The Hugo Raab Award

The Hugo Raab Award is presented annually to promote scientific quality at the Swedish Defence University and is awarded to researchers, teachers or students at the Swedish Defence University who have produced one or more scientific works of exceptional quality in the last three years.

Hugo Raab is considered to have laid the foundations for academic military education. He was a Swedish baron and senior officer who lived between 1831 and 1881. During his military career, Raab contributed greatly to the modernization of the army's organization and officer training. In November 1876, he submitted his "Submissive proposal for the establishment of a War College in Stockholm" in which he argued for an academic foundation of the officer education.

External evaluators

The Hugo Raab Award was established to promote scientific excellence at the Swedish Defence University. The recipient of the award must be a researcher, teacher or student at the Swedish Defence University who has produced one or more scientific works of outstanding quality in the last three years. The award is 25 000 SEK. The recipient is selected by external evaluators.

The 2023 recipient of the Hugo Raab Award: Maria Gussarsson

Maria Gussarsson receives the award for her book Kartans makt i krig och fred. Fältmätarna, det nya kriget och samhällelig utveckling 1805–1831. The book describes how the need for maps led to the establishment of a topographical corps - the Field Survey Corps - in 1805 and is based on her research.

Read more about Maria Gussarsson and her research.