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="200" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/se/se097en.pdf The Personal Data Act]
{{!}} width="551" valign="top"{{!}}Protects people against the  violation of their personal integrity by

processing of personal data.
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="200" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.government.se/information-material/2009/09/public-access-to-information-and-secrecy-act/ The Public Access to  Information and Secrecy Act]
{{!}} width="551" valign="top"{{!}}Contains  provisions that supplement the provisions contained in the Freedom of the Press  Act on the right to obtain official documents, for example provisions on the  obligation of public authorities to register official documents, appeals  against decisions of authorities, etc.
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="200" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.global-regulation.com/translation/sweden/2988365/patient-data-law-%25282008%253a355%2529.html The Patient Data Act]
{{!}} width="551" valign="top"{{!}}Contains  rules on the handling of personal data in the health and social care system.
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="200" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.uhr.se/en/start/laws-and-regulations/Laws-and-regulations/The-Higher-Education-Ordinance/#chapter1 The Higher Education  ordinance]
{{!}} width="551" valign="top"{{!}}Contains  regulations concerning higher education institutions for which the Government  is the accountable authority.
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="200" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.uhr.se/en/start/laws-and-regulations/Laws-and-regulations/act-on-responsibility-for-good-research-practice/ Act on responsibility for  good research practice and the examination of research misconduct (2019:504)]
{{!}} width="551" valign="top"{{!}}Contains  provisions on the responsibility of conducting research in accordance with  good research practice as well as provisions on the procedure for examining  issues related to research misconduct.
{{!}}}
|Measure=<u>RI training </u>

Some universities have special bodies that are responsible for the training and education in the field of ethics (e.g. at the University of Stockholm this is done by Ethics Council) (14). Also, the Swedish National Data Service organises seminars, workshops, conferences, discussion forums and training events on data management, open access and laws and regulations, while the National Quality Registers at the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, Regional Register Centres and related stakeholders organise courses and conferences on Swedish national quality registers from a healthcare and research perspective (15). 

The main resources for RE+RI training are:

-       [https://codex.uu.se/ CODEX – Rules and Guidelines for Research]

-       [https://www.vr.se/english/analysis/reports/our-reports/2017-08-31-good-research-practice.html Good Research Practice] by the Swedish Research Council 

-       [https://www.vr.se/download/18.ad27632166e0b1efab37a3/1547123720849/h2020-ethics_code-of-conduct_en.pdf The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity] 

<u>RI dialogue and communication</u>

The HEI in Sweden are all tasked to share and communicate their science and knowledge to the community. Many HEI organises different festivals, conferences and/or activities as part of this task. This also provide transparency and openness. Two examples of such arrangements are:

The International Science Festival in Gothenburg is one of the most popular science festivals in Europe and the only one of its kind in Sweden. The aim of the Science Festival is to communicate science to schools and the general public and provide a meeting place for the research community. The goal is to provide more knowledge and positive attitude to science and research, as well as to encourage people to engage in higher education studies (16).

SciFest at the University of Uppsala organised for teachers, students, researchers and representatives from companies. The festival is composed as a three-day educational experience with interactive demonstrations, various activities, and shows. It aims to bring closer science and the general public (17). Research integrity is occasionally discussed in the lay press. It is mostly related to cases of research misconduct (18,19).

<u>RI incentives</u>

Sweden offers awards and prizes to researchers.
{{{!}} class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
{{!}} width="531" valign="top"{{!}}'''Initiatives'''
{{!}} width="220" valign="top"{{!}}'''Scope'''
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="531" valign="top"{{!}}[https://snd.gu.se/en/manage-data/training-resources Swedish  National Data Service (BAS online training)]
{{!}} width="220" valign="top"{{!}}Training
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="531" valign="top"{{!}}[https://snd.gu.se/en/manage-data/training-resources Swedish  National Data Service and the Swedish School of Library and Information  Science/University of Borås (Research Data: Access, Management, and  Collaboration course)]
{{!}} width="220" valign="top"{{!}}Training
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="531" valign="top"{{!}}[https://english.uka.se/ Swedish Higher Education Authority]
{{!}} width="220" valign="top"{{!}}Accreditation
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="531" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.nobelprize.org/ The Nobel Prize]
{{!}} width="220" valign="top"{{!}}Support
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="531" valign="top"{{!}}[https://ki.se/en/about/the-lennart-nilsson-award The Lennart Nilsson Award] 
{{!}} width="220" valign="top"{{!}}Support
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="531" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.sverigesungaakademi.se/en/733.html The  L’Oréal-Unesco For Women in Science Sweden Prize]
{{!}} width="220" valign="top"{{!}}Support
{{!}}-
{{!}} width="531" valign="top"{{!}}[https://www.sverigesungaakademi.se/en/758.html The  Torsten Wiesel Midnight Sun Award]
{{!}} width="220" valign="top"{{!}}Support
{{!}}}
}}