Strategic councils
There are four strategic councils at Umeå University that act advisory to the University within their fields – education, research, administration and equal opportunities.
The University Management is the second-highest decision-making body at Umeå University – after the University Board. The Vice-Chancellor holds the highest position at the University and leads the day-to-day work of the University Management. The Vice-Chancellor is also the primary representative of the University both within and outside of the organisation.
The Vice-Chancellor is employed by the Government, after proposal from the University Board, for a maximum term of office of six years. The term may extended, but no more than twice at a maximum of three years per extension. Beside the Vice-Chancellor, the University Management also consists of
The term of office for the current Vice-Chancellor goes from 1 July 2016 until 30 June 2022.
Contact information
Executive Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor:
Katarina Andersson
Executive Assistant to the Pro Vice-Chancellor and the Deputy Vice-Chancellors: Karina Sandström
Executive Assistant to the University Director and Deputy University Director: Elin Wiklund
ImageMattias Pettersson
The Vice-Chancellor is appointed by the Government for a tenure of up to six years, on a recommendation from the University Board. Hans Adolfsson is the Vice-Chancellor of Umeå University since 1 July 2016. The Vice-Chancellor is the head of the University and its chief representative. The Vice-Chancellor is among other things responsible for the achievement of the goals set by the University Board. The Vice-Chancellor appoints its Deputy Vice-Chancellors.
Hans Adolfsson, born 1964, studied chemistry at Stockholm University from 1985–89, and completed his doctoral studies at the Royal Institute of Technology in 1995. Thereafter, he held the position of postdoc at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, USA, between 1996 and 1998. After his postdoc, he was employed as a postdoctoral research fellow at Stockholm University, and in 2007, he was installed as professor in organometallic chemistry at the same university.
Hans Adolfsson has been director of studies in organic chemistry, member of the Faculty of Science Working Committee for undergraduate studies as well as of the Chemistry Section Working Committee at Stockholm University. In 2009, he was elected to the Board of the Faculty of Science and in the following year he was elected Section Dean for the Chemistry Section at the Faculty of Science. Since 2013, he is Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Stockholm University.
The Vice-Chancellor is appointed by the Government for a six-year term based on a recommendation from the University Board of Directors. Hans Adolfsson took on his duties as the eight Vice-Chancellor of Umeå University on 1 July 2016.
Academic merits:
Read more about Vice-Chancellor Hans Adolfsson
ImageMattias Pettersson
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor is appointed by the University Board for a tenure of up to six years. Katrine Riklund is Pro-Vice-Chancellor and functions as a surrogate for the Vice-Chancellor. Katrine Riklund is responsible for research in medicine, sciences and technology. Her post also includes third stream activities and internationalisation within her area.
Katrine Riklund is professor in Diagnostic Radiology at Umeå University.
She has previously been Vice Dean and programme director of the Medical Programme at the Faculty of Medicine.
Katrine Riklund has also been active in a number of steering committees, councils and boards, such as for instance the Educational Strategy Council (USSR), Umeå Centre for Functional Brain Imaging (UFBI) and the steering committee for interactive, creative environments.
Read more about Pro-Vice-Chancellor Katrine Riklund
ImageMattias Pettersson
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research in social sciences and the arts is Dieter Müller. His post also includes third stream activities and internationalisation within his area.
Dieter Müller is professor in Human Geography.
Dieter Müller's research concerns tourism, regional development and mobility.
He is also project leader for a number of research projects and chair of International Geographical Union's Commission on Tourism, Leisure and Global Change. Dieter Müller is also board member of the International Polar Tourism Research Network (IPTRN) and Nordic Society for Tourism and Hospitality Research (NORTHORS).
Furthermore, he is board member of Arctic Research Centre at Umeå University (ARCUM) and was appointed the Young Researcher Award from Umeå University in 2009.
Dieter Müller was Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences from 2011–2016.
Read more about Deputy Vice-Chancellor Dieter Müller
ImageMattias Pettersson
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Education and Equal Opportunities is Heidi Hansson. Her post also includes third stream activities and internationalisation within her area.
Heidi Hansson is professor in English Literature at Umeå University and among other things, her research has concerned postmodern romance, Irish women's literature and Irish book history.
Between 2002 and 2009, she led the interdisciplinary research programme Foreign North: Outside Perspectives on the Nordic North. Within this programme, she investigated gendered visions and accounts of the North in particular. Current projects are a studie on children's literature about and from the Arctic and a study of Irish women's contribution to intellectual journals at the end of the 19th century.
Heidi Hansson is a member of the board of Arcum, Arctic Research Centre at Umeå University, and is connected to several scholarly networks within Arctic Studies and Irish Literary Studies.
As Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Umeå University from 1 July 2016, Heidi Hansson is responsible for educational issues, internationalisation and equal opportunities. She leads the Educational Strategy Council (USSR), the Equal Treatment Council and the Language Council.
Read more about Deputy Vice-Chancellor Heidi Hansson
ImageMattias Pettersson
The University Director is Hans Wiklund. The University Director is the highest administrative manager at Umeå University and heads the entire operational support of the University.
Hans Wiklund took office as University Director of Umeå University on 1 March 2020.
Hans Wiklund, born in 1972, has a Bachelor’s degree in political science from Umeå University. Thereafter, he completed his PhD in political science at Jönköping International Business School and worked as a research fellow in the US for some time.
Previous to joining Umeå University, Hans Wiklund had a position as Regional Director at Region Västernorrland and before that he was Director of Regional Development. Hans Wiklund also has experience from working at the Government Offices of Sweden, more specifically at the Ministry for Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs from 2008–2011.
ImageMattias Pettersson
The Deputy University Director is Per Ragnarsson. He is also budget director and Head of the Planning Office. His role as budget director also includes comprehensive economic matters, such as for instance budget and distribution of resources, follow-ups and calculations.
The Deputy University Director forms a part of the University Management.
There are four strategic councils at Umeå University that act advisory to the University within their fields – education, research, administration and equal opportunities.
There are decision-making and advisory bodies at Umeå University. These committees, boards and councils decide on institution-wide matters and advise the Vice-Chancellor or other boards and councils.
Umeå University has ties to many corporations and foundations that help strengthen and improve our contacts with trade and industry. Together we share knowledge and develop new ideas.