Work has started to recruit a new President for Stockholm University
31 January 2025, the tenure of Stockholm University’s current President Astrid Söderbergh Widding expires. The university board has now started the work for proposing a new President. This is how the process works.
During the autumn 2023 the work starts for proposing a new President for Stockholm University. The University's Senior Management Team is represented in Blom hus at Frescati, a building from 1838. Photo: Per Larsson/Stockholm University
According to the Higher Education Ordinance, it is the government that appoints Presidents for Swedish higher education institutions based on proposals from the higher education institutions’ boards. The appointment of a President is six years and it may be renewed a maximum of two times every three years, which means that a President can stay at a higher education institution for a maximum of 12 years.
Astrid Söderbergh Widding, Professor in Cinema Studies, was installed as President of Stockholm University on 1 February 2013. She has since received renewed trust as President twice, and therefore cannot be reappointed. Her appointment expires at the end of January 2025.
“A preliminary timetable has been made and we expect that the recruitment process will last for one year, until September 2024”, says Anna Riddarström, senior analyst at the Office of the President, with responsibility for the recruitment process.
The first step was taken when the university board on 22 September decided to start a recruitment process in open competition, which means that a recruitment group must be appointed.
The task of the recruitment group is to hold together the process of recruiting a President, to be responsible for hearing teachers, other employees and students through the hearing assembly and to submit a proposal for a President to the university board.
In order to include teachers, other employees and students in the recruitment process right from the start, an information meeting was organized on 6 September with the hearing assembly to tell them about the upcoming recruitment process. Those who represented the hearing assembly in the recruitment group when the current President was recruited participated at the meeting and shared experiences from that process. The chairman of the university board also participated.
Recruitment group with nine members will be appointed
“The next step in the recruitment process is to appoint a recruitment group that will carry out the ongoing recruitment work in accordance with the rules established for the process. The Office of the President, together with the Human Resources Office and the Communications Office will support the recruitment group in this work”, says Anna Riddarström.
The recruitment group is appointed during October and November and consists of nine members, three of which are appointed by the university board, three are appointed by the hearing assembly, two are appointed by the student union and one by the staff organizations. One of the members appointed by the university board becomes chairman of the group.
Requirements profile for new President
During December 2023 and January 2024, the recruitment group will work on developing proposals for a requirements profile after discussions with the hearing assembly and the university board. Then the university board can decide on a requirements profile in February 2024 and after that the recruitment group can design an advertisement and decide on a time frame for free nomination. During the spring, the recruitment group will conduct interviews and select which candidate or candidates will be presented to the hearing assembly.
Teachers, other employees and students must be heard
The goal is that the university board will decide on a proposal for a new President in September 2024, and before then the board must hear teachers, other employees and students, which takes place through Stockholm University’s hearing assembly.
The hearing assembly at Stockholm University consists of 60 members who are elected for three-year terms, where 36 are representatives of the teachers, 12 are representatives of other employees and 12 are representatives of the students.
The recruitment group will select which candidate or candidates will present themselves to the hearing assembly. After the presentation, the hearing assembly must report its opinion to the recruitment group.
Decision on President
When the recruitment group has received the hearing assembly’s opinion on the candidate or candidates, they submit their proposal for President to the university board, which then decides on the proposal. The government then appoints a new President for Stockholm University.
The goal is that the university board will decide on a proposal for a new President in September 2024. Photo: Ingmarie Andersson/Stockholm University
Last updated: 2023-10-05
Source: Communications Office