Background and purpose of the Swedish Global Health Expert Group

Terms of Reference – Swedish Global Health Expert Group

Background
For decades, Sweden has played a prominent role in global health through development cooperation, research, diplomacy, innovation, multilateral engagement, and partnerships with countries around the world. Swedish contributions have shaped progress in areas such as child and maternal health, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), health systems strengthening, infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and global health governance.

Today, the global context is changing rapidly. Geopolitical tensions, climate change, demographic shifts, political backlash on both SRHR and vaccination, technological transformation, economic uncertainty, pandemics, conflicts, and the changing development financing landscape are reshaping both the opportunities and challenges for global health. These developments raise important questions about how Sweden can best contribute to improving health and well-being globally in the coming decades.

Recent expert group processes in Denmark and Norway have highlighted the value of bringing together leaders from academia, government, civil society, the private sector and international organizations to identify strategic priorities for national engagement in global 
health, as well as the value of Nordic leadership. Building on these experiences, the Swedish Global Health Expert Report aims to contribute an independent and forward-looking perspective on Sweden's future role in global health.

Purpose
The purpose of the Swedish Global Health Expert Group is to provide strategic advice and recommendations for how Sweden can strengthen and develop its contribution to global health over the next decade by supporting the development of a report that identifies priorities, opportunities and recommendations for Swedish policy makers, funders, academic institutions, civil society organizations and other stakeholders engaged in global health. The report will published and disseminated early 2027.

The report should build on Sweden's strengths, draw lessons from previous successes, consider emerging global trends, and identify areas where Sweden can have the greatest impact in the future. To achieve a broad buy-in across social stakeholders, the Group will also 
identify and invite a broader reference group representing diverse sectors and perspectives. This reference group will be invited to provide input on the report’s contents and recommendations, ensure the inclusion of all relevant issues and facilitate wide dissemination.

Scope of Work
The Group will consider:

• The changing global health landscape and its implications for Sweden.
• Sweden's comparative advantages and unique contributions to global health.
• Future opportunities and risks arising from geopolitical, economic, technological and environmental change.
• The role of research, innovation, development cooperation, diplomacy, trade and partnerships in advancing global health.
• How Sweden can contribute to equitable and sustainable improvements in health globally.
• How Sweden can strengthen its influence and leadership in global health in a changing world.

Particular attention will be given to identifying actions that are robust across different future scenarios, therefore representing strategic priorities regardless of how the global context evolves.

Guiding Questions
The work of the Group will be informed by the following overarching questions:

What are the most important global health challenges and opportunities likely to shape the coming decade?

What role and strategic actions should Sweden take today to maximise its future impact on global health?

Which strengths, assets, and partnerships, position Sweden to make a distinctive contribution and how can that be maintained and strengthened in a changing funding and geopolitical landscape?

Working Approach
The work of the Group will combine:

• Review of relevant evidence and policy developments.
• Reflection on Sweden's historical and current role in global health.
• Insights from recent Nordic and international initiatives.
• Foresight and scenario-based discussions exploring alternative futures for global health.
• Dialogue with a broader reference group representing diverse sectors and perspectives for input, broad buy-in and dissemination.
• Draft and review and finally public a Swedish Global Health Expert Report. 

The objective is not to predict the future but to identify strategies and recommendations that remain relevant across multiple plausible futures.

The discussions will follow the Chatham House Rule, meaning that participants are free to use the information and ideas discussed, but not reveal the identity or affiliation of the speaker(s) or any other participant. It is assumed that all Group members openly will declare any conflicts of interest (COI) before we start or if any COI would arise during the work process.

Secretariat
The work of the Expert Group will be coordinated by professors Tobias Alfvén and Anna Mia Ekström, Karolinska Institutet (KI) through the Department of Global Public Health (GPH), assisted by Ruby Killingsworth and additional part-time administrators. The Secretariat will 
support meeting preparation, documentation, synthesis of discussions, drafting of the report for review and advise from the Expert Group and stakeholder engagement throughout the process.

Composition
The Expert Group consists of approximately 10–15 individuals with extensive experience and expertise across relevant sectors, including:

• Academia and research
• Government and public agencies
• Civil society
• Private sector and innovation
• Philanthropy and development finance
• International organizations

The report will reflect expert judgement rather than institutional positions, and it is important to note that all members including the KI coordinators, participate in their personal capacity and contribute independent perspectives informed by their professional experience, i.e. expert group members do not represent the views of their employers or organizations.

Deliverable
The principal output will be a report presenting:

• A forward-looking assessment of Sweden's role in global health.
• Key trends and future considerations.
• Strategic recommendations for Swedish decision-makers and stakeholders.
• Opportunities for strengthened Swedish leadership and engagement in global health.

The final version of the report will be drafted by the KI secretariat following the advice, repeated review and overall approval by the Group members whose names will be acknowledged in the report. The final editorial responsibility lies with the chairs, professors Anna Mia Ekström and Tobias Alfvén who are formally responsible for the content and recommendations. The report is expected to be published early 2027 and disseminated through policy dialogues, public events and stakeholder engagement activities.

Meetings and Timeline
The Group will meet at key stages for an approximate total of 4-6 hybrid meetings throughout 2026,/Q1 2027 including:

• An inaugural meeting to establish direction and priorities (June 10th 2026).
• Thematic discussions/meetings and workshops (fall 2026)
• Review and feedback on report drafts (most often combined with the above, fall 2026)
• Participation in dissemination activities related to the final report.
• A broader Reference Group will be engaged at key stages (1-2 times) during the fall of 2026 to provide additional perspectives and feedback and help provide broad buy-in and dissemination.