Umea University

A dynamic and open culture serves as the catalyst for high-quality education, research and innovation. Meet the flagship university of northern Sweden. After decades of parliamentary debates about the need for a university in northern Sweden, Umeå e need for a university in northern Sweden, Umeå University was inaugurated in 1965. The land where Campus Umeå is today had long been used for winter grazing by local Sami reindeer-herders. The geographical and cultural distance to the traditional universities of central and southern Sweden was evident in the early years. At Umeå University, a distinctly non-hierarchical and collaborative culture evolved. In April 2019, the University Board established a new Vision for Umeå University. The vision charts our way forward and describes where Umeå University aspires to be in the future. It is based on three main concepts: Responsibility for the future Collaborative development of knowledge Competitive edge and pride Over the past decades, the University and the city of Umeå have developed hand in hand. The influx of people from near and far has transformed Umeå into northern Sweden’s largest urban community. Umeå University's geographical position in northern Sweden, Sápmi, and the Arctic Region of Europe provides us with unique opportunities to contribute new knowledge of global importance. Umeå University is a comprehensive university and one of Sweden’s largest higher education institutions with over 41,500 students and around 4,600 staff. We have a diverse range of high-quality educational programmes and research within all disciplinary domains and the arts. The University offers world-class educational and research environments and helps expand knowledge of global significance. This is where the groundbreaking discovery was made of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool, which was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. At Umeå University, everything is just around the corner. Our tightly knit campus makes it easy to meet, collaborate and share knowledge, something that encourages a dynamic and open culture. Umeå University's departments and units are organised under four faculties; arts and humanities, medicine, social sciences and science and technology. In addition, research and education is carried out at seven schools and institutes, and seventeen research centres. The University Library and the University Administration provide support and structure. The University Board is the University's highest body. Vice-Chancellor Hans Adolfsson is the chief executive and head of The University Management. The vision charts our way forward, describes where Umeå University aspires to be in the future, and is anchored in three guiding principles: Responsibility for the future Collaborative development of knowledge Competitive edge and pride The overall principles describe the responsibility that Umeå University assumes for meeting societal challenges, our plan to further the development of research and education, and how we will position ourselves in the world and increase our ability to attract students, members of faculty and staff, collaborative partners and funding. The vision is primarily designed for university faculty, staff and students, and should be the basis for all organisational planning. It will remain valid as long as it is considered meaningful and provides an effective guide for the choices, priorities and decisions made at all organisational levels. The Vision was established by the University Board on 3 April 2019 and replaces Vision 2020. Our core values are characterised by three academic core values: academic freedom, academic collegiality and academic integrity. The University is also a government authority, meaning the central government’s basic values apply to our activities. Our starting point is that academic freedom requires collegial responsibility and the integrity of our staff. The academic core values are fundamental for enabling fulfilment of our mission with quality and credibility. ...view more