News – SweDev

Beyond Crisis: Development Studies in Transition

In a new article from the Danish Development Research Network, Professor Fredrik Söderbaum – SweDev co-founder and longstanding steering committee member and based at the University of Gothenburg’s School of Global Studies – reflects on the evolving state of Development Studies, describing a field marked by fragmentation, institutional challenges, and ongoing debates on knowledge production.

Connecting research and policy: Insights from our webinar on Sida’s help desks

In our recent webinar, we explored the Swedish International Cooperation Agency’s (Sida) help desks and how our research network can help connect academic expertise with real-world decision-making. Sida’s help desks are a valuable tool for strengthening evidence-based decision-making, but their effectiveness depends on strong and accessible links to the research community. This is where SweDev comes in.

V-Dem Democracy Report 2026

Varieties of Democracy Institute (V-Dem) has published its yearly global report tracking democratic developments across countries. This year’s report–its 10th edition–paints a stark picture of the state of democracy worldwide. Global levels of democracy are identified as having fallen back to those last seen in the late 1970s, with nearly three-quarters of the world’s population living under autocratic rule at the end of 2025.

SweDev participated in a conference on evidence-based aid

On 19 February, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Expert Group for Aid Studies (EBA) arranged a one-day conference on the role of evidence in promoting effective development cooperation. Benjamin Dousa, Minister for Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, opened the conference, which was followed by featured presentations and panel discussions by international experts and scholars.

Travel Grant for Doctoral Students: 17th Pan African Archaeological Congress

From 26 to 31 July 2026, the Paleontological Scientific Trust (PAST), in collaboration with the Pan African Archaeological Association (PAA), will host the 17th Pan African Archaeological Congress at the University of Eduardo Mondlane in Maputo, Mozambique. PAST and PAA are now seeking to support up to five doctoral students to attend the Congress. Deadline: 28 February 2026.

New OP-ED: “Made in Sweden” risks becoming an empty slogan without investment in global research

Anna Mia Ekström, Chair of SweDev, recently co-authored an op-ed in the Swedish newspaper Dagens Industri together with leading representatives from academia and the business sector. The authors warn that recent cuts to Sweden’s funding for global development research risk undermining the country’s long-standing leadership in innovation, global partnerships, and sustainable economic growth.

Join Our Network: A Step-By-Step Guide

New member, or time to update your profile? This step-by-step guide shows you how. Becoming a member is easy and a way to showcase your expertise to the wider development community. A membership in the SweDev network is free and open to PhD holders, PhD students, master’s students, and research associates working in development research who are affiliated with a Swedish research environment. Follow along!

Welcome LTU as our newest institutional support member!

We at SweDev are pleased to welcome the Division of Social Science at Luleå University of Technology as our new institutional support member. The Division offers a multidisciplinary academic environment, including four research and education subjects: Political Science, Law, Economics, and History. As our northernmost member, LTU further strengthens our national reach, spanning Swedish universities from south to north.

SLU Global in Lusaka: New collaboration between universities in Sweden and Zambia

In January, staff from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences visited the University of Zambia in Lusaka (UNZA) to work on a joint program proposal for a Sida-funded collaboration between Swedish universities and UNZA. Aimed at strengthening international partnership, the proposal consists of two subprogrammes: thematic research and research management and support