Lisa Laun rewarded for study on independent actors in labor market policy

Lisa Laun, adjunct professor of economics at Stockholm University and researcher at IFAU, is one of the recipients of the Swedish Unemployment Insurance Funds’ 2025 Research Award. ”We look forward to continuing our research,” says Lisa Laun about the award.

Photo: Linus Liljeberg/IFAU

Lisa Laun is recognized together with six co-authors for a study which examines the effects of the Swedish Public Employment Service’s program Rusta och matcha (Prepare and Match).

”It feels great that the study has received this award. We look forward to continuing our research on independent actors,” says Lisa Laun.

The study shows that support provided through independent actors was more costly than regular services, but did not lead to better outcomes in terms of higher income or sustained employment. The researchers also found that the financial incentives built into the compensation model did not work as intended.

The research council behind the award highlights that the evaluation is unique in its scope, as it is based on data from around 240,000 individuals and uses an experimental design. The study thus provides important insights into the effects of labor market policy reforms.

About the study and the research award

The researchers behind the study are affiliated with IFAU, the Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.

Read the study here (in Swedish)

About Lisa Laun’s research

The Swedish Unemployment Insurance Funds’ 2025 Research Award will be presented on December 4. The award amounts to SEK 100,000.

More about the award (in Swedish)

Theme

Economy and Society

Last updated: November 5, 2025

Source: Department of Economics

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