Generation Z gears up for Kunskap För Livet 2026

Growing up in our time is no easy feat. Repeated studies show how Generation Z struggles with, among other things, stress, a sedentary lifestyle and sleep deprivation. At the same time, Bris notes that Swedish teenagers' faith in the future is being replaced by worry and hopelessness. Might as well just throw in the towel? Absolutely not. But big challenges require smart solutions.

“Instead of waiting for the next alarm report, we started sketching out how our Faculty of Pharmacy can help provide young people with concrete tools to choose a sustainable lifestyle. We know that teenagers listen to science and expertise. So using our credibility and our networks, we created the Kunskap För Livet platform, without foreseeing the impact it would have,” says Dean Mathias Hallberg.

Focusing on issues that matter to young people, the faculty engaged a selection of Sweden's leading experts for the 2024 premiere in the Uppsala University Grand Auditorium. When invitations reached the region's high schools, it was clear how eagerly awaited the initiative was. Within hours, all seats were booked. Once there, Lotta Borg Skoglund, a doctor at SMART Psychiatry, described the day as an "amazing experience filled with hope and belief in the future."

“As a teacher, this is invaluable. It means so much that our classes get to meet interesting experts and, through interactive elements, feel involved in the research. The entire way home, the students talked about the insights they had gained, how impressed they were by the Grand Auditorium and how much they were looking forward to the next Kunskap För Livet,” says Anna Björkman at Kungsängsgymnasiet in Sala.

In November 2025 it was time for Kunskap För Livet 2.0. With guests such as Magdalena Andersson, Sweden's first woman prime minister, and Ola Rosling, founder of Gapminder, the interest from the schools was huge. In a single day, nearly two thousand students and teachers registered, setting a new audience record in the Uppsala University Grand Auditorium.

“We are currently preparing our third edition and the auditorium is already almost fully booked. The response is both inspiring and a distinct sign of how important these issues are. We already have the green light from several very prominent experts and will soon be presenting additional speakers. Our goal is clear: Kunskap För Livet 3.0 will be our best edition to date,” says Deputy Dean Anja Sandström.

Watch the video from Kunskap För Livet 2025

Text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Mikael Wallerstedt a o