Decision to move for more efficient exploitation of facilities

The decision marks an important milestone in our work to create more coherent and efficient faculties planning within the Disciplinary Domain. How facilities are being used and how costs and surface areas are distributed between the campuses have been mapped over several years. Under the leadership of Deputy Vice-Rector Mattias Martinson, the Facilities Planning Committee at the Disciplinary Domain of Humanities and Social Sciences, which includes the managers of the affected campus areas and student representatives, has had the task of working on this issue. One aim of the work was to let the structure of the campuses better reflect the disciplinary domain’s division into faculties - as far as possible.

The analyses have shown large variations in the exploitation rate of both teaching and office facilities, and in many cases student volumes have been too low in relation to the total amount of surface area.

“We’ve identified that we are not utilising our facilities in an economically sustainable or efficient way. A more unified and condensed structure would result in a more coherent exploitation of both teaching and office spaces, which means better opportunities to manage our resources efficiently,” says Mattias Martinson, Deputy Vice-Rector and Chair of the Disciplinary Domain’s Facilities Planning Committee.

Changes in location and spaces

The changes that have been decided mean changes in the location of a number of departments, some of which will also change campuses. The aim is to create more fit-for-purpose, well-utilised environments for teaching, research and administration.

In some cases, the relocations will require renovations and other adaptations, but these measures are financed centrally and do not affect the departments’ normal finances. Some spaces in Gamla Torget, Engelska parken and Ekonomikum also need to be adapted to better meet the needs and student volumes of the departments.

In parallel with this decision on relocations being implemented, the Disciplinary Domain Board is also working on developing a long-term model for how to allocate the costs of facilities.

“The goal is for the departments to have more equal economic conditions in the future and for the cost model to better reflect the conditions under which the departments operate,” says Mattias Martinson.

Police education and training programme is a separate process

The establishment of a police education and training programme at Uppsala University is one of the factors that has contributed to the need for a general overhaul of our facilities planning. This programme imposes particular demands on function and safety, which affects how facilities can be used and which spaces need to be freed up.

“The police programme means a more complex picture for our facilities than what we have had previously. Safety and security matters must be fully investigated, which is why the planning is happening at a different pace from the usual. At the same time, the programme provides us with a broader economic base, giving us greater opportunities to manage our resources efficiently,” says Joakim Palme, Vice-Rector and Chair of the steering group for the police education and training programme.

Buildings 4 and 12 in the Engelska Parken campus are now being made available for teaching, student areas and office spaces leading up to the start of the police programme on 1 January 2027, while other questions that need to resolved prior to the programme’s establishment are being investigated further within the steering group.

Implementation and timetable

The relocations will be carried out in stages according to a set timetable, and most of the moves, as well as the adaptations and renovations, are expected to be complete by the autumn semester of 2027.

In parallel, the Facilities Planning Committee is working on a nine-year plan for the Disciplinary Domain’s facilities planning.

“The goal is a direction that is sustainable over time and provides clear conditions for the entire Disciplinary Domain. That’s why we are now compiling our collective experiences to develop a plan that spans many years ahead and will provide stability moving forward,” says Mattias Martinson.

Emma Hallberg Gardell