About the research programme

Democracy and Higher Education is a multidisciplinary research programme that started its activities in 2022. The programme is a 10-year project initiated and financed by the Disciplinary Domain of Humanities and Social Sciences at Uppsala University.

The research program aims, through its innovative research, to contribute in-depth knowledge to the question of the relationship between democracy and higher education, and to help establish a new field of research. The program is thus tasked with creating the best possible conditions for the production of cutting-edge knowledge that advances the national and international research front. Democracy and Higher Education also aims to develop a strong and long-term sustainable multidisciplinary research environment at Uppsala University, which continuously secures external funding for research projects and programs from both national and international research funders.

The goals of the initiative are:

• to enhance cutting-edge knowledge about the relationship between democracy and higher education.
• to create synergies among researchers within Uppsala University through the program format.
• to establish the program as a leading knowledge hub for research on the relationship between democracy and higher education.
• to foster effective dialogue between research and the surrounding society.

The programme has two main thematic directions:

1. Higher Education´s contributions to Democracy.
2. University freedom, role and position in society.