1866–1951

The Royal Swedish Army Staff College was the name which that the former Higher Artillery School (Högre artilleriläroverket) in Marieberg adopted in November 1866.^[2] The Swedish Army then received for the first time a training course for staff officers. The initiator of the 1870s reform of the higher officer training was the Chief of the General Staff, Major General Hugo Raab. By promoting an officer training in accordance with academic principles he laid the foundation for today's officer training on a scientific basis.^[3] In 1878 the name was passed over to the new educational institution in Stockholm, which would become the academy of military sciences in Sweden. Its purpose was to teach officers increased insights into subjects of war sciences.^[4]

Thorough education was communicated in military sciences, such as mathematics, mechanics, physics, chemistry, descriptive geometry, geodesy and architecture. There was a general and a higher course in the majority of the subjects. The teaching time was calculated so that in 5 years, two courses could be completed. One had to pass the course for promotion to lieutenant in the Artillery and the Fortification (Fortifikationen), as well as for entry into the General Staff.^[5] The course was two years long. During its first years, it began on 1 August each year with an even order number, and received after entry examination 20-40 officers. Eventually the start of the course was moved to the beginning of October and the end of the school year to July. From 1905, a new course with 25 students started every year, so that two courses could run at the same time.^[4]

When the college was established, so was a joint board consisting of one Inspector for the Military Schools (Inspektör för Militärläroverken) and a Military Education Commission (Krigsundervisningskommission).^[6] The Inspector for the Military Schools handled all points of order, and the economic objectives and the Military Education Commission handled all issues relating to education. The inspector was officio the chairman of the Commission, whose members were the heads of the General Staff, the Artillery and the Fortification, or those that the King in Council upon their proposals, in their place, appoints, which are the heads of the Royal Swedish Army Staff College and the Royal Military Academy.^[5]

1951–1961

In 1951, the higher courses of the Artillery and Engineering College were incorporated into the Royal Swedish Army Staff College. The school then included a staff programme, a weapon technical programme, an engineer programme and a fortification programme (with students from the Navy and Air Force).^[7] The Royal Swedish Army Staff College was discontinued in 1961 and the Royal Swedish Armed Forces Staff College was formed by merging war colleges of the different military branches, namely the Royal Swedish Army Staff College (established in 1878), the Royal Swedish Naval Staff College (established in 1898) and the Royal Swedish Air Force Staff College (established in 1939).^[8]