Sweden is entering a period of historic transformation. The new policy document Principles for Total Defense 2025–2030 marks a significant shift in how the country prepares for crisis and war. Total defense is no longer the responsibility of the Armed Forces and a small group of central agencies. It now requires long term mobilization across the entire public sector. Municipalities, regions and state agencies must be able to act quickly, maintain essential services, and manage growing uncertainty. This shift introduces an entirely new set of demands for leadership, organization and the ability to turn knowledge into practical capability.
FORUM Total Defense is designed as a national response to these demands. It combines a research school and a development program to strengthen Sweden’s capacity to lead in times of transformation. The initiative builds on successful formats at SCDI and RISE and addresses the needs of municipalities, regions and state agencies.
The new policy document signals that Sweden must prepare for more complex crises with a much broader mobilization of society. It is no longer sufficient for the Armed Forces and central authorities to carry the responsibility alone.
- State agencies need stronger coordination capabilities and must ensure performance in their core tasks while being able to provide civil support to military operations and international partners.
- Municipalities must safeguard the continuity of schools, health care, social services and public safety even during crisis and war.
- Regions hold the responsibility for health care delivery, including the ability to manage significant population movements and long lasting disruptions to supply chains.
The policy requires all of these actors to be able to:
- shift from peacetime organization to wartime organization
- plan for three months of operational endurance
- maintain two weeks of autonomy with internal resources
- protect the civilian population and uphold critical societal functions
- cooperate effectively with NATO and other international partners
These are not only technical requirements. They represent a profound organizational and leadership challenge.
FORUM Total Defense is grounded in the recognition that leadership in transformation requires more than tools and procedures. It depends on system level understanding, an ability to act under uncertainty, sound risk management and the capability to apply research based insights directly in organizational development.
The initiative brings together two complementary components that create a powerful national knowledge infrastructure.
1. The Research School: Long Term Capability Building
Since 2022 SCDI has operated a research school for industrial doctoral students linked to digital government and public sector digital transformation. FORUM Total Defense expands this model to meet the country’s new strategic needs.
The research school will admit up to 15 industrial doctoral students in areas such as transformation, crisis preparedness, leadership, resilience, digitalization and supply chain security. Doctoral students spend at least fifty percent of their time on research carried out in close collaboration with their home organizations. This creates both scientific contributions and direct benefits for practice.
Supervision is provided by teams from SCDI together with internationally recognized experts. Each doctoral student is expected to complete the program within three to four years, supported by both academic and organizational structures.
2. The Development Program: Strengthening the Ability to Lead and Organize Transformation
The development program targets public sector organizations that need to strengthen their strategic capacity to act in a rapidly changing environment. It begins with a needs assessment and an analysis of the organization’s transformation capabilities. The work is carried out together with key stakeholders and in collaboration with CSDI at RISE, a national center for research and innovation in digital security, resilience and transformation.
The program aims to support organizations that want to:
- lead and organize for renewal and transformation in complex systems
- build resilience and preparedness through research based practices
- act strategically in the intersection of technology, policy, organization and frontline practice
- turn research and innovation into concrete operational development
Throughout the program, participants engage in knowledge building activities together with researchers and doctoral students. This includes continuous learning, reflection and organizational dialogue. Once every year all partners come together for a large conference with thematic lectures, workshops and peer exchange.
For additional information, please reach out to Professor Johan Magnusson.