Photo of Karin Axelsson

Karin Axelsson

Deputy Vice-Chancellor

As deputy vice-chancellor I am part of the university management group, where we work to give LiU the best conditions to prosper and develop. A good example of this is our new strategic plan and vision for 2030.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Linköping University

Being responsible for LiUs education on bachelor, master and PhD levels implies assuring that we have attractive educational programs and courses at LiU. There is a strong focus on student recruitment but also on providing students with a good study climate and the best opportunities to graduate and be competitive afterwards.

Professor in Information Systems

For information about my research, see below.

University Management at Linköping University

News about education

Portrait of a man in front of a building

Internship at the centre of world politics

Nugzari Batsikadze is a master’s student at LiU on an internship at the Swedish Embassy in Washington. His duties include sitting in on hearings in the Senate, for example, when the head of Microsoft answers questions about the future of AI.

A person standing outstide.

A professor drawn to thorny issues

An doctoral student position was what brought Tünde Puskas to Sweden. She is now a professor whose motivation is researching areas no one has looked into before – such as how integration, religion and death are dealt with in pre-school context.

Three people around a sumulator.

Development of new trainer aircraft takes off with new collaboration

Eight students from Washington State University (WSU) have landed at LiU. They are the first intakes in the new four-way collaboration between LiU, WSU and aircraft manufacturers Saab and Boeing.

Education

Why study at Linköping University? LiU offers innovative education and boundary-crossing research. Our students are among the most desirable in the labour market and international rankings consistently place LiU as a leading global university.

Vision and strategy

CV

Positions

  • Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Linköping University 2022-
  • Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Linköping University 2018-2021
  • Professor in Information Systems, Linköping University, 2009-
  • Vice Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Linköping University 2015-2017
  • Professor in Information Systems (20% part time position), Örebro University, 2008-10
  • Associate Professor (Førsteamanuensis) (20% part time position), University of Bergen, Norway, 2004
  • Associate Professor in Information Systems Development, Linköping University, 2003
  • Assistant Professor in Information Systems Development, Linköping University, 1999-2003
  • PhD Candidate, Department of Information and Computer Science (IDA), Linköping University, 1991-98

Exams

  • PhD in Information Systems Development, Linköping University, 1998
  • Licentiate of Philosophy in Information Systems Development, Linköping University, 1994
  • Bachelor of Science in Systems Analysis, Linköping University, 1991

Professional assignments

  • Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Linköping University, 2018-2020
  • Chair of pilot group in institutional reviews of the HEIs’ quality assurance processes, Swedish Higher Education Authority, 2017
  • Vice dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Linköping University, 2015-17
  • Member in the advisory council at The Swedish Tax Agency, 2015-17
  • Member in the Regional Board of Ethical Vetting, 2014-17
  • Member of vice-chancellor's strategic council for co-operation and external relations, 2012-14
  • Deputy head of the Department of Management and Engineering (IEI), Linköping University, 2012-14
  • Deputy board member, Department of Management and Engineering (IEI), Linköping University, 2012-14
  • Member of the Committee for Quality Development Work, Arts and Sciences' Faculty, Linköping University, 2012-14
  • Director of the master program in IT and Management, Linköping University, 2010-14
  • Member of IRIS Executive Board, 2009-14
  • Member of the Committee for Quality Development Work, Arts and Sciences' Faculty, Linköping University, 2009-11
  • Member of Arts and Sciences' Faculty Board, Linköping University, 2009-11
  • Scientific leader of System Maintenance Knowledge Initiative, 2008-
  • Director of graduate studies, Department of Management and Engineering (IEI), Linköping University, 2007-11
  • Board member, Department of Management and Engineering (IEI), Linköping University, 2007-11
  • Manager of RBB (Center of crime prevention and crime control - Resurscentrum för Brottsprevention och Brottsbekämpning), Linköping University, 2006-08
  • Founder and organiser of the Swedish Research Network in eGovernment, 2006-
  • Member of the Committee for Quality Development Work, Arts and Sciences' Faculty, Linköping University, 2006-08
  • Deputy member, Arts and Sciences' Faculty Board, Linköping University, 2006-08
  • Board member, Department of Information and Computer Science (IDA), Linköping University, 2006
  • Reference group member of "Verka jämställt", Linköping University, 2006
  • Co-responsible for the research area "E-Government" in VITS research group, 2005-08
  • Steering committee member, GrundSIPA, Linköping University, 2003-05
  • Board member, CUL (Centre for education and learning), Linköping University, 2003-05
  • Deputy board member, Department of Information and Computer Science (IDA), Linköping University, 2003-05
  • Coordinator of single-subject courses in informatics/information systems at IDA, Linköping University, 2003-05
  • Director of graduate studies, Information Systems Development, Linköping University, 2003-07
  • Division board member, Information Systems and Management (ISM) at IDA, Linköping University, 2000-07
  • Member of FURISU (council of graduate education in information systems development), 2000-07
  • Responsible for the research area "Business Interaction and Electronic Commerce" in VITS research group, 1999-2008
  • Member of Centre for Studies of Humans, Technology and Organisation (CMTO), Linköping University, 1996-2004
  • Lecturer in undergraduate courses, Linköping University, 1992-
  • Member of the research group VITS, Linköping University, 1991-
 

Information about LiU

My Research

Citizen benefits and agency efficiency - The main challenges of e-government

My research interest is how e-services and IT-systems can be developed in order to increase advantages and benefits both in the organization and in society. Which problems can technology solve and which challenges arise?

Public sector has great expectations on information technology (IT) to solve the societal challenges we are facing both in Sweden and globally. E-services and IT-systems should help governments to use resources more effectively.

At the same time citizens and businesses should be offered high service levels and good quality in their meetings with public sector. Public processes should be more transparent and democratic aspects strengthened. Our research focuses challenges in achieving these goals.

IT is often seen as an obvious part of the solution to all sorts of problems. Systems to do things faster, safer and better are constantly being developed. Technology becomes mobile, data sets are large and the possibilities to develop new e-services, apps, and "smart" digital solutions seem endless. The public sector is no exception to this optimistic view on the potential of ICT. In our research, we have spent many years studying how electronic government affects citizens, businesses, public organizations and other stakeholders. To critically review the conditions for change, change processes and results of organizational and IT development are common themes. Research questions about what people, for example, perceive as safe and how they trust e-services for interaction with public organizations contain much more than technology aspects. The context that e-government takes place within affects both conditions and results, in policy and practice. Therefore, contextual factors are often focused in our studies, whether projects are on electronic identification with e-IDs, involvement of citizens and other stakeholders in e-service development or smart cities, smart grids and other kinds of digitalization in homes.


Publications

2022

Pär J. Ågerfalk, Karin Axelsson, Magnus Bergquist (2022) Addressing climate change through stakeholder-centric information systems research: A Scandinavian approach for the masses International Journal of Information Management, Vol. 63, Article 102447 Continue to DOI

2021

Malin Granath, Karin Axelsson, Ulf Melin (2021) Reflection note: Smart City Research in a Societal Context. A Scandinavian perspective and beyond? Scandinavian Journal of Information Systems, Vol. 33, p. 5-16

2018

Karin Axelsson, Malin Granath (2018) Stakeholders' stake and relation to smartness in smart city development: Insights from a Swedish city planning project Government Information Quarterly, Vol. 35, p. 693-702 Continue to DOI
Jesper Holgersson, Ulf Melin, Ida Lindgren, Karin Axelsson (2018) Exploring User Participation Practice in Public E-Service Development: Why, How and in Whose Interest? The Electronic Journal on e-government (EJEG), Vol. 16, p. 72-86
Ulf Melin, Karin Axelsson, Truls Löfstedt (2018) Understanding an Integrated Management System in a Government Agency - Focusing Institutional Carriers: Focusing Institutional Carriers Electronic Government. EGOV 2018, p. 15-28 Continue to DOI

Organisation