A stronger collegial leadership takes office

Over the past year, several decisions have been taken by the University Board, the Faculty Board and the President, which are now coming into effect. The preparatory work has been carried out within the framework of KI’s priority focus areas, in particular Task B: Clearer responsibilities and roles within the Management Unit and in management, and the academic elections held at KI during the past term. 

One significant change is that the President has appointed Martin Bergö as the new chair of the Faculty Board, alongside his role as vice president. Until now, the President has served as chair.

“I am very much looking forward to this change and expect it to strengthen collegial governance and clarify the division of responsibilities between the President, the Faculty Board and the committees. The Faculty Board should be a strong academic driving force that contributes quality, a holistic perspective and broad support. My role will be to coordinate the work, foster good dialogue and ensure that issues are addressed at the appropriate level,” says Martin Bergö.

Deans, deputy deans and faculty representatives take up their posts

Following the spring term’s consultative academic elections, the new deans and deputy deans (formerly vice presidents and vice-chair of committee) will also take up their posts as leaders of their respective areas and associated committees:

• Ewa Ehrenborg, Dean of Education.
  Read the interview with her: “Research and education interact and reinforce each other”.
• Maria Hagströmer, Deputy Dean of Education.
  Read the interview with her: “We need clear career paths for our lecturers”.
• Erika Franzén, Dean of Doctoral Education. 
  Read the interview with her: “I want to create a more sustainable situation for clinical PhD students”.
• Tobias Alfvén, Deputy Dean of Doctoral Education.
  Read the interview with him: “I want to strengthen KI’s international role as a pioneering, collaborative and global institution”.
• Petter Höglund, Dean of Research.
  Read the interview with him: “I want to strengthen collegial influence in research matters”.
• Kristina Johnell, Deputy Dean of Research.
  Read the interview with her: “It is important to capitalise on KI’s strong translational potential”.

In addition, 22 new faculty representatives are taking their seats on the Faculty Board and its committees. 

Clearer working methods and collegial cooperation

"I want the Faculty Board to be more forward-looking, more coordinating and clearer about which issues we should actually be pursuing. We need to distinguish more clearly between issues to be decided by the Faculty Board, by the committees, and by the President. I will pay close attention to meeting culture, time management, the atmosphere of discussion, and ensuring that all members and co-opted members have their say,” says Martin Bergö.

Updates to several of KI’s governing documents have clarified the responsibilities and mandates of the Faculty Board and the committees to strategically develop, quality-assure and drive forward issues within their respective areas. 

Decisions have also been taken aimed at strengthening the link and cooperation between the Faculty Board and the committees by ensuring that both deans and deputy deans are members of the Faculty Board. The President has the right to attend and speak at Faculty Board meetings, and the Campus Vice Presidents (formerly Deans), who lead KI’s campus groups, are co-opted members.

Active leadership and increased representation

“I expect active academic leadership. Deans and deputy deans need to develop their respective areas whilst working more closely together, across the committees and with the Faculty Board. Faculty representatives will play a more important role than before, both as representatives of the academic community’s perspective and as leaders in the Board’s sub-committees and Faculty Forum,” says Martin Bergö. 

The number of members on the Faculty Board has been increased to broaden representation from KI’s academic staff. One of their first tasks will be to launch the Faculty Forum this autumn – a regular meeting forum for dialogue on strategically important issues for KI’s researchers and teaching staff. Invitations to KI’s first Faculty Forum will be sent out after the summer.