Near SEK 200 million to School of Education and humanist offensive
NEWS
The University Board has announced today its decision to contribute 136.7 million kronor to the Umeå School of Education (USE) and 36 million kronor to strengthen research in the arts and humanities at Umeå University.
The total investment approaches 200 million kronor when adding the recent donation from Umeå real estate company Balticgruppen.
The objective of the School of Education is to build the best institution of teacher education in Sweden and maintain a prominent position within research in the field. “This allocation of funds is the largest ever known in this academic area and it will be significant in promoting research in teacher education at Umeå University as well as nationally and internationally,” says Göran Sandberg, Vice-Chancellor of Umeå University.
Measurement and evaluation, reading and writing research, ICT, media and learning, mathematics education are the four areas of research that will be in focus. Five new professors will be recruited, as well as two doctoral students, 2 two-year post-doctoral positions and a start-up grant.
“This investment proves that Umeå University is now concentrating on being one of the nation’s leading research milieus within teacher education research, “says Björn Åstrand, head of the Umeå School of Education.
The four areas of development that have been prioritised are: Memory and learning, Umeå Science Education Research, education history with history didactics, childhood education, career development and welfare.
“Excellence in humanities research has a vital role for the entirety of Umeå University, both for society and for the humanities subjects in themselves, but also because they are directly involved in a number the university’s areas of excellence in research,” continues Göran Sandberg.
“This represents a remarkable strengthening of research capacity at the Faculty of Arts,” says Britta Lundgren, Dean of the faculty. “The investment includes both established and new researchers. We can hire more researchers and give more research opportunities to recent doctoral recipients.
The resource allocation from the University Board will finance nine six-year term positions during the period 2009-2014. Appointments focus on three strategic areas for the faculties continued development: Language and language didactics, science/technology and environmental studies, and the field of aesthetics.
In 2006, the Faculty of Arts formed a humanist offensive, to better promote the humanities and arts and Umeå University.
For more information contact:
Björn Åstrand, Head of Umeå School of Education Phone: +46 (0)70-6424212
