Several of the university's challenges can be traced to the lack of higher education pedagogical development and implementation. The higher education pedagogical conversation easily stops at the need for more resources. However, it is not increased resources that are the goal in themselves, but an education where pedagogy is put in focus. To get there, a change of attitude towards higher education pedagogy is required. Actors in higher education and politicians must realize the importance of good pedagogy in higher education and how it contributes to high quality.
Good pedagogy in higher education is a prerequisite for effective learning and study. Through good pedagogy, the opportunity for the student to actively take part in the education increases. Everyone who teaches in higher education must have undergone a higher education pedagogical education of high quality and continuously undergo relevant continuing education. Since today's doctoral students are tomorrow's academic teachers, all doctoral students must have a basic pedagogical competence. This is obtained through higher education pedagogical education during the doctoral program. Teaching must have the same, or higher, significance and status as research. In the cases required, teachers must prioritize teaching. This is to prevent teachers' interest in research from exceeding the quality of teaching.
As a teacher, having competence in higher education pedagogy must have a higher status. Therefore, merit systems are needed that take greater account of the teacher's higher education pedagogical skills. It is important that higher education pedagogical qualifications can be assessed equally, therefore national definitions of what is the pedagogical skill on which the merit systems are based need to be developed. The academy has a tradition of not meriting pedagogical skills to the same extent as scientific skills, even if it is a requirement under the Higher Education Act. SFS believes that pedagogical skills should be seen as equivalent to scientific competence in teacher appointments and that this should be actively demonstrated by each higher education institution.
According to the University Chancellor's Office's (UKÄ) report on the higher education institutions' pedagogical development work, most measures are required to improve the higher education pedagogical situation in Sweden. A national strategy is required to gain a long-term perspective and a common view of the work. This strategy may also include suggestions on how digitalisation's opportunities are best taken care of to promote higher education pedagogy. The Swedish Council for Universities and University Colleges (UHR) can act as a national meeting point for higher education pedagogical issues. This could be done by another or new player, but UHR can provide a stable foundation.
To promote research and scientific development in higher education pedagogy, a number of clarifications are required of the Swedish Research Council's activities and that they are given resources to develop the research base. Since only half of the higher education institutions surveyed stated that they saw a connection between quality work and higher education pedagogy, which does not correspond well with what SFS believes, the national quality assurance system must set stricter requirements for higher education pedagogical development.