05 - Sweden - Types of institution

In Sweden higher education is provided at universities universitet and university colleges högskolor. The main part (about 95 per cent) of higher education and research is carried out at the 14 state universities and 23 state university colleges. Undergraduate education is at equivalent level at university colleges and universities. What differentiates the two types of institutions is mainly that universities give a broader range of courses and that they provide post-graduate programmes within one or more areas. Some university colleges have been assigned a specific area of research in which they provide post-graduate programmes.

All higher education institutions provide programmes leading to vocational qualifications. Generally, education in teaching, medicine, nursing and engineering is an integrated part of the education within the universities or university colleges, however some institutions are specialised in education leading to vocational qualifications in specific fields. There are two institutes of technology, one institute for medical training and nursing, three colleges of nursing, one university college for physical education and sports and seven university colleges for arts.

In addition to the 14 state universities and 23 state university colleges, there are independent institutions within tertiary education receiving state subsidies. Three of these institutions have the right to award qualifications in undergraduate and post-graduate education.

A further twenty educational organisers have been granted permission to award Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Diploma in Theology or Bachelor of Theology and Graduate Diploma in Psychotherapy.

Board of governors

Each state university and university college has a board regulating the institution's affairs and ensuring that the institution fulfils its obligations.

Teachers and students at the university or university college have representation on the board, and staff representatives have the right to attend and speak at board meetings. Teachers are appointed through elections and the students themselves choose student representatives. Normally a board has 15 members: Chair, vice-chancellor, seven members appointed by the Government, three members representing the teachers and three representing the students.

The Bill "Freedom to choose – greater influence for universities and university colleges in determining the appointment of board members" (Frihet att välja – ett ökat inflytande för universitet och högskolor när styrelseledamöter utses) (2006/07:43) was approved by the Riksdag in 2007 and provides universities and university colleges with greater opportunities to determine the composition of their boards. The boards will thus be depoliticised and the chancellor will have the opportunity to become the chairman. Nevertheless, none of the universities or universitiy colleges have chosen this solution.

Requirements for post-graduate education

In post-graduate education there are four areas of research laid down by the Riksdag:

Humanities/social sciences, Medicine, Natural sciences and Technology. Post-graduate studies can only be offered by institutions that have been awarded an area of research i.e. each university has at least one such area. The Government may also grant an area of research to a university college.

Institutions with a right to award post-secondary degrees shall have at least one faculty board responsible for research and post-graduate studies. The institution itself decides which faculty boards to establish as well as their areas of responsibility, which does not necessarily coincide with an area of research. The faculty boards are also responsible for undergraduate education if no special boards have been set up by the university or university college.

University colleges without post-graduate education have special bodies for undergraduate education and research if there is no faculty board. At university colleges providing education in arts, the board should set up a body responsible for development work in this area.

Internal organisation

Universities and university colleges themselves decide on their internal organisation. This includes determining regulations concerning faculty boards, boards for development work in the arts and special bodies for education and research.

Teachers/educational personnel

The institutions appoint teaching staff at universities and university colleges. Teachers at state universities and university colleges may be appointed as professors, lecturers, assistant lecturers, post-doctoral fellows, part-time teachers and guest lecturers (including visiting professors, lecturers and assistant lecturers).

The university or university college decides to what extent a position should focus on education, research (or development work in the arts for staff in the arts field) and administration. Teaching staff from all categories has teaching duties in undergraduate education, however post-doctoral fellows mainly carry out research.

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