The ACCESS Forum is open to researchers from all fields.

Participants can be senior researchers, early career researchers (within 8 years of PhD award) and PhD students.

Participants who are currently employed at an ACCESS member universitiy at the time of the Forum are given priority.

We seek to have a balance in each workshop between senior researchers, early career researchers and PhD-students.

NOTE: Due to space limitations, participation in the Forum is limited. Participation is therefore not guaranteed, even if you have your own funding.

ACCESS does not directly fund Forum participation, however, most ACCESS member universities provide grants to their employees (including PhDs) to attend. Grant availability, amounts, and eligibility vary across universities.

However, the participation in the Forum is free of charge thanks to the financial contributions from the University of Gothenburg and ACCESS member universities.

Need Funding?‍ ‍Learn more about University-Sponsored Travel Grants here.

The main activity at the Forum are Research Theme workshops.

The program for 2027 is currently being finalized, but the forum typically follows this structure:

• Sunday: PhD Event

• Monday: Opening Ceremony & Workshops

• Tuesday: Workshops

• Wednesday: Workshops

• Thursday: Workshop & Closing Ceremony

• Friday: Cultural/Scientific Excursion

In the context of the ACCESS Forum, a workshop is the intensive, four-day collaborative session where a Research Theme is brought to life.

Unlike traditional academic conferences characterized by rotating presentations or passive listening, an ACCESS workshop functions as a dedicated "working laboratory."

Participants apply to join one specific Research Theme for the duration of the Forum, remaining with that same group to move their interdisciplinary research forward. This immersive format ensures that by the end of the week, the group has transitioned from initial discussions to concrete plans for future collaboration, such as joint publications, grant applications, and co-supervision of PhD students.

Aligned with a specific Focus Area, a Research Theme (RT) is the official subject of an ACCESS workshop and serves as the core scientific pillar of the collaboration.

Each RT is a jointly designed initiative by a Swedish and a Chilean lead researcher to tackle a specific challenge within their designated Focus Area.

The 2027 ACCESS Forum Research Themes are:

• RT 1: Ageing well in place: socio-spatial infrastructures and caring practices

• RT 2: Anti-Bullying and school safety methodologies for Sweden and Chile

• RT 3: Transition to zero-emission public bus fleets for sustainable cities

• RT 4: Climate Stress, Pesticide Dependency, and Health in Agricultural Communities

• RT 5: Coupling Earth Sciences, Economics and Environmental Governance to Tackle Anthropogenic Stressors

• RT 6: Forestry Residues: Chile-Sweden Strategic Biobased Material Autonomy

• RT 7: Anthropomorphism, AI and Clinical Responsibility: A Chile–Sweden Dialogue

• RT 8: Critical Raw Materials: From Geological Processes to Societal Pathways

• RT 9: Innovating Cardiometabolic Health

• RT 10: Sweden Chile Obesity Prevention Evidence (SCOPE)

• RT 11: The Future is Ageing: Food, Nutrition and Healthy Longevity

• RT 12: Governing Increasing Mobilities in Arctic and Antarctic Regions

• RT 13: Interdisciplinary Approaches for Circular and Climate-Resilient Aquaculture

• RT 14: Ocean Science and Technology

A Focus Area is a broad strategic pillar that defines the scope of a Research Theme.

While the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a global direction, our Focus Areas translate these goals into the specific societal and scientific contexts shared by Chile and Sweden.

Research Themes (RTs) must align with one of these Focus Areas to ensure that all collaboration remains interdisciplinary and addresses the most pressing challenges facing both nations.

Learn more about the relationship between Focus Areas and SDGs here.

The primary goal of each Research Theme (workshop) is to transition from initial ideas to concrete plans for future collaboration.

By the end of the week, these groups aim to have developed tangible roadmaps for the future, such as joint publications, grant applications, and the co-supervision of PhD students, etc,