Kunskapsregister

Kunskapsregister is a term used to describe a registry or database that collects, stores, and maintains information about individuals’ competences, skills and qualifications. The concept can refer to registries maintained by public authorities as well as internal registries used by organizations. A kunskapsregister typically contains data such as education, degrees, professional licenses, vocational training, certifications, languages, work experience, and current competence profiles. It may also track training needs, certification renewals and availability for assignments.

The purpose of a kunskapsregister is to support planning, recruitment and development. It helps match tasks and roles to people, identify competence gaps, plan training programs and ensure knowledge continuity. In the public sector, such registries can assist with staffing analyses, risk management and emergency preparedness, while in healthcare or education they may contribute to patient safety and quality improvement.

Governance and privacy are central considerations. Registries handling personal data are subject to data protection laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union. This includes purposes limitation, consent where required, data minimization, accuracy, access controls, auditing and clear retention periods. Individuals should have rights to access and rectify information, and organizations must ensure data security and governance.

Implementation often involves digital databases integrated with human resources information systems (HRIS) and learning management systems (LMS). Interoperability and data standards support sharing information between organizations when appropriate.

Examples of usage include municipal administrations in Sweden maintaining kunskapsregisters to map staff competencies for service delivery, healthcare organizations tracking clinical competencies, and educational institutions documenting staff qualifications.

See also: competency management, skills registry, knowledge management.