Proscovia Svärd

Professor bitr|Associate Professor

Professional title: Associate Professor
Department: Department of Communication, Quality Management and Information Systems (KKI)
Telephone: +46 (0)10-1427864
Email: proscovia.svard@miun.se
Location: Sundsvall
Employee in the subject: Archives and Information Science

Background

Proscovia Svärd is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Science, Technology and Media, Department of Information systems and Technology, Forum for Digitalization, Mid Sweden University. She carried out her Post-doctoral Research at the School of Interdisciplinary Research and Postgraduate Studies, University of South Africa, between 2016-2017. She completed her PhD in 2014 at the University of Amsterdam. She has a Licentiate Degree in data and Systems Sciences, BA and MA in Archives and Information Science from Mid Sweden University, Sweden and a BSc in Media and Information Science from Uppsala University, Sweden.

Post-doc research (2016 - 2017)

School of Interdisciplinary Research and Postgraduate Studies, University of South Africa (Unisa)

My post-doctoral research focused on the effects of an underdeveloped information management infrastructure on the management of the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) documentation. Liberia is the first sovereign state in history to hand-over its entire TRC documentation to a foreign power. This made the Liberian case worth investigating since it is indeed of paramount importance that such a historical narrative is retained in the country to promote the discourse on reconciliation and democracy.

Area of interest

My research interests include; enterprise content management, records management, information culture, e-government development, public sector information (PSI), long-term preservation of digital information, truth and reconciliation commissions and their documentation processes, the role of archives in enhancing accountability and transparency in government institutions, information access and the link to democracy and development. She is the author of a recently published book by Elsevier entitled “Enterprise Content Management, Records Management and Information Culture Amidst e-Government Development. Information about the book is available on the Internet.

Research

Research Fellow (2015 - todate)

University of South Africa, Department of Information Science (Unisa)

Research at my Department:

Under the auspices of InterPares Trust AI which is at the University of British Columbia, I am leading a study entitled, "Investigating the Use of AI technologies in the Realm of E-Government Development together with colleagues; Ass. Prof. Esteban Guerrero, Vaasa University, Assoc. Prof. Saurombe Nampombe, Department of Information Science, University of South Africa and Associate Prof. Lorette Jacobs from the same university.

I have collaboration with my colleague Sheila Zimic completed a pre-study entitled “Innovative and co-creative information management for systematic follow-up of foster/placement homes for children and young people” in two Swedish municipalities. The purpose of the study is to help the municipalities in Västernorrland to map the information needs in the follow-up process of placement homes for children and young people. We together with the involved actors developed a model that can lead to improved information use. The residential homes must meet the needs of the children and young people and must create a safe living environment, with daily care and support. This requires efficient processes throughout the entire chain that is, from home procurement, investigation, placement and after placement follow-up. Effective information management is crucial to these processes. This is an area that is governed by the Public Information Access and Secrecy Law to protect the integrity of individuals. We however argue that there exists information that can be shared, used and re-used to achieve effective processes. This would benefit all stakeholders involved. The pre-study resulted in the following:

1. A rapport entitled: "Innovative and co-created information management for the follow-up of Residential Care Homes for Children and Young People. A Collaboration between Mid-Sweden University and Örnskoldsvik and Härnösand Municipalities" written by me and Sheila Zimic, 2021.

2. Peer reviewed conference article, Svärd P. and Zimic S. 2021. “Information Management and E-services Development: The Follow-up Process of Residential Care Homes for Children and Young People in Two Swedish Municipalities”, EGOV-CeDEM-ePart 2021, University of Granada, Spain (Hybrid) 7 - 9 September 2021.

3. Article under review, “Exploring Information and Knowledge Management Challenges in the Procurement and Follow-up Processes of Residential Care for Children and Young People in Sweden.”

I also continue to work on African Truth Commissions and their documentation processes. This research examines how the documentation that is generated by African TRCs is meaningfully used to benefit the victims of war atrocities. The focus is currently on the Liberian TRC where documentation was sent to the USA . This made Liberia the first sovereign state to hand-over its entire TRC documentation to a foreign power. I have also done some work on the Sierra Leonean and South African TRC.

Teaching and tutoring

Research and Theory in Archives and Information Science], 15 ECTS, (development, teaching, examination)

Information management and Records Management, Advanced level, 7,5 ECTS (Course development and design, teaching, examination)

Development of Theory and Research Design (Course development and design, teaching).

Independent Project, Advanced level,15 ECTS, (Course development and design, teaching, examination).

Independent Project, Advanced level, 30 ECTS, (Course development and design, teaching,examination)

Archival Regulations7,5ECTS, Fall 2012 - 2013, Fall2019-2021 (teaching, exmaination)

Introduction to archives and information science, 7,5 ECTS (Course development and design, teaching).

Informatics, Project course (Course development and design and teaching).

Research projects

Finished

Innovative and co-creative information management for follow-up of Home for Care or Housing (HVB)

Publications

Articles in journals
Books
Chapters in books
Conference papers
Doctoral theses, monographs
Licentiate theses, comprehensive summaries
Other
Reports

Articles in journals

Svärd, P. & Borglund, E. (2022). The implementation of an e-archive to facilitate open data publication and the use of common specifications : A case of three Swedish agencies. Government Information Quarterly, vol. 39: 4

Svärd, P. (2022). The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Use of its Documentation : An Analysis. Working papers, : 33

Svärd, P. (2021). Public Sector Information and Open Data : A Focus on Sweden. Mousaion: South African Journal of Information Studies, vol. 38: 4

Svärd, P. (2021). The Swedish People’s Awareness of The Public Sector Information Directive – a Pilot Study. Tidsskriftet Arkiv, vol. 9: 1

Svärd, P. (2021). Using African Truth and Reconciliation Commission documentation for truth telling and reconciliation. Education for Information, vol. 37: 1, pp. 113-120.

Svärd, P. (2019). The Archivists’ Understanding of New Public Management and Outsourcing of Government Information : The Case of Sweden. Mousaion: South African Journal of Information Studies, vol. 37: 1

Svärd, P. (2019). The impact of new public management through outsourcing on the management of government information : The case of Sweden. Records Management Journal, vol. 29: 1/2, pp. 134-151.

Svärd, P. (2018). Access to government information : a global phenomenon but what are the challenges?. ESARBICA Journal, vol. 37, pp. 158-177.

Svärd, P. (2018). Has the Freedom of Information Act enhanced transparency and the free flow of information in Liberia?. Information Development, vol. 34: 1, pp. 20-30.

Svärd, P. (2018). Public Information Directive (PSI) implementation in two Swedish municipalities. Records Management Journal, vol. 28: 1, pp. 2-17.

Svärd, P. (2017). A proactive and holistic information management approach is crucial to e-government development. ESARBICA Journal: Journal of the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives, vol. 36, pp. 1-11.

Svärd, P. (2017). Freedom of information laws and information access : The case of Sierra Leone. Information Development, vol. 33: 2, pp. 190-198.

Svärd, P. (2017). The woes of Swedish private archival institutions. Records Management Journal, vol. 27: 3, pp. 275-285.

Sundqvist, A. & Svärd, P. (2016). Information culture and records management : a suitable match? Conceptualizations of information culture and their application on records management. International Journal of Information Management, vol. 36: 1, pp. 9-15.

Svärd, P. (2014). Information Culture in Three Municipalities and Its Impact on Information Management amidst E-Government Development. IFLA Journal, vol. 40: 1, pp. 48-59.

Svärd, P. (2014). The impact of information culture on information/ records management : A case study of a municipality in Belgium. Records Management Journal, vol. 24: 1, pp. 5-21.

Svärd, P. (2013). Enterprise Content Management and the Records Continuum Model as strategies for long-term preservation of digital information. Records Management Journal, vol. 23: 3, pp. 159-176.

Svärd, P. (2013). Records management and e-Government development in Europe : a tale of 3 municipalities.. IQ: The RIM Quarterly, vol. 29: 4, pp. 37-42.

Kallberg, M. , Ivarsson, E. , Svärd, P. & Troselius, N. (2012). Rapport från ARCHIDIS-sommarskola : Marburg 1-12 augusti 2011. Arkiv, samhälle och forskning, vol. 2011: 1, pp. 22-27.

Svärd, P. (2011). Information Management Strategies in Two Swedish Municipalities: Similarities with Enterprise Content Management.. Information and Records Management Annual, (iRMA), , pp. 153-182.

Svärd, P. (2011). Transforming public administrations and challenges of information management. Archives & Manuscripts, vol. 39: 2, pp. 96-118.

Svärd, P. (2010). The international community and post-war reconciliation in Africa: A case study of the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission. African Journal on Conflict Resolution, vol. 10: 1, pp. 35-61.

Svärd, P. & Sundqvist, A. (2009). Archiving and Small Nations : An Ethical Issue of Two Post-Conflict Societies. Infotrend, vol. 64: 1, pp. 2-12.

Svärd, P. (2008). Access and democratisation of information: the documentation of war atrocities by the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Comma, : 1, pp. 123-134.

Svärd, P. (2008). The Role of Archives in enhancing Accountability and Transparency - The Case of Sierra Leone. The Eastern and Southern Regional Branch of the International Council of Archives (ESARBICA)-, vol. 27, pp. 20-38.

Sundqvist, A. & Svärd, P. (2007). IT - the most revolutionary issue globally: but is it for all?. InfoTrend, vol. 62: 3, pp. 71-78.

Svärd, P. (2007). The Challenges of Documenting War Atrocities in Post-Conflict Sierra Leone: A Study of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).. African Journal of International Affairs, vol. 10: 1&2, pp. 55-72.

Svärd, P. (2005). Archival Challenges. News from the Nordic Africa Institute, : 2

Svärd, P. (2005). Waste Management in Uganda. News from the Nordic Africa Institute, : 3, pp. 26-28.

Books

Svärd, P. (2017). Enterprise content management, records management and information culture amidst E-government development. Cambridge (MA) : Chandos Publishing (Chandos information professional series ).

Chapters in books

Svärd, P. (2020). The Role of Information Institutions in Promoting Information Literacy and Access to Information for Sustainable Development in the Post-Truth Era : The Case of Sweden. In Open Access Implications for Sustainable Social, Political, and Economic Development. IGI Global. pp. 78-99.

Svärd, P. (2017). E-government development and challenges of freeing public sector information. In The Governance of Local Communities : Global Perspectives and Challenges. Hauppauge, New York : Nova Science Publishers, Inc.. pp. 145-162.

Svärd, P. (2014). Exploring Two Approaches to Information Management : two Swedish municipalities as examples. In Enterprise Content Management in Information Systems Research : Foundations, Methods and Cases. Berlin, Heidelberg : Springer Berlin/Heidelberg. pp. 217-235.

Conference papers

Svärd, P. & Zimic, S. (2021). Information Management and E-services Development : The Follow-up Process of Residential Care Homes for Children and Young People in Two Swedish Municipalities. In EGOV-CeDEM-ePart 2021 : Proceedings of Ongoing Research, Practitioners, Posters, Workshops, and Projects of the International Conference EGOV-CeDEM-ePart 2021.. pp. 91--102.

Svärd, P. (2017). Hindrances to access and re-use of open government data : the case of Sweden. In Proceeding of DLIS 2017 International Conference. Gaborone : . pp. 1--17.

Svärd, P. & Joshi, S. (2015). Prerequisites to e-Government Development and Open Government: The Case of Three Municipalities. In CeDEM15 Proceedings.

Svärd, P. & Samuelsson, G. (2011). E-Government Developments and The Challenges of Managing Geodata. In Electronic government and electronic participation: joint proceedings of ongoing research and projects of IFIP EGOV and ePart 2011. Linz : (Schrifenreihe Informatik). pp. 175--180.

Svärd, P. (2010). e-Government Initiatives and Information Management in Two Local Government Authorities.. In Proceedings of 4th European Conference on Information Management and Evaluation. Reading : . pp. 429--436.

Kallberg, M. , Svärd, P. & Sundberg, H. (2010). Improving Local Government - A Survey of Problems. In Proceedings of the IADIS International Conference e-Society 2010.. pp. 76--84.

Svard, P. (2009). Archiving Challenges in Africa: The Case of Post-Conflict Liberia. Paper presented at the IASA 2008 Conference, Sydney, Australia

Doctoral theses, monographs

Svärd, P. (2014). Information and records management systems and the impact of information culture on the management of public information. Dis. Amsterdam : University of Amsterdam, 2014

Licentiate theses, comprehensive summaries

Svärd, P. (2011). The Interface Between Enterprise Content Management and Records Management in Changing Organizations. Lic. (Comprehensive summary) Sundsvall : Kopieringen Mid Sweden University, 2011 (Mid Sweden University licentiate thesis : 71)

Other

Svärd, P. (2013). Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission : The Importance of Documentation in Postwar Education and Reconciliation.

Svärd, P. (2008). Interview with Mary Burton, Former Commissioner of The South African Truth and Reconciliation (TRC)..

Svärd, P. (2007). Accountability and Transparency: Why Documentation is a necessary condition for Democracy.

Svärd, P. (2007). Jerome Verdier on the Liberia Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Svärd, P. (2006). Gavin Simpson on the documentation of the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission, News No. 3 October..

Reports

Svärd, P. & Zimic, S. (2021). Slutrapport: Innovativ och samskapande informationshantering för uppföljning av Hem för Vård eller Boende (HVB) : I samverkan mellan Mittuniversitetet och Örnsköldsviks och Härnösands Kommun. Mid Sweden University