You have now been entrusted with leading Lund University for another three years. How does that feel?
I’m grateful for the trust placed in me. Being Vice-Chancellor of Lund University is a wonderfully enjoyable role, if it is something you are passionate about. Which I am.
The reason I would very much like to continue for another three years is that I believe it is good for the University. Extensions have not been considered in recent vice-chancellorships, which could mean that Lund University loses influence in the long term, both nationally and internationally. We are currently going through a very challenging period for our higher education institutions, and I believe it would have been more difficult to take up the post of Vice-Chancellor today than it was five years ago.
The Vice-Chancellor gets to work with many different groups on a daily basis, both in management groups and alongside staff and students, which is something I really appreciate. Of course, getting to go to the Nobel Banquet is fun, but I can live without that. But I wouldn’t have wanted to live a life without management group meetings.
Will staff, students and partners notice any difference now that you are starting your second term as Vice-Chancellor?
My task as Vice-Chancellor is to ensure that Lund University thrives. So far, each year of my vice-chancellorship has been marked by its own challenges, and so it will continue. The University’s strengths and weaknesses change over time, and that affects how I allocate my time.
There are changes in the world around us that affect us and demand our attention. We are at a stage where democracy is being called into question. As a University, we have a role to play in a democratic society in upholding knowledge, the pursuit of knowledge and academic freedom. We want this to be a place where people practise formulating their arguments, consider different viewpoints and treat one another with respect, even when they disagree. We must actively safeguard academic environments where different perspectives are permitted. We also need to make clear the distinction between research and political views, which is not always that easy.
Two areas that I will continue to focus on are enhancing the quality of the University’s teaching, research and external engagement, and building on our international partnerships.
Another area that is high on the agenda, and where we need to work faster than we do at present, is AI. Above all, we need to understand what our students will need in their future careers and equip them with the knowledge and skills they require.
What is your view of the role of Vice-Chancellor?
As I said, the role of the Vice-Chancellor is to ensure that Lund University thrives. To bring that about, I need to have a thorough understanding of the organisation and lead the process of change that needs to be carried out. The University’s needs will largely determine where I will be working externally. They determine which contexts I am to take part in and what I am to achieve there. In addition, we are members of certain national and international networks in which we should play an active role. So these things are interlinked. You cannot separate external and internal efforts.
What are the most important lessons you have learnt during your six years as Vice-Chancellor?
I have gained a much better understanding of the University’s operations, as well as the challenges we face in the wider world. We need to get better at rising to them. After these years, I see greater value in actual action than in strategic plans. We need to achieve our goals more quickly, and to do that we must work differently. I would like us to be seen as a flatter organisation with a focus on creativity and problem-solving. We can do that, and that is why we have chosen to work with a platform for strategic planning that is continuously updated, rather than a plan that is adopted and intended to remain in force for several years.
Which of your achievements as Vice-Chancellor are you most proud of?
I am proud of our work that has had an international impact. We have become clearer about our goals and how successful we have been in our international recruitment drive. In collaboration with the faculties, we have also succeeded in streamlining our management processes, enabling us to take concrete action more quickly.
I am also very pleased that we have been ranked as world leaders in sustainability. This is, of course, largely down to high-quality research and education, but it would not have been possible without broad commitment within the organisation.
A highlight – for which I cannot take the credit, but which made me very proud – is, of course, the Nobel Prize won by Anne L’Huillier in 2023.
When will we find out what your management group will look like over the next three years?
First, a deputy vice-chancellor will be appointed. The Recruitment Committee, led by Chair of the University Board Ingrid Petersson, is responsible for that recruitment process, which will be completed in December.
Alongside that work, I am considering and planning for various scenarios, since as Vice-Chancellor I am the one who appoints the pro vice-chancellors. It takes a certain kind of background to succeed in the role of pro vice-chancellor. I need to put together a team that works well together and where the individuals complement one another. My plan is to announce the members of the management group after the deputy vice-chancellor has been appointed, but before the end of the year.