Swedish Interdisciplinary Graduate School in register-based research - SINGS

Swedish population registers constitute a unique resource for research in order to provide better public health and welfare. The graduate school is a result of the Swedish Research Council's initiative in providing a national focus on register-based research. The school is coordinated by Karolinska Institutet. Six other higher education institutions also take part, i.e., University of Gothenburg, Stockholm University, Lund University, Linköping University, Umeå University and Uppsala University.

Since 2010, SINGS has had a crucial role in fostering the next generation of researchers. The programme has welcomed seven cohorts from diverse disciplinary backgrounds, delivered 87 courses, and engaged over 100 teachers with wide-ranging expertise. 
Short, illustrative film “The benefits of using Nordic population registers for research purposes” developed by SINGS now on YouTube

New call - The Swedish Interdisciplinary Graduate School in Register-Based Research (SINGS)

The call will open on 23 February 2026 and close on 23 March 2026 at 14:00. Apply via Prisma.  

Subject area

The subject area “register-based research” covers all quantitative scientific disciplines that use registers in research, such as epidemiology, public health, sociology, demography, psychology, criminology, statistics, health economics, and other medical and social sciences.

Overall programme description

The curriculum is designed in accordance with outcome-based education and is intended to develop deeper knowledge, skills and scientific and ethical approaches regarding how different sources of data and registers can and should be utilised in research, preparing for a scientific career in the area of register-based research.

The graduate school is a complement to mandatory courses required at the university where the student is registered. The programme includes a minimum of 10.5 higher education credits. The school runs in 2-year cycles, and students are admitted biannually.

The educational activities focus on methodological, practical, ethical and legal aspects related to register-based research. Courses represent the major part and include core courses that are strongly recommended to be taken by all students, as well as a variety of elective courses in order to enable tailoring of individualised study plans. Retreats, workshops and seminars are also arranged regularly, where issues are highlighted from theoretical, applied, methodological and practical perspectives.

Each semester, two to three core activities (courses and other activities) are arranged. All activities are in English. Most of the educational activities are arranged at Karolinska Institutet, but some are held elsewhere. E-learning activities will also be used.

Objectives

The overall objectives are that the student shall:

  • demonstrate thorough knowledge of existing registers,
  • demonstrate an ability to identify and formulate problems relevant to register-based research,
  • demonstrate an ability to apply appropriate methods when undertaking research-based research,
  • demonstrate a capacity to perform and assess register-based research, in compliance with legal and ethical principles,
  • demonstrate methodological and practical skills necessary for register-based research, and,
  • demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of register-based research.

Administrative Organisation and Steering Group

The administrative and educational organisation is made up of a research school director and an academic administrator.

Research school director and chair: Anita Berglund, Phone: +46 70 7986534, +46 8 524 874 66

Deputy for the project leader: Karin Modig, Phone: +46 8 524 801 53 

Academic administrator: Johanna Bergman, Phone: +46 8 524 872 66


National coordination SINGS and the persons responsible at each university constitute SINGS national steering group:

Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm
Anita Berglund, project leader and chair steering group

Karin Modig, Ass. Professor of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine (deputy chair steering group, for Anita Berglund)

Magnus Stenbeck, Ass. Professor of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Secretary in the Research Data Inquiry

Stockholm University, Stockholm 
Gunnar Andersson, PhD, Professor of Demography, Dep. of Sociology, Demography Unit
Olof Bäckman, Professor of Criminology, Dep. of Criminology

Lund University, Lund
Jonas Björk, PhD, Professor of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dep. of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Umeå University, Umeå
Xavier de Luna, PhD, Professor of Statistics, Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics, Unit of Statistics

University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 
Mikael Svensson, Professor of Applied Health Economics,  School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Professor, Dep. of  Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of Florida

Linköping University, Linköping 
Maria Brandén, PhD, Professor, Dep. of Management and Engineering, Institute for Analytical Sociology

Uppsala University, Uppsala 
Liisa Byberg, Professor of Medical Epidemiology, Dep. of  Surgical Sciences

Doctoral student representatives


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Content reviewer:
Johanna Bergman
Johanna Bergman
20-02-2026