NEWS How can shrinking regions address labour shortages, inequality, and demographic challenges? Over four days, researchers and societal actors gathered at Umeå University to discuss this topic – focusing on the role of geography and migration processes in understanding and shaping the labour markets of the future.
Policy panel. From the left: Karin Ahnqvist, HR Director, Umeå Municipality, Marta Teclemariam Bahta, Strategist, Region Västerbotten, and Elin Slätmo, Senior Researcher, Nordregio.
Image Simon OjaFrom 25 to 28 March, Umeå University hosted the international conference Regional labour markets in times of shrinking populations: challenges, social inequalities, and ways ahead. The event was organised by the Department of Geography in collaboration with the IGU Commission on Population Geography and the Centre for Regional Science (Cerum), with support from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.
This type of research dialogue is crucial to understanding how structural changes affect different parts of the country in different ways.
The conference brought together around one hundred researchers from twenty countries to present new research on labour markets, migration, and demographic change – all issues that are particularly relevant for Norrland and other sparsely populated regions.
“This type of research dialogue is crucial to understanding how structural changes affect different parts of the country in different ways. It is also an opportunity to highlight the strong research conducted at Umeå University in the areas of regional development, labour markets, and migration,” said Charlotta Hedberg, Professor of Human Geography and Chair of the conference’s Scientific Committee.
This perspective was echoed in the opening session, where Dieter Müller, Professor of Geography and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Umeå University, underscored the current transition in northern Sweden:
“The shift has moved from a fear of unemployment to a fear of labour shortages – a new reality that requires strategic collaboration on multiple levels,” he noted.
The conference featured three keynote speakers, each highlighting labour market challenges from both global and northern perspectives. Madeleine Eriksson from Umeå University explored how green industrial investments in the North both enable and complicate local development – particularly regarding social and environmental resources. She emphasised how high-speed projects within the green transition can create tensions between the state, companies, and local populations – especially for migrant workers whose working and living conditions are marked by uncertainty. The question, she noted, is not just what is being built – but for whom.
Maria Abreu from the University of Cambridge addressed migration’s role in demographic shifts in peripheral regions. She advocated for a capabilities-oriented approach to regional development, one that centres on individuals’ real opportunities to lead meaningful lives rather than focusing solely on employment rates or GDP. Abreu also highlighted how various regional migration strategies – such as those in Canada – can revitalise depopulated areas. However, another conference participant raised concerns about the ethical implications of “retaining” migrants. What are we really expecting migration to achieve? A relevant question for northern Sweden as well.
Johan Fredrik Rye, who recently moved from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) to the University of Oslo, described how migrant workers in rural regions are often perceived as both a solution and a threat – complicating integration and mutual understanding. He argued for a shift in mindset: from viewing migrant workers as ‘the other’ to normalising their presence – a key to building sustainable communities where work and living conditions are interconnected.
A particularly appreciated part of the programme was the open policy panel held in the Ljusgården atrium. Moderated by Professor Rikard Eriksson, the panel featured Karin Ahnqvist, HR Director, Umeå Municipality, Marta Teclemariam Bahta, Strategist, Region Västerbotten, and Elin Slätmo, Senior Researcher, Nordregio, discussing how municipalities and regions can practically address skills supply in a rapidly evolving labour market.
We in northern Sweden are already in the perfect storm that other parts of the world are only beginning to see
The panel made clear: there is no quick fix. Instead, evidence-based decisions and context-specific interventions are needed. Several successful examples were highlighted – such as Lappland Lärcentrum and digital reskilling programmes – but so were the difficulties that arise when national policies fail to accommodate regional needs. The panel agreed: we need to think outside the box – while also strengthening the links between employers, the education sector, and public services.
“We in northern Sweden are already in the perfect storm that other parts of the world are only beginning to see,” one panelist said – underlining the need for rapid knowledge transfer, proactive leadership, and locally tailored strategies.
The conference underscored the central role of geography in understanding how place, space, and mobility influence societal development. It is about connecting the local with the global, and providing decision-makers with the knowledge needed to navigate an ever-changing reality. A recurring theme was geography’s role in building bridges – between practice and policy, between people and places. Understanding patterns of mobility and the appeal of place proved crucial to identifying long-term solutions.
As conference co-organiser Marco Eimermann summarised:
“Our goal was to bring together researchers in regional studies and economic geography with those in population geography, migration studies, and related fields – and thanks to our keynotes, policy panel, and everyone who contributed to the conference, we’ve succeeded.”