SFS comments on the debate on the academy's governance and freedom

Due to the debates on the location issue at Dalarna University, the process of appointing a new rector at Uppsala University and the debate on rector appointments at DN debate, the Swedish National Union of Students (SFS) wants to clarify our view of higher education autonomy and governance. We represent about 300 students and doctoral students in Sweden.


The academy must have a high degree of freedom. The short-term needs of the labor market must never exceed the academy's mission to promote democracy, sustainability, lifelong learning and people's personal development. In governing the country's higher education institutions, it is therefore important to look after the interests of students, academia and society instead of using higher education as a means of labor market and employment policy.

It is the state's responsibility that the higher education institutions have the opportunity to adapt their education to the students' demand, and it is important that the higher education institutions invite and take part in the knowledge and views of different actors. The higher education institutions must work with broad collaboration and dialogue and make decisions.

Both in the case of the location issue for Dalarna University and the process of appointing a new rector of Uppsala University, we see tendencies that business and politics are increasingly trying to control the academy in detail. SFS is strongly critical of this. We advocate student influence and collegial governance and we believe that the higher education institutions have the competence to decide how the educations are to be organized. We are positive about the reform for increased autonomy that was implemented in 1993 and which strengthened the academy's own room for maneuver.

However, the government has a legal opportunity to control higher education in detail, even after the autonomy reform. But how does the government expect the higher education institutions to be able to take the responsibility they are expected to take and if they do not trust and create the conditions for them to be able to take their responsibility? With detailed management, the possibilities that exist regarding taking autonomous responsibility for their operations are made more difficult. SFS proposes four solutions on which the university policy and the management of the country's higher education institutions should be based:

   - Autonomy must be respected - stand for the reform that has been made
   - Respect higher education institutions and students' abilities by trusting the existing skills
   - Listen to universities and students and have a dialogue when you want to influence, rather than go in and control details
   - Create conditions for taking responsibility in all parts of state governance, e.g. by placing a greater focus on basic appropriations when allocating resources

The higher education institutions must devote themselves to education, research and collaboration with society, and they do this best through expertise, student influence as well as participation and listening. Only when we respect this can we seriously face tomorrow's challenges. Instead, thumbing at the prevailing principles is a development that can create major consequences for how higher education and research are governed.

 

Caroline Sundberg, President of the Swedish National Union of Students

Charlotta Tjärdahl, Vice President of the Swedish National Union of Students

Fredrik Lindeberg, chairman of the Swedish National Union of Students' doctoral student committee