Sweden sets up national support system to assess risks in international research partnerships

Sweden is establishing a national support function to help universities and research organisations assess the risks of international partnerships, as geopolitical tensions increase scrutiny of cross-border scientific cooperation.

The Swedish government assigned the Swedish Research Council to coordinate the new function on May 25, 2026. Lund University, the Swedish Council for Higher Education and the innovation agency Vinnova will contribute expertise to the initiative.

The initiative aims to help institutions make informed decisions about international education, research and innovation partnerships without treating collaboration itself as a security risk.

Research security and international collaboration

Swedish universities are expected to assess potential risks involving sensitive research, data security, intellectual property, foreign influence and academic freedom when considering international partnerships.

National guidelines developed by the Swedish Research Council and Vinnova, with input from universities and relevant authorities, are intended to help institutions manage these risks while continuing international cooperation. The guidance is designed to support decisions based on the nature of each partnership and the research involved.

Lund University has also developed its own framework for responsible international engagement. It encourages global collaboration while asking researchers to consider ethical concerns, human rights, political interference and the potential misuse of research findings.

Universities retain responsibility for decisions

The government has said the new support function will gather expertise and help universities navigate difficult cases, rather than make individual partnership decisions on their behalf.

Higher Education and Research Minister Lotta Edholm told Universitetsläraren in May that the Swedish Research Council could use up to SEK 7 million for the work. The government had not planned additional funding for universities to carry out their own assessments at that stage.

Lund University vice-chancellor Erik Renström said in the same report that universities needed to weigh the benefits of international cooperation against possible risks. He cautioned that excessive risk aversion could discourage valuable research partnerships.

Renström’s position reflects a wider challenge for universities: protecting sensitive research and researchers without unnecessarily restricting scientific exchange.

Implementation remains under development

The Swedish Research Council is responsible for coordinating the support function, while participating organisations will contribute their expertise. The government has asked the council to report on the work and its results in its annual reports for 2027 and 2028.

The initiative is intended to give university leaders and staff working on internationalisation access to guidance and expertise when assessing complex partnerships.

Its effectiveness will depend on how the support function develops and how institutions incorporate the guidance into their own procedures.