“In order to cope with military growth, Sweden needs to continue to be a leader in technology development, research and innovation,” says Defense Minister Pål Jonson (M) in a press release.
The proposal involves SEK 88 million in 2024 for a military innovation program and research under the auspices of the Armed Forces, as well as SEK 100 million extra for the Total Defense Research Institute (FOI). The increased funding for FOI means an increase of over 35 percent compared to this year, according to Jonson.
“The rapid technological development is not least driven by research and companies outside the defense sector. Now we are adding resources that create the opportunity to capture and benefit from emerging technologies for military use,” he says.
The government’s proposal, which is based on an agreement with the Sweden Democrats, further means that the Armed Forces will receive 90 million in 2025 and 247 million in 2026 in support for research and innovation. FOI is strengthened by 143 million in 2025 and 189 million in 2026.
Also invests in engineering education
The government is also investing SEK 100 million next year in engineering education, reports Sveriges Radio. The compensation is increased for universities for students in natural sciences and technology. Next year, the compensation will increase by 1.6 percent per full-year student.
– Society is crying out for engineers and today there are too many who drop out, and therefore the government is now making a targeted effort to improve the quality of engineering education, says Minister of Education Mats Persson (L) to the radio.
Funding for technical education has decreased over the past 30 years and today the level is around 60 percent of what it was in the mid-1990s.