Vision 2021-2030: A University for the World

The University of Gothenburg will foster internationally distinguished education and research in all the University's sciences and arts with a view to contributing to the evolution of knowledge and enhancing its own competitive power.

Education and research at the University will be characterised by scholarly-scientific and pedagogical collaboration in complete academic environments guided by ethical considerations. Staff and students driven by curiosity, creativity, and the unrestricted pursuit of knowledge in vigorous disciplines come together in order to evolve fresh knowledge.

Continuous quality-improvement efforts will contribute to the development of knowledge while strengthening the international competitiveness and recognition of the University. These efforts include the promotion of academic culture in a spirit of loyalty among colleagues as well as the dissemination of findings and experiences.

All education will be connected to research, and the quality of both teaching and research will be reinforced by collaborative projects on local, regional, national, and international levels. The University will work actively to counter inequality to counteracting inequalities at the structural level while upholding norms which ensure that staff and students treat one another with mutual respect.

The University of Gothenburg will strengthen its relevance as an agent and a partner in society, with the aim of influencing societal development and contributing to the fulfilment of the global development goals.

Firmly anchored in the University’s tradition of a powerful commitment to social progress, unfettered research, and a high level of general education, staff and students will work towards sustainable societal development in the long term.

In close cooperation with a variety of agents in society, on local, regional, national, and international levels, the University will pursue improvement and innovation in society at large. By way of constant development in education and research, the University will meet society’s long-term need for competences and knowledge while preparing students for their future working lives.

The University will step up its contribution towards the sustainable-development goals articulated by the United Nations’ General Assembly in Agenda 2030.

The University of Gothenburg will develop as a coherent organisation, as well as an attractive place of work and study, in order to reinforce the quality and relevance of the education and research conducted at the University.

The organisation of the University will be coherent in a well-balanced manner, promoting the idea of the University as a whole. The development and governance of the University are informed by recognition of the crucial influence exercised by the academic profession as well as by students. The quality and relevance of the University’s operations will be developed by way of stable conditions, a sense of involvement, and cross-border collaboration of various kinds, all of which will be imbued with respect, reciprocity, and joint responsibility. Consequently, the University will be governed with keen attention to long-term perspectives and in a spirit of decentralisation and trust.

All staff and students will contribute to the development of education and research by virtue of their various roles and competences. The University will be characterised by collaboration in a wide sense, staff and students together shaping an internationally attractive place of work and study. Combined with active leadership, dialogues and processes sustained by the cooperation of peers will create working conditions in which the range of a full-scale university is an ever-present advantage.

Objective 2021-2030: The University of Gothenburg will foster internationally distinguished education and research in all the University’s sciences and arts, with a view to contributing to the evolution of knowledge and enhancing its own competitive power.

In the strategy period 2025–2027, the University of Gothenburg will:

Develop world-class education environments
Combining strong research environments with curiosity and skill in teaching is crucial to developing excellent education that meets the skills needs of society. We will deepen the connection between education and prominent research and enable all students to learn and achieve their goals. We will do this by enhancing educational leadership, enabling colleagues to share experiences, improving teaching skills and exploiting the opportunities opened up by digitalisation.

Develop world-class research environments
We will achieve top-quality research that meets the knowledge needs of society by making best use of the University’s breadth and excellence in different fields of research. Our ongoing work on quality, promoting good research practice and protecting academic freedom stands us in good stead here. We need to consolidate our processes by applying for and attracting external research funding. including being more proactive in prestigious calls, especially from the EU. We will work systematically on the research environment, for example in terms of research infrastructures and the use of AI.

Strengthen the University’s identity
We will make our strengths visible by highlighting world-class education and research, education and research that clearly contributes towards sustainable social development and education and research in which the University of Gothenburg is unique in various respects. This will help to strengthen a sense of coherence, but also improve our capacity to prioritise and boost our international competitiveness.

Expand systematic skills supply efforts
Staff expertise and development opportunities are the most important factors in top-quality education and research. We will apply meritocratic processes, facilitate career paths and craft attractive offerings to attract, develop and retain strong employees. Boosting recruitment and reception of international staff is key here. We will also ensure that we offer attractive doctoral programmes that feed into long-term skills supply locally, nationally and internationally.

Objective 2021–2030: The University of Gothenburg will strengthen its relevance as an agent and a partner in society, with the aim of influencing societal development and contributing to the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals.

In the strategy period 2025–2027, the University of Gothenburg will:

Strengthen the University’s knowledge-based voice in society
Drawing on expert knowledge and broad analysis, we will protect democratic values, academic freedom and open science, while simultaneously countering resistance to facts. We will support staff in engaging in the dialogue between academia and society, and encourage and make it easier to participate in knowledge-based and inclusive conversations. We will develop strategically important forums and meeting places, in person and online, that reach a wider audience and new target groups, so making our mark on the development of society.

Drive strategic collaboration and innovation
In interaction with other actors in society locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, we will engage in strategic and systematic collaboration and innovation, fostering mutual exchanges and making a greater contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals and the sustainable transition of society. We will step up dialogue with relevant actors to pave the way for education and research that meets the long-term skills and knowledge needs of society, where our expertise can benefit society. This includes helping to develop the knowledge and student city of Gothenburg itself.

Objective 2021–2030: The University of Gothenburg will develop as a coherent organisation, as well as an attractive place of work and study, in order to reinforce the quality and relevance of the education and research conducted at the University.

In the strategy period 2025–2027, the University of Gothenburg will:

Increase the focus on health factors and health promotion measures
We will enable all staff and students to perform at their best by increasing the focus on health factors and health promotion measures. We will jointly take responsibility for creating an internationally competitive, sustainable and attractive place of work and study in which a diverse community of staff, PhD students and students feel included, safe and secure, and treat each other with mutual respect.

Strengthen our role as an employer
To enable education and research of the highest quality in the longer term, we will improve our capacity to be a good employer and develop employer-employee relations. We will facilitate and encourage good management and leadership at all levels. We will work to put in place sustainable workloads and attractive working conditions, and ensure that teaching posts incorporate opportunities for teaching and research.

Greater city-university coordination
We will systematically increase coordination within the University by taking advantage of our geographical proximity, including between and across subjects, to enrich, develop and resource-optimise operations and highlight the presence of the University in the city. This incorporates aspects from premises to physical and digital infrastructure and administrative procedures to create synergies that benefit education and research.