Anna Ekström new member of the University board

From 1 May, the new University Board should be up and running. Out of the eight members representing industry and society, six are new from this term of office. The current term of office runs until 30 September 2024.

“Northern Sweden is currently undergoing huge transformation which means we need a strong university – probably more so now than ever. With this Board, Umeå University will get exactly the support and challenges it needs to strengthen its position as Sweden’s fifth biggest university,” says county governor Helene Hellmark Knutsson, who together with Professor Göran Sandberg formed the Nomination Committee.

The new chairperson is former Minister for Education Anna Ekström who, besides her political career, also has experience from the university boards of Uppsala University and Linköping University as well as Director-General of the Swedish National Agency for Education.

“From the Nomination Committee’s perspective we are incredibly pleased that Anna Ekström chose to accept the role as chairperson,” says Helene Hellmark Knutsson. “Anna Ekström has an incredible width, which gives her the best conditions to lead the board’s work and act as a sounding board to the University Management.”

Five new members

The other board members are Sandra Finér, Sverker Sörlin, Kenneth Ruud, Eva Malmström Jonsson and Gunilla Westergren Thorsson. Current members Lars Lustig and Pär Lärkeryd will remain on the board and uphold continuity with their wide experiences.

“To highlight a few of the highly competent members, I’d mention engineer and factory manager Sandra Finér who enters the board with vast experience of both the industry and business incubation. She brings with her a tight link to the societal transformation of the north and important collaborations with the industry. Professor Sverker Sörlin is another person adding huge knowledge about the societal transformation of the north, which Umeå University is an important part of when it comes to education and research. Director-General Kenneth Ruud, based in Norway, adds a Nordic and international perspective to the board, which is also important these days,” says Helene Hellmark Knutsson.

Many conversations

During the work to nominate new members to the board, the Nomination Committee has been in contact with municipalities and county councils, and with representatives of the business sector, to understand what expectations there are on, and experiences of, collaborating with Umeå University. All with the aim to build as strong and wide a university board as possible.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting the new board and continue to develop Umeå University,” says Hans Adolfsson, Vice-Chancellor of Umeå University.

“I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank our retiring chairperson, Chris Heister, and all other members who are leaving the board, for all the hard and valuable work they have put in to support us in the University Management and make Umeå University a better place,” he continues.

“Disrespectful to members and universities”

The Swedish Government announced its decision to appoint the new boards for Swedish universities very late and in this announcement shortened the term of office for board members from three years to 17 months. The reason, they said, was political security and the importance of adding that type of competency to the boards.

“This type of detailed steering has never taken place before and I see it as a direct influence on and restriction of the autonomy of universities. I, and my national vice-chancellor colleagues alike, find this decision highly remarkable for several reasons. It is disrespectful to members and universities. The planned decision was communicated less than a week – and was reached only four days – before the board members were to take office, but is also fundamentally problematic. The procedure conflicts with the nomination procedures that have been carefully outlined based on the universities’ autonomy and academic freedom. Us vice-chancellors will also jointly write an official letter about this to the Government,” says Hans Adolfsson. 

Read the official letter to the Swedish Government