Towards the end of December each year, just before the Christmas break, the government makes changes to the regulatory letters of the authorities. The regulatory letters are the documents that adjust the work of the authorities – this includes universities, colleges and the authorities (e.g. UKÄ, UHR and CSN) that regulate them. So there are usually a lot of changes – we will read these carefully so that you don't have to!
Some changes were expected, others were surprising. Several changes will be good for students and others we are unsure about. Just like on Christmas Eve, there are some wishes that will not come true, but it is still with excitement that we open the university Christmas presents together with you. Of course, the tree has already been thrown down, but feel free to light a candle, maybe gather the family because now it is time for the very last Christmas presents for a long time.
New headphones
The first category is the gifts that were at the top of our wish list. A pair of brand new headphones, for example – long-awaited, in demand, much needed. In the regulation letters, CSN received a new assignment to monitor the social and economic situation of students with a particular focus on mental health. More knowledge and follow-up of students' mental health is something SFS prioritizes very highly. SFS's work to highlight this need is also mentioned in the government's press release about the assignment. Our goal is that the government will ultimately work on the issue from a holistic perspective within, for example, a government investigation, but all steps along the way are good.
Another thing that was high on the list was that The Royal Library is tasked with establishing a national digital platform for openly accessible Swedish scientific journals. The ambition is that scientific publications produced with public funds will be openly accessible from 2020. A large part of the world's research is behind paywalls that ordinary people generally cannot afford - SFS wants all research to be freely accessible. Furthermore, the government will continue work on gender mainstreaming, and introducing new requirements for universities' sustainability reportingIn our opinion, it is obvious that the government should work against all types of gender-based abuses, for example, sexual harassment, by working to change the norms that permeate life at higher education institutions. The new directives regarding sustainability reporting mean that higher education institutions' sustainability work will be coordinated based on the recommendations in UKÄ's thematic report on the area (2017:12).
Warm socks
The second category is the gifts that are not obvious number one places on the wish list but are received with joy and will certainly be put to good use. Think of a pair of nice socks from grandma – you will probably discover an enormous need for something warm made of wool to wear on your feet on some cold day. Such a gift is the returning investment support for rental apartmentsSubsidizing the construction of rental apartments for students is of course something SFS views positively, what we only hope is that the Minister of Housing takes further steps to actually ensure that construction takes off this time.
Furthermore, the government will introduce a new national entrance exam for higher education, with the aim of enabling people with experience such as nurses and teachers to receive further education. SFS believes that we need more routes into higher education, where a qualification exam can be a good way to go. However, it is very important that it is carried out in a legally secure manner, that everyone can afford it and that the value of higher education qualifications is not eroded.
Trisslott
Then there are certain changes where the future will reveal what they will lead to. A slot machine, for example, is certainly always quite fun to get, but there is a certain uncertainty about exactly what return it will give. One such change in the appropriation bill is that more universities will offer summer courses for teacher training and another is that the government should expand work-integrated teacher training. It is a bit difficult to know which direction the development is actually going. The teacher shortage, and by extension teacher education, has been debated so intensely among politicians and the result has been so many small reforms that it is difficult to know what effect will be achieved.
SFS believes that politicians should be cautious about political control of higher education, even if some forms of political control may be justified from a societal perspective. Regardless, a more stringent overall perspective will be needed to achieve political goals while ensuring high quality education.
Thank you for taking the time out of your January to open your university Christmas presents. Now it remains to follow the development to see what actual results the new directives have. This and more will of course be available on SFS's social media channels: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.