Sweden's security policy situation is changing rapidly. As the defence sector grows and demands for readiness increase, access to the right expertise becomes crucial. Harnessing individuals with military experience and a deep understanding of total defence is critical – both for defence companies and for society's crisis preparedness.
In this context, part-time serving personnel are particularly relevant. They combine academic education with operational experiences and can thus contribute to both military and civilian functions in total defence. The academic officers' societies play a central role in connecting these individuals and making the competence of part-time personnel available to authorities and defence companies.
Lund's Academic Officers' Society (LAOS)
LAOS has been part of Lund's student life since 1960. The association was founded by reserve officers at Lund University to unite academic studies with military experiences. From the start, the purpose was clear: to promote defence information, defence policy debate, and military networks – an ambition that is at least as relevant today.
As Sweden re-arms and joins NATO, LAOS takes an increasingly active role in the defence dialogue. In recent years, the association has organised events with leading experts from authorities and research institutes. For example, "Sweden as an Ally" was organised in autumn 2024 in collaboration with SVEROF and Bertin Exensor. This symposium highlighted various perspectives on Sweden's NATO membership and allowed students to ask questions to the speakers. The speaker list included journalist Mikael Holmberg, university lecturer Magnus Christiansson (FHS), Rear Admiral Jens Nykvist, Colonel Lennart Widerström, County Governor and Head of the Southern Civil Area Anneli Hulthén, Norway's Ambassador Aud Kolberg, Pontus Agerteg from SOFF, and Russia expert Carolina Vendil Pallin (Swedish Defence Research Agency, FOI). Later in the day, a panel discussion was moderated by Christiansson with participants including Peter Hultqvist (S), Gustaf Göthberg (M), and Hanna Gunnarsson (V).
Next autumn, LAOS plans to conduct a similar project, this time with the theme of hybrid warfare and its impact on security, society, and defence.
LAOS – A bridge between academia and defence
In addition to utilising the competence of reserve personnel, the transfer of information from parts of the defence sector to students without previous experience in it needs to be improved. We currently perceive a general lack of insight into the defence sector, where it is mostly associated with the defence industrial sector and particularly with its innovative parts.
This may be a symptom of insufficient communication channels, where the insight into the sector is so limited that it is not perceived as a relevant career path for students with an educational background outside the technical field. Actors and organisations that do not fall into the category of handling defence industrial hardware, such as authorities under the Ministry of Defence or cybersecurity companies, can benefit from establishing a greater presence in the student sphere.
The growth of Sweden's reserve units is crucial to meet NATO's requirements and strengthen total defence. LAOS currently has 70 active members, a number expected to grow as the reserve expands. In addition to individuals who already have insight into the defence sector, there are also students without previous experience who risk not perceiving the sector as a relevant career choice. Through improved communication, the value proposition to students becomes clearer, while the sector is more effectively supplied with the desired competence.
In this, the association is unique in its role as a bridge between academic environments and the defence sector. The defence sector and LAOS share a common interest: to prepare Sweden for future challenges with the right people in the right places.
Daniel Olsson, Bachelor's Programme in Systems Science, Reserve Officer at P7 and Treasurer at Lund's Academic Officers' Society Fabian Duke, Technical Foundation Year, Reserve Officer at the Life Guards and Member of Lund's Academic Officers' Society