Working at Lund University

The University's role as a public authority

What does Lund University’s role as a public authority entail? What action can a university take in different situations? Below, you can read about how laws and regulations determine what the University can and cannot do.

The University's role as a public authority | Lund University

Further down on this page you can read mora about working for a public authority.

Terms of employment at Lund University

Lund University is a public authority and as a public sector employee you are covered by one of the public sector agreements on terms of employment that the Swedish Agency for Government Employers has signed at a central level with the trade unions Saco, Seko and OFR/S. In several cases, the agreements allow the authorities to sign local agreements that can be better adapted to the needs of the authority. At Lund University, for example, there are local agreements regarding working hours: Working hours

Read more about terms of employment

Employee organisations

Do you want to contact your employee organisation or get involved as a representative? Here you can find contact details for the three organisations with which the Swedish Agency for Government Employers has signed collective agreements.

Read more about employee organisations

In case of emergency

Find out how to raise the alarm or report an incident such as an accident or occupational injury. You will also find information on what to do in case of threats and risk of violence, or if unauthorised people enter the workplace. In addition, there is information on evacuation, first aid training and crisis management support.

Read more about what to do if something happens

In the event of a heightened state of alert  

Lund University is not among the public authorities tasked with contingency planning for societal crises. Therefore, in the event of a heightened state of alert, the University will, as far as possible, maintain its regular operations. According to the employment contract, employees at public authorities, municipalities and regions are to be at their workplaces in peacetime and in the event of a heightened state of alert. Employees who have a wartime posting at another organisation are exceptions.

Working for a public authority

Working for a public authority means conducting activities which apply the laws and regulations decided by the Swedish government and its parliament, the Riksdag. Each public authority works on the basis of a public service agreement. 

In the annual public service agreement, the government defines Lund University’s remit and the funding allocated to activities for the coming year.

As an employee of a public authority, you have both rights and obligations as well as certain benefits. 

Register for the online course "What are the implications of being a public employee?" in Kompetensportalen (professional development portal).

Shared core values based on laws and regulations

The entire public sector has shared core values based on laws and regulations. The common core values for public sector employees rest on six principles:

• Democracy: all public power proceeds from the people.
• Legality: public power is exercised under the law.
• Impartiality, objectivity and equality: everyone is equal before the law. Public authorities and courts are to treat everyone equally.
• Freedom of opinion: Swedish democracy is founded on freedom of opinion.
• Respect: public power is to be exercised with respect for people’s freedom and equal value.
• Efficiency and service: the organisation is to be run as economically as possible with the highest quality achievable with the available resources.

The principle of public access to official documents

The principle of public access to official documents applies to public administration. This means that the general public and the mass media have the right to access public documents, with the exception of confidential information. 

As a government employee, you have freedom of expression and freedom to disclose information. Your freedom of expression means that you have the right to talk about the organisation with journalists and others so long as you do not divulge confidential information. The freedom to disclose information means that public authorities are not allowed to investigate who passed information to the mass media.

Read more about the rules applying to governing public documents

Due process in the exercise of public authority

Due process is fundamental to all government activity. Citizens must be able to rely on decisions taken by public authorities being based on applicable laws. They must also be sure that everyone is treated equally before the law and that public authorities are objective and impartial in their assessments and decisions.

You therefore have an obligation to follow the rules on conflict of interest and on secondary employment.

Rules on conflict of interest

The rules on conflict of interest guarantee that management at public authorities is characterised by impartiality and objectivity. When processing a matter, you have a conflict of interest if the matter concerns you personally or a person close to you, for example.

Another example of conflict of interest is when the outcome of a matter can be expected to bring significant advantage or prejudice to you or to someone close to you.

There are more situations in which conflict of interest can arise.

Secondary employment

As a government employee, you are not to have secondary employment that damages credibility, interferes with work duties or represents competition, as this can affect public confidence in Lund University. The rules concerning secondary employment are contained in different laws and regulations. 

Read more about the rules applying to secondary employment

Register for the online course Reporting secondary employment - what should I do? (Kompetensportalen)

The course takes about 15 minutes to complete. 

Swedish Public Procurement Act

The purchase of goods and services is to be conducted in a legal, business-like and efficient manner. Make purchases by placing call-off orders from an existing agreement. If there is no agreement relevant for your intended purchase, you should instead initiate a procurement process. The Purchasing and Procurement Division provides support to the University’s organisational units throughout the process.

Read more about purchasing and procurement 

Your benefits as a public sector employee

As a public sector employee, you are entitled to a range of benefits. The collective agreement for government employees entitles you to more annual leave days than the legal requirement, extra compensation in the event of illness and parental leave, a generous job transition agreement, reimbursement for certain healthcare and medication costs and generous conditions for leave.

In addition, the University offers a health promotion benefit and a paid health promotion hour. 

Read more about your benefints as a public sector employee

Award for long and devoted public service (NoR)

This tradition began in 1803 as a distinction for public employees who had shown long and devoted service. The award in the form of a medal, gold watch or engraved glassware is given to those who have worked in public service for 30 years.

You can have worked in different workplaces, as long as they were in the public sector. Special rules apply if for example you are to retire before having worked in public service for 30 years – in that case 25 years are sufficient for obtaining the distinction.

Award ceremony

The next award ceremony will be held on 11 September 2025 at 18:00. 

Choose the award/gift

The award consists of either a watch, various crystal bowls, two different types of art glass or a medal. The watch is a gold wristwatch for men or women. The medal is minted in gold.

You choose which award/gift you wish to receive. If you have been awarded the NoR, you can order a miniature medal on your own initiative and at your own expense, regardless of the award you have chosen. The chosen award/gift cannot be changed.

A more detailed description of the different options can be found on the website of the National Agency for Employers (in Swedish):

Award for long and devoted public service (arbetsgivarverket.se)

Registration for the award

The entry form will open on 1 February 2025, and close on 31 May 2025. 

Entry form (in Swedish) for the award for long and devoted public service | HR-webben (lu.se). 

Do you have questions about eligibility for the award?

Please contact the HR Division via their case management system. 

For more information

For more information about the award please contact the HR Division via their case management system.