Tjärnö proposed to remain at the University of Gothenburg
The Board at the Faculty of Science proposes that the University of Gothenburg keep the Tjärnö Laboratory as a marine research station. At the end of February, the vice-chancellor and the University Board are expected to make a final decision on the future of the station.
The University of Gothenburg currently operates two marine research stations. In addition to the Tjärnö Marine Laboratory, the university is also organisationally responsible for the Kristineberg Center for Marine Research and Innovation in Fiskebäckskil, which it took over from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 2008.
During the autumn of 2023, an investigation was conducted on the organisation and governance of the marine research stations. The background is that the university cannot bear the costs of two stations. In January, the external investigator Ingrid Pettersson presented her proposal, which means that the university will retain the Tjärnö Laboratory and that Kristineberg will have a new responsible organisation.
As a basis for the proposal, the investigator writes, among other things, that:
- Tjärnö is larger and both research and education have grown in scope in recent years.
- The possibilities of finding another organisation that can run operations are greater for Kristineberg than for Tjärnö.
The investigator also emphasises the station's activities for schools and the general public, and its interaction with the surrounding community and the Kosterhavet Marine National Park.
Hoping for long-term and sustainable development
The investigator's proposal has now been considered by the Board at the Faculty of Science. The Board recommends that the vice-chancellor and the University Board accept and proceed with the proposed solutions.
"I am of course very happy and relieved about the proposal to keep Tjärnö as the university's marine research station. I also hope that it leads to a long-term and economically sustainable development for both Tjärnö and Kristineberg, albeit under different organisations. The investigation clearly points to unique conditions and great values in both stations, as well as a growing need for marine infrastructure in Sweden and internationally," says Marina Panova, station director at Tjärnö Marine Laboratory.
Text: Susanne Liljenström
