From 22-27 September, ForskarFredag – Sweden’s most widespread science festival – returns. This year’s theme, “The earth beneath our feet,” invites the public, pupils, and teachers to take part in workshops, excursions, experiments and discussions with researchers. Events will be held in 26 locations across the country as well as online.
ForskarFredag, part of European Researchers’ Night, creates opportunities for researchers, pupils, and the public to meet, exchange ideas, and inspire one another. The festival highlights the fact that researchers are ordinary people with extraordinary jobs, while also giving participants a clearer picture of how science works and what researchers actually do.
Coordinated nationally by Public & Science Sweden, activities are organised by universities, science centres, museums, research centres, municipalities, and science parks in towns and cities across the country.
Mushroom excursion around Kronparken
In Uppsala, environmental analysis specialist Karl Lundén from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) will guide pupils on an exciting mushroom excursion around Kronparken Nature Reserve.“It’s important to connect what happens underground with what we see above the surface,” he explains.’
Pupils will collect soil samples, learn about fungal defenses, and explore the hidden processes below ground — the very foundation of all life.
Borrow a Researcher classroom visits
A central part of ForskarFredag is the highly popular Borrow a Researcher in which researchers visit schools, either in person or online. This year, more than 180 classroom visits are planned, giving pupils across Sweden the chance to meet researchers who share insights about their fields, their career paths, and how research works in practice. In total, the initiative will engage thousands of young people across Sweden.
Climate change and extreme rainfall
Climate research is another central focus. Louise Petersson Wårdh, a PhD student at SMHI’s hydrological research unit, will meet with school classes to discuss how extreme rainfall is reshaping cities.
“I do research because it’s both fun and fascinating to understand how climate change impacts urban life. By meeting students, I hope to inspire the next generation of researchers,” she says.
Ahead of her visit, pupils are asked to imagine how a cloudburst might affect their own surroundings: What would happen to the schoolyard, the streets, or the nearby streams?
Some highlights from this year’s programme
Alongside school visits, hundreds of activities will take place across Sweden. Just a few examples include:
- Inclusive science education – an online lecture for teachers on how to make science more accessible in schools facing socio-economic challenges.
- SMHI researchers present climate science – a live-streamed presentation demonstrating how climate models are used to understand and address climate change.
- ForskarFredag at Alnarp agroecology farm – tours and hands-on activities on the topic of soil designed for both schools and the general public.
- Norrköping’s culture night — researchers from Linköping University take turns giving 15-minute talks, with the audience invited to ask questions about both their topics and life as a scientist.
A European celebration of science
ForskarFredag is Sweden’s most widely celebrated science festival and part of European Researchers’ Night which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2025. Last year, more than two million people took part in events across 25 European countries – and this September, it’s Sweden’s turn again.
European Researchers’ Night in Sweden is funded by the European Commission under HORIZON EUROPE in the framework of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie actions, GA 101061464, in collaboration with our Swedish partners.
For more information, please visit ForskarFredag’s page in English.
