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People are seated at tables in a modern conference room, attentively listening to a presentation titled digital futures displayed on a large screen at the front. The atmosphere is professional and collaborative.

Swedish Ministry of Finance visits Digital Futures to discuss public sector digitalization

On 25 May, around 20 representatives from the Unit for Digitalization of Public Administration at the Swedish Ministry of Finance visited Digital Futures for a half-day program focused on digital transformation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and innovation in the public sector.

The visit highlighted the growing importance of collaboration between academia, industry, and the public sector in addressing some of society’s most pressing digital challenges. Participants expressed strong interest in Digital Futures as a meeting place and collaborative arena where research, innovation, and policy intersect.

The Ministry’s delegation works with the Swedish government’s digitalization policy, including the digitalization of public administration, digital post, and digital identity. The unit also focuses on the development and use of emerging technologies such as data-driven innovation and artificial intelligence, as well as initiatives related to digital competence and leadership.

The program began with a welcome session followed by an introduction to Digital Futures and its activities, including the Digital Futures Sandbox. Presentations were delivered by Annika Szabo Portela, Executive Director of Digital Futures, and Urban Forssell, Head of AI Strategy and Innovation at Digital Futures.

The Ministry representatives then shared insights into their ongoing work and priorities within public sector digitalization.

Following a networking break, researchers from KTH Royal Institute of Technology presented a series of projects demonstrating how cutting-edge research can support societal resilience, trustworthy technology, and future-ready education.

Among the featured projects were:

  • Privacy & Trustworthy AI, presented by Tobias Oechtering, Professor at KTH, focusing on privacy-preserving and reliable artificial intelligence.
  • Transforming Engineering Education with Multimodal GenAI and Intelligent Agents, presented by Olga Viberg, Associate Professor at KTH, and Richard Lee Davis, Assistant Professor at KTH, exploring how generative AI and intelligent agents can reshape higher education.
  • CASCADE: Climate Adaptation & Disaster Enhancement in Stockholm, presented by Zahra Kalantari, Professor at KTH, and Amir Rezvani, PhD student at KTH, addressing climate adaptation and disaster resilience in urban environments.

The visit concluded with a joint discussion on future opportunities, reflections, and lessons learned from the exchange between researchers and policymakers.

The meeting underscored the importance of continued dialogue between government, academia, and industry to strengthen Sweden’s digital transformation and build trustworthy, resilient, and inclusive digital systems for the future.

People are seated at tables in a modern conference room, attentively listening to a presentation titled digital futures displayed on a large screen at the front. The atmosphere is professional and collaborative.
Presentation av Digital Futures – Urban Forssell, Head of AI Strategy and innovation, Digital Futures & Annika Szabo Portela, Verkställande föreståndare Digital Futures
A group of people sit around tables in a modern meeting room, listening to a man in glasses who appears to be leading a discussion. A large screen is visible on the wall, displaying text.
Two people stand in front of a screen giving a presentation in a modern office space. The screen displays Swedish text about digitalisation in public administration. Empty chairs and tables are visible in the foreground.
Presentation från Enheten för digitalisering av den offentliga förvaltningen, Finansdepartementet
A man stands and presents in front of a screen displaying a slide titled PRS Minimisation Principle to an audience seated at tables in a modern room with digital futures signs on the walls.
Privacy & Trustworthy AI
Tobias Oechtering, professor vid KTH
A person presents a slide on system design to an audience in a modern office space with wooden walls and a “digital futures” sign near glass doors. People are seated and facing the presenter.
Transforming Engineering Education with Multimodal GenAI and Intelligent Agents
Olga Viberg, docent vid KTH & Richard Lee Davis, biträdande lektor vid KTH
Two people stand in front of a large screen displaying a presentation titled CASCADE: Digital Twin For Climate Resilience and Disaster Preparedness in Stockholm in a modern room with wooden walls and black furniture.
CASCADE: Climate Adaptation & Disaster Enhancement in Stockholm
Zahra Kalantari, professor vid KTH & Amir Rezvani, doktorand vid KTH

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