Annual report and budget documents show stable development
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The annual report for 2017 shows that the University is continuing to enjoy stable development. Several important strategic investments have been made during the year. The budget documentation for the government singles out areas where the University is calling for investments over the coming years.
“The University is enjoying a high level of positive and stable development but that does not mean we can rest on our laurels. We can and want to take greater responsibility in a number of other areas and this has been stated in our budget documentation for the government,” says Vice-Chancellor Eva Åkesson.
The annual report shows that in 2017, the University had a turnover of SEK 6.7 billion and reported a deficit of SEK 134 million. The deficit was according to plan since the goal has been to reduce a previous surplus. Regarding research, several important interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary initiatives have been taken during the year, in areas such as sustainable development, medical technology as well as in humanities and social sciences. The University’s research and research environments have been evaluated in the report KoF 2017 (Quality and Renewal 2017), and a new quality system for evaluation of study programmes has been established.
“We have high ambitions as regards quality assurance and this is reflected in the system of study programme evaluation we have now launched. It is also positive that the number of international students is continuing to grow. This is an indication of the University’s appeal outside Europe,” says Eva Åkesson.
In the budget documentation for the next three years, the University points out to the government that compensation amounts for study programmes in care, technology, science and other programmes with a high degree of laboratory work must be increased. The reduction in value of compensation amounts in recent years has become most noticeable in these fields. The University also emphasises that the increased compensation amounts for the humanities and social sciences should be retained.
In addition, the University is calling for incentives for principals in the healthcare sector to offer more placements. Uppsala University also puts forward that it would like to see a further expansion of higher education and requests more places.
Regarding research, the University is calling for increased basic funding and that, as far as possible, such funding be kept free from the requirement of co-financing for major projects from government financiers. There is also a need for a review of the funding of research infrastructure which is increasingly becoming the responsibility of higher education institutions while at the same time, there are obstacles preventing the higher education institutions from charging other parties who want to use the technology.
Anneli Waara