The Swedish National Union of Students makes a statement on the occasion of government decision 27 April 2023 on chairmen and other external members of the boards of 30 state universities and colleges. The government proposes a shorter period for the members than usual in light of the security policy situation and the importance of such competence being included in the boards.
The Swedish National Union of Students, SFS, is very critical of the government's decision to change the appointment procedure for the boards of higher education institutions. According to SFS, the decision means a restriction of the universities' self-determination and risks threatening academic freedom, which in turn is crucial for free research and education.
Free academia, free courts, free art and free press are all cornerstones in the maintenance of democracy and the protection of human rights. Neither daily politics, interest groups nor troll factories should control what may be researched or taught at universities and colleges.
It is important that the boards of higher education institutions consist of representatives from different parts of society to ensure high-quality research and teaching without being exposed to political control or influence. When the government disregards established practices and approaches to the appointment process, it opens the door to more direct political interference in the operations of higher education institutions. SFS is critical that the government chooses not to respect the processes that the universities and their nominees have had before the decision on new appointments for the members of the boards. In addition, we are critical of the fact that the decision was taken with an unusually short time frame and was not prompted by student or university support.
SFS also urges the government to carefully consider the consequences of the change that the decision entails and would like to recall the criticism that has previously been expressed by several parts of the higher education sector against the recent changes to the appointment procedure for the boards of higher education institutions. The changes that have been introduced since the 1990s have, for example, reduced the universities' influence over the process, that a majority must consist of external members and that an external member must be chairman of the board where the academic teachers and students are handled as a kind of special interest. According to some, this has, among other things, led to the universities being increasingly controlled by external interests and having a reduced independence. It is worrying that the government is now introducing even more far-reaching changes that limit the autonomy of higher education institutions.
The government proposes a shortened period for the members in light of the security policy situation and the importance of such competence being included in the boards. SFS is convinced that the challenges facing the universities, in this case of a security policy nature, can be best handled by the universities without interference from politics.
In the long run, state detailed control of the higher education institutions can lead to them losing their ability to assess for themselves which research questions are important to study, and also risks short-term political interests being prioritized over academic quality and integrity. Therefore, it is important that the higher education institutions have independence over their activities so that there is an opportunity to conduct research and teaching in an independent manner.
SFS believes that the academy must be free from far-reaching governance and political interference in order to carry out its missions. It is important that universities and colleges can continue to work based on an academic value base and that operations are conducted with arm's length distance from politics. The educational institutions have a unique role in society, and in order to maintain their integrity and credibility, they must have the opportunity to work free from external influence.
Linn Svärd, President of the Swedish National Union of Students
Jacob Färnert, vice chairman of the Swedish National Union of Students