Global Foresight in a Shifting Geopolitical Landscape

For more than a century, the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) has been guided by a pioneering spirit: the belief that Sweden’s success depends on staying connected to global knowledge and innovation.

Event information

Date
Time
Location

IVA Konferenscenter Grev Turegatan 16, Stockholm

In 1945, IVA became the first organisation to send technical attachés to key capitals around the world. Their mission was to monitor technological developments, build international bridges, and bring valuable insights back home.

80 years later, this work continues through Sweden’s Offices of Science and Innovation (OSI) abroad, as a modern continuation of the original attaché mission. In parallel, a wider and more decentralised ecosystem for global insight and collaboration has developed, involving numerous Swedish actors with a shared focus on foresight and innovation.

To mark this milestone, IVA organises a seminar on 17 December. The event will reflect on the legacy of Sweden’s first technical attaché and explore how global awareness, strategic foresight, and sustainable international partnerships support Sweden’s long-term competitiveness and resilience in a rapidly changing world.

The seminar brings together perspectives from Sweden’s global network of science, innovation, and policy actors. It offers a unique opportunity to gather the country’s internationally stationed resources for horizon scanning and foresight.

A particular focus will be on Africa’s growing role in global research and innovation; a perspective of increasing importance as the continent’s influence expands both geopolitically and scientifically.

The seminar will be held in English.

Welcome to register for the seminar and subsequent mingle!

Participants

Sylvia Schwaag Serger

Professor, President IVA

Sara Modig

State Secretary, Ministry of Climate and Enterprise

Andreas Göthenberg

Executive Director, STINT (The Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education)

Nelson Torto

STINT Senior Science Fellow in Africa, IVA Fellow

Jaani Heinonen

Head of Investment Promotion, Business Sweden

Laura Barbieri

STINT Science Fellow in Japan and South Korea

Niklas Kviselius

STINT Representative in North America

Erik Forsberg

STINT Representative in China and ASEAN

Maria Brogren

Science and Innovation Counsellor, OSI Washington

Marika Amartey

Science and Innovation Counsellor, OSI London

Cecilia Tall

Science and Innovation Counsellor, OSI New Delhi

Frida Rybo

Head of Vinnova Tel Aviv

Lars Hammarström

Science and Innovation Counsellor, OSI Tokyo – OSI Seoul

Daniel Ekström

Science and Innovation Counsellor, OSI Beijing

Hyejin Kim

Researcher, Lund University School of Economics and Management, Author, IVA Global outlook: Asia

Erik Mobrand

Professor, Graduate School of International Studies, Seoul National University (SNU), Author, IVA Global outlook: Asia

Contact

Maria Rindeskär

Project Manager

External Relations

Telefon: +46 707-919 379