Swedish Defence University

Today's Swedish Defence University marks the latest development in a long line of military education tradition. The Higher Artillery College in Marieberg was established in Stockholm in the 19th century. The Swedish Defence University has existed in its present form since 1997. The University was established as a national university college on January 1, 2008, allowing it to issue academic degrees. Formerly known in English as the Swedish National Defence College, the University adopted its current name on 1 February 2015.^[1] In 2018 the Swedish Defence University received permission to grant two-year master's degrees.^[2]

The University trains and educates domestic and international military and civilian personnel. The University offers training for career and reserve officers of the Swedish Armed Forces. Graduates contribute, both nationally and internationally, to the management of crisis situations and security issues. Successful candidates are awarded a bachelor's degree in Military Science. The course is conducted over 6 semesters. On successful completion of all modules 180 credits are awarded.

The officers' programme is a three-year undergraduate degree course through which the officers gain proficiency as platoon-level leaders. Teachers and professors from the Swedish Defence University are often seen in the media as expert commentators on matters of public interest.

The University is a founding member of the International Society of Military Sciences (ISMS) and hosted the ISMS annual conference in 2010. The University contributes towards national and international security through research and development. Research is carried out Military Arts and Sciences and subsequently disseminated both nationally and internationally. The University is a member of the International Association for Military Pedagogy, whose members include military and civilian professionals from military institutions of advanced learning.

At the Swedish Defense College, basic research and applied research are conducted with relevance to the area of community protection and security. The research covers both military and civilian aspects of the area and ranges from security policy and civilian crisis management to war, defense and military operations. Much of the published material can be found in DiVA, the Digital Scientific Archive, which is a publication database for research publications and student papers.^[3]

The Militärhistorisk tidskrift is the only one of its kind in the Nordic countries and is published by the Military History Section at the Swedish Defense College. Together with its predecessor Aktuellt och historiskt, it has been published since 1953. The Militärhistorisk tidskrift is usually published in December every year.^[4]

Main building of the Swedish Defence University

From 1926, the Royal Swedish Army Staff College, the Royal Swedish Naval Staff College and the Artillery and Engineering College were located on Östermalmsgatan 87 in Stockholm in the so-called Grå huset ("Gray House"). In connection with the formation of the Swedish Armed Forces Staff College on 1 October 1961, the new school was moved to the barracks area on Valhallavägen 117, which had been built in 1877 for the Svea Artillery Regiment (A 1).^[5] With the addition of the Swedish Armed Forces Management College (Försvarets förvaltningshögskola, FörvHS) in 1994, two new places of education were also added, where the Swedish Armed Forces Management College had its education in Karlstad and Östersund.^[6] After the Swedish Armed Forces Staff College was disbanded on 31 December 1996, the premises on Valhallavägen 117 were taken over by the new Swedish National Defence College.

After initially remaining with most of the activities on the premises at Valhallavägen, it was decided in the early 2000s that the Swedish National Defense College would move to newly erected premises on Campus Valhallavägen at Drottning Kristinas väg, neighbor of the KTH Royal Institute of Technology. From 1 August 2005, the college operated on Drottning Kristinas väg 37.^[7] The new premises were inaugurated on 22 September 2005 by His Majesty the King Carl XVI Gustaf.^[8] In 2007, the Swedish National Defense College left Östersund and since 2007 it is located on Drottning Kristinas väg 37 in Stockholm, at Karlberg Palace, Byggnad Nydal in Solna and in Karolinen on Våxnäsgatan 10 in Karlstad.

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Royal Swedish Army Staff College

Royal Swedish Army Staff College

The Royal Swedish Army Staff College was a Swedish Army training establishment between 1866 and 1961, providing courses for army officers. It was the home of the Swedish Army's staff college, which provided advanced training for officers. It was located within the Stockholm Garrison in Stockholm, Sweden.

Royal Swedish Naval Staff College

Royal Swedish Naval Staff College

The Royal Swedish Naval Staff College was a Swedish Navy training establishment between 1898 and 1961, providing courses for naval officers. It was the home of the Swedish Navy's staff college, which provided advanced training for officers. It was located within the Stockholm garrison in Stockholm, Sweden.

Artillery and Engineering College

Artillery and Engineering College

Artillery and Engineering College was a Swedish Army training establishment active between 1878 and 1992, providing courses for artillery officers. It was located within the Stockholm Garrison in Stockholm, Sweden.

Swedish Armed Forces Staff College

Swedish Armed Forces Staff College

The [Royal] Swedish Armed Forces Staff College was from 1961 to 1996 the Swedish Armed Forces highest institution for officers training, for staff and senior executive education and was located in Stockholm. In 1997 it was merged with the Swedish National Defence College and formed the "new" Swedish National Defence College.

Svea Artillery Regiment

Svea Artillery Regiment

The Svea Artillery Regiment, designation A 1, was a Swedish Army artillery regiment that traced its origins back to the 17th century. It was disbanded in 1997. The regiment's soldiers were originally recruited from Svealand, and it was also garrisoned there.

Karlstad

Karlstad

Karlstad is the 20th-largest city in Sweden, the seat of Karlstad Municipality, the capital of Värmland County, and the largest city in the province Värmland in Sweden. The city proper had 65,856 inhabitants in 2020 with 95,167 inhabitants in the wider municipality in 2021, and is the 21st biggest municipality in Sweden. Karlstad has a university and a cathedral.

Östersund

Östersund

Östersund is an urban area (city) in Jämtland in the middle of Sweden. It is the seat of Östersund Municipality and the capital of Jämtland County. Östersund is located at the shores of Sweden's fifth-largest lake, Storsjön, opposite the island Frösön. It is the only city in Jämtland. The northern part of the urban area is located inside of the municipality of Krokom.

KTH Royal Institute of Technology

KTH Royal Institute of Technology

The KTH Royal Institute of Technology, abbreviated KTH, is a public research university in Stockholm, Sweden. KTH conducts research and education in engineering and technology and is Sweden's largest technical university. Currently, KTH consists of five schools with four campuses in and around Stockholm.

Karlberg Palace

Karlberg Palace

Karlberg Palace is a palace by the Karlberg Canal in Solna Municipality in Sweden, adjacent to Stockholm's Vasastaden district. The palace, built in 1630, today houses the Military Academy Karlberg.

Solna Municipality

Solna Municipality

Solna Municipality is a primary settlement and a municipality in Stockholm, Sweden, located just north of Stockholm City Centre. Its seat is located in the town of Solna, which is a part of the Stockholm urban area. Solna is one of the richest municipalities in Sweden.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of the Swedish National Defence College from 1956 to 1985, and from 1994. Blazon: "Azure an erect sword surmounting an open chaplet of oak, or."^[9]

Traditions

The Swedish Defense College trace its lineage back to 1818 when the Higher Artillery School (Högre artilleriläroverket) in Marieberg was formed. Because the former Swedish Armed Forces Staff College was formed in 1961 by the service staff colleges, the Swedish Defense College thus has an unbroken lineage from the Higher Artillery School, the Royal Swedish Army Staff College, the Royal Swedish Naval Staff College, the Royal Swedish Air Force Staff College, the Swedish National Defence College, the Swedish Armed Forces Management College (Försvarets förvaltningshögskola, FörvHS), and the Swedish Armed Forces Staff College, and considers it their mission to look after this heritage. The original Marieberg clock, which stood in the yard at the Higher Artillery School in Marieberg in the 19th century, can today be found on the premises of the Swedish National Defense College on Drottning Kristinas väg.^[10]

Vice-Chancellors

Deputy Vice-Chancellors

• 2005–2006: Brigadier General Tomas Fjellner
• 2006–2008: Colonel Lars Bergström
• 2009–2016: Brigadier General Bengt Axelsson
• 2017–2020: Rear admiral (lower half) Ewa Skoog Haslum
• 2020–2022: Brigadier General Fredrik Ståhlberg
• 2022–present: Brigadier General Anders Persson

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Ivar Backlund

Ivar Backlund

Lieutenant General Gustav Ivar Backlund was a Swedish Army officer. His senior commands include Commandant in Boden Fortress, Chief of the Army Staff and the General Staff Corps. Backlund was also military commander of the VII Military District and head of the Swedish National Defence College.

Gustaf Adolf Westring

Gustaf Adolf Westring

Lieutenant General Gustaf Adolf Westring was a Swedish Air Force officer. Westring served as commanding officer of Västmanland Wing, as head of the Royal Swedish Air Force Staff College, as Chief of the Air Staff and as head of the Swedish National Defence College. He was also head of the Swedish contingent to the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC).

Malcolm Murray (Swedish Army officer)

Malcolm Murray (Swedish Army officer)

Lieutenant General Charles Gustaf Uno Malcolm Murray was a Swedish Army officer. Commissioned as an officer in 1925, Murray served in Finnish Army as part of the Swedish Volunteer Corps during the Winter War and as company commander in the Swedish Volunteer Battalion during the Continuation War. Back in Sweden, Murray served as regimental commander of Svea Life Guards, as Inspector of the Swedish Armoured Troops and as military commander of the II Military District. After retiring from the military, Murray served as head of the Crown Prince's Royal Household and as Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff

Bo Westin

Bo Westin

Lieutenant General Bo Lars Axel Westin was a Swedish Coastal Artillery officer. Westin was Chief of the Naval Staff from 1968 to 1970 and Chief of the Defence Staff from 1970 to 1972.

Bengt Liljestrand

Bengt Liljestrand

Major General Bengt (T:son) Trygvesson Liljestrand was a Swedish Army officer. He served as Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) from 1974 to 1975 and Force Commander of the Second United Nations Emergency Force from 1975 to 1976.

Gustaf Welin

Gustaf Welin

Lieutenant General Nils Gustaf Axel Welin was a senior Swedish Army officer. Welin served as head of the Swedish National Defence College (1984–1987), as Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) (1986–1988) and as Commanding General of the Southern Military District (1988–1992).

Bror Stefenson

Bror Stefenson

Admiral Bror Per Harald Stefenson was a Swedish Navy officer. Stefenson's senior commands include Chief of the Defence Staff and military commander of the Eastern Military District as well as Commandant General in Stockholm. He also served as Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff. As of 2020, Stefenson remains the last appointed Swedish admiral.

Krister Larsson Lagersvärd

Krister Larsson Lagersvärd

Major General Jan Krister Lennart Larsson Lagersvärd, né Larsson was a senior Swedish Army officer. His senior commands include postings as Chief of the Army Staff and of the General Staff Corps (1983–1988) and head of the Swedish National Defence College from 1988 to 1994.

Claes Tornberg

Claes Tornberg

Rear Admiral Claes Egmont Tornberg is a retired Swedish Navy officer. He served as chief of the Coastal Fleet from 1985 and 1990 and as head of the Swedish Armed Forces Staff College from 1990 to 1996 and the newly created Swedish National Defence College from 1997 to 1998.

Ewa Skoog Haslum

Ewa Skoog Haslum

Rear Admiral Ewa Ann-Sofi Skoog Haslum née Skoog is a Swedish Navy officer. She currently serves as Chief of Navy.

Fredrik Ståhlberg

Fredrik Ståhlberg

Major General Nils Fredrik Adam Ståhlberg is a Swedish Army officer. He currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Joint Operations from 1 January 2023. Prior to that, Ståhlberg served as commanding officer of the Western Military Region (2013–2017), as Chief of the Land Component Command (2017–2018), as Deputy Chief of Army (2017–2020), as Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Swedish Defence University from 2020 to 2022 and as Deputy Director of Human Resources in 2021.

Anders Persson (Swedish Air Force officer)

Anders Persson (Swedish Air Force officer)

Brigadier General Per Anders Rolfson Persson is a Swedish Air Force officer. Since August 2022, Persson served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Swedish Defence University.