Stockholm School of Economics and Swedish Armed Forces Launch Collaboration

The Stockholm School of Economics (SSE) is launching a new Executive MBA programme focused on defence and security, in collaboration with the Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten). The SSE Nordic Defense MBA will begin in autumn 2026 and is aimed at senior leaders in the Nordic defence sector, according to a joint press release.

Supreme Commander Michael Claesson has welcomed the announcement, emphasising that today's security environment demands not only military capability, but also stable civilian structures and effective cooperation between the public sector and industry.

"It is not enough to be strong on the battlefield. We must also be strong in how we lead, organise, and cooperate across society as a whole. This programme is an important step in developing the leadership required to unite military capability with civilian structures and the capacity of the business community. That is how we build a robust total defence and strengthen our collective resilience in the Nordic region," said Supreme Commander Michael Claesson in the press release.

The background to the initiative is described as the strained security situation in Europe, combined with a rapid military build-up across the Nordic region. This in turn increases demands on leadership, cooperation, and organisational capability.

The programme focuses on society's total defence capability and addresses issues relating to leadership in complex security environments, as well as how economic and organisational systems affect defence capability.

"Today, competitiveness and resilience are two sides of the same coin. The security of Sweden and the Nordic region is closely linked to our ability to keep society functioning, even under pressure. As a higher education institution in the social sciences, we want to contribute knowledge and leadership that strengthens both," said Lars Strannegård, Rector of the Stockholm School of Economics.

The programme runs over 16 months, and participants are expected to come from the Swedish Armed Forces, other total defence actors, government agencies, and the defence industry, according to the statement.

This is not the first time the school has collaborated with actors from the defence sector. In 2023, NDS reported that Saab had joined the Stockholm School of Economics partnership programme, the SSE Corporate Partnership Program. That same week, former Chief of the Army Major General (Ret.) Karl Engelbrektson became a senior adviser at the school's research hub, the House of Governance and Public Policy (GaPP).