In this election year, late summer also means political life is getting into gear. No major election pledges relating to our sector have yet been announced, but that is hardly unusual. Major policy areas such as education, healthcare and employment are vying for a share of the Riksdag’s budget and fiscal space. On top of this, there is the strong focus on defence and the fight against crime, which have become increasingly prominent policy areas in recent years.
Although the policies surrounding or directly affecting research and higher education do not feature on the eye-catching election posters, they are simmering away in the background. Viewed over a longer period of time, the conditions for, and mission of, our sector have shifted. Overall, the trend is for politicians to increasingly seek to steer university programmes towards labour market relevance, with a faster pace of study, and research towards innovation and practical application, in order to serve technological development in society. This can be illustrated by the latest initiatives in STEM – both in terms of education and research – and by the remit recently awarded to five higher education institutions (including Lund University) to put forward proposals on how civil engineering courses and study programmes can be accelerated
This summer, the Government presented a new directive pertaining to high-qualilty education provision that meets the needs of the labour market and society (Dir. 2026:82) (in Swedish), which further reinforces this trend. According to the directive, higher education should focus more on offering courses and study programmes that are in demand within the labour market and society. A labour market component is to be proposed as part of the resource allocation.
There is, admittedly, a passage in the directive which states that opportunities for liberal education must be ample and that the autonomy and discretion of higher education institutions must be safeguarded. However, it is impossible to shake off the impression that an underlying sense of mistrust on the part of politicians regarding higher education institutions' ability to create a vital, relevant and robust educational and research landscape in the volatile times in which we live is what lies behind the directive. Universities have a far broader mission and a much greater social responsibility than simply providing fast-track vocational training programmes for industry, the healthcare sector or the business community.
As a university, we need to become even better at articulating how we fulfil this important responsibility and showing the wider world how we do so. Owing to the University’s size and breadth, it is – and should be – a driving force for societal development, adaptability and learning, at regional, national and international levels. We are therefore working very actively to forge new partnerships and alliances both within and outside academia. Although we already have so much to be justifiably proud of, we are constantly striving to do even better! This also applies to our efforts to develop courses and study programmes that are not only relevant but also resilient in these highly uncertain times.
The interaction between academia, citizens, the business community, industry, the public sector and voluntary organisations is where we create prosperity and a shared vision of the future – of what the world and a better society might look like.
Regardless of who wins this autumn’s election, the role of universities in society is something that needs to be constantly emphasised. Lund University will work harder than ever – at local, national and international levels – to drive social development and prosperity.
/Erik
