Why are we asking the Government for increased appropriations?

In February, it's high time for all government agencies, including universities, to hand in their budget data for 2023–2025 to the Swedish Government. The data forms the basis for the Government's national budget and the budget bill that the Government will hand over to the Riksdag (the Swedish Parliament). Umeå University's budget data (in Swedish) contains areas that are strategically important for the sector and our university.

Northern Sweden is now bustling with giant investments for a green transformation, and in the manufacturing industry, this has resulted in huge demand for research and education. It's definitely Umeå University's ambition to meet these demands and to contribute to a sustainable social transformation. Consequently, we're now requesting a long-term increase in government appropriations to higher education. It's exciting to say the least to be faced with such an enormous task, which must be based on joint collaboration and investments, together with several other community builders. The situation is unique and has bearing on Sweden's national climate-protection targets too.

Umeå University represents all scientific fields and contributes with various perspectives, through producing a well-educated workforce and adding knowledge to industry and society. Simultaneously, the University now sees a visible need to reinforce education and research to meet the new needs that arise in society in a relevant way.

This involves areas such as technology, community building and spatial planning. And the population growth that is predicted in Northern Sweden also has ripple effects. When it comes to talent attraction in healthcare, the need for more medical professionals such as doctors, midwifes and nurses will increase further. Our wide array of educations also mean that we can contribute with more well-educated teachers, social workers, police officers and other skilled professionals needed when Northern Sweden is expanding. Research can add analyses of the effects transformation has on the population, communities and environment. It can also provide new knowledge regarding how manufacturing takes place today, but also how it can develop for tomorrow.

The investments planned require structural change across all of Northern Sweden to succeed, by investing in everything from accommodation, service, infrastructure to the import of labour. The domino effect is difficult to fully predict at this point. Nevertheless, I'm convinced that the northern universities play an important role as an attractive motor for people to want to live, study and work here.

To be able to continue delivering high-quality education and research, the budget data contains requests for funding in these domains. For example, we are again requesting increased rates for education. In brief, that means a higher funding rate per student, which in turn means we can offer more teacher-led time on courses compared to self-studies. Umeå University is also requesting increased government funding for research. By that, we mean research funding that is not earmarked, but for which each higher education institution is given the authority to choose the strategic path. A higher proportion of government funding in research increases the University's ability to make strategic research priorities, attract external research funding, fund infrastructure investments and doctoral education, as well as offer attractive employment and clear career paths.

The current transformation of society in the region will affect us all, and the tangible contributions mentioned above are clear examples of what "responsibility for the future" described in the University's vision means in practice.