Leadership and coordination for civil defence

The research environment Leadership and coordination for civil defence aims to build and develop knowledge of how leadership, coordination and governance within civil defence can work in practice, from everyday crisis preparedness to the demands of war.

The research focuses on a civil defence system involving numerous actors, different responsibilities and distinct regulatory frameworks. It aims to provide scientifically grounded knowledge that can be directly applied by those responsible for leading and coordinating society's preparedness efforts.

Three key research themes

The research environment brings together researchers from several disciplines and is organised around three integrated themes:

• Design of command and coordination systems
• Legal and administrative structures
• Organisational and social processes within civil defence

Together, these perspectives aim to strengthen the capacity to manage simultaneous crises, grey-zone challenges and threats of war in a manner that upholds the rule of law, ensures effectiveness and promotes social sustainability.

Close links with practice

The research environment will work in close dialogue with civil preparedness authorities, municipalities, regions, the private sector and civil society. The findings will be disseminated through scientific publications, policy recommendations, education and training, and exercises.

Work to establish the research environment at the Swedish Defence University began in February 2026 and will be carried out in three stages. During the first year, the researchers will establish the research environment and develop research methods. In years two to four, they will collect data and develop various solutions, before consolidating the findings in the fifth year.

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SEK 25 million for research on leadership and cooperation in civil defence