Government proposes overhaul of university board appointments

The Swedish government announced a proposal on 3 October to change the way in which university boards are appointed.

Until 2007, the boards of universities were appointed by the government. But in 2007 the system was changed so that the chairman of the board and its external members were appointed by the government on the recommendation of the university’s vice-chancellor. The government has decided that this system is undesirable because the vice-chancellor of Swedish universities is also appointed by the board. The government claims this has the potential to make the respective responsibilities of the vice-chancellor and the board unclear.