The decision is in line with the Government’s reform of the public reward system for Sweden’s top awards (in Swedish).

Vice-Chancellor Emeritus Göran Bexell has been commissioned by the Vice-Chancellor, alongside a working group, to review Lund University’s awards and the process around their administration. The basic principle of the University’s awards is that they are to recognise particularly meritorious contributions of importance for the good of the University and society.

No one is to be rewarded automatically because of their name, social or academic status, only because of what they have achieved. Only living, physical people can receive awards.

An Awards Council is also to be established. The Council is to prepare award matters, come up with their own proposals and encourage others to nominate candidates. The Council is to be made up of at least three and at most five members, of which one shall be Chair.

Awards at the University

“The Lund University Silver Medal” is to be retained and awarded to people who have made particularly important contributions to Lund University and society.

“The Lund University Gold Medal” is to be awarded exclusively to people who have made extremely important contributions to Lund University. The number of people who can receive the award is to be severely restricted. The Gold Medal has primarily been given to previous Vice-Chancellors of Lund University, and only a few others.

Honorary Member is a new award that is given to those who have made outstanding contributions in the public or private sphere and who have been of great importance to Lund University in particular, but also to society in general. The maximum number of Honorary Members is to be limited to five. As an outward sign of the award, the person receives a diploma and a silver key to wear on their lapel as a pin. University employees cannot become Honorary Members.

Other awards

In addition to the above awards, the Lund University Administrative Prize, Lund students’ Prize for Excellence in Teaching and the Award for Long and Devoted Public Service (Swedish abbreviation NOR), are to be retained.

The Lund University Administrative Prize started in 2006 and is awarded annually “for outstanding administrative efforts of an innovative nature that have contributed to the University’s development, or for extraordinary service and efficiency.”

The students’ Prize for Excellence in Teaching for outstanding efforts in teaching started in 2000. The Vice-Chancellor selects up to three winners based on suggestions from the students’ unions.

The Award for Long and Devoted Public Service has existed since 1803 and is awarded to employees who have conducted themselves properly during their employment with the state.

Awards to be abolished

The Bronze Medal and the University Plaque are being abolished.