Future in focus as Generation Z fills the University Grand Auditorium

Monday 24 November, the Faculty of Pharmacy opens the doors to Kunskap För Livet – the meeting place where Uppsala's high school students together with their teachers and a selection of Sweden's leading experts pinpoint the path to a sustainable lifestyle. After last year's successful premiere, the response from the schools has grown even further, and with all 1,900 seats booked, a new attendance record is expected in the University Grand Auditorium.

“Kunskap För Livet is our response to all alarm reports about young people's habits and health. We want to give every student the tools to make smart choices in life, and after our first meeting with all inspiring teens, dedicated teachers and amazing experts, we know that it is quite possible to make a positive difference. Now we are all set with a new program and can't wait to meet Uppsala's young people again,” says Deputy Dean Anja Sandström.

Growing up today is no easy feat. Studies show that many teenagers struggle with performance anxiety and screen time, but also that they wish for support to cope with everyday challenges. Eva Funck, new honorary doctor at Uppsala University, will therefore join Kunskap För Livet to teach the teens to become friends with their emotions. In the Auditorium, the students will also meet researcher and author Sissela Nutley, who will provide insights into the brain's plasticity and relationship to social media.

“Generation Z is the first to grow up with so many digital elements. Until now, they have had to navigate pretty much on their own as we adults lack a manual, but now we are ready to move from problem to solution. At Kunskap För Livet I will talk about why it is so hard to stop scrolling, but above all, I will give research-based tips on how to take control of our screen time and increase our chances of having the life we ​​want,” says Sissela Nutley.

The focus of Kunskap För Livet is to provide young people tools that they can use immediately, and in the Auditorium, students answer questions about their habits via an interactive app, giving the experts on stage the opportunity to adapt their advice in real time. To the final question of the premiere, 8 out of 10 teens answered that they would definitely have practical use of everything they learned. Now the Faculty is raising the bar even higher: at Kunskap För Livet 2.0 the goal is 100 percent.

“Of course I’m aware that it’s not all that smart to binge TikTok in late evenings so I must stay up and study all night. Still I watch one more video, and then another after that. It doesn’t help that mom and dad nag, since they’re glued to their phones too. That’s why I hope to get answers and tips that I can use here and now,” says Emilia, one of the 1,900 students who have registered for Kunskap För Life.

The fact that the younger generation is daily exposed to thousands of online impressions comes with fantastic opportunities but also great risks. At Kunskap För Livet, Jale Poljarevius, Head of intelligence at Police Region Mitt, reports on how criminal gangs recruit new members via the popular platforms. Leading scientists are also present in the Auditorium to provide students tools to navigate the digital jungle of dubious claims.

“As a father of teens and a researcher with a focus on nutrition, I know how many biased and often incorrect assertions about nutrition that young people encounter on social media. Unfortunately, these increase the risk of eating disorders and extreme exercise philosophies, so at Kunskap För Livet I will debunk some of the worst myths, give tips on how to handle influencers talk about food and exercise, and not least try to contribute to a healthier view of eating enough,” says Ulf Risérus, Professor of Clinical nutrition and Metabolism.

The meeting between students and experts is a central part of the Faculty of Pharmacy's work to strengthen a new generation's interest in knowledge and education. The fact that all 1900 seats at Kunskap För Livet were booked within hours – with a demand enough to fill both two and three auditoriums – confirms the need for a shared arena to raise issues that concern young people and, not least, to do so from a knowledge-based perspective.

“That our students get to take part in research with a focus on their everyday lives and health is so valuable and shows them that they are indeed important. This year's program is both exciting and relevant, and I hope above all that it will give these teens a feeling that good things are happening and that there is a world of adults and research that really care for them,” says Lena Norberg, counsellor at Uppsala estetiska gymnasium.

A look at any news feed can undeniably make the world appear threatening. In the social media that Generation Z often choose as source of information, the pace is faster, and also the place where disinformation and propaganda spread both the fastest and furthest. Studies show that many teenagers experience the online material they encounter as overwhelming and discouraging. But is our future really that hopeless – or is it a matter of misunderstanding? As the Gapminder foundation tests the public knowledge of our time, the answers are generally reminiscent of a worldview based on Tintin in the Congo.

“Whether we ask business leaders, professors or high school students, the results are often worse than chance. This is due to the fact that changes are happening faster than we are able to update, but also our inherited instinct to pay attention to the bad over the good. When we instead turn to facts, we soon realize how much is actually improving, which, not least among teens, creates both the will and motivation to engage in continued improvement. Therefore, Kunskap För Livet is an important opportunity to contribute to their curiosity about the world they live in,” says Anna Rosling Rönnlund, Vice-President of Gapminder, who in November will make a much-anticipated stop in Uppsala.

At Kunskap För Livet, the students will also meet Mia Ramklint, Professor and Specialist in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Uppsala University Hospital, Mathias Hallberg, Professor of Molecular Addiction Research at Uppsala University, and Ola Rosling and Helena Nordenstedt at Gapminder. More experts will be presented shortly on the event website.

Text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Mikael Wallerstedt