Slightly less level of compensation for research than anticipated in the Budget Bill
David Perez (Sweden Democrats), Erik Slottner (Christian Democrats), Lina Nordquist (Liberal Party) and Stefan Olsson (Moderate Party) visited the Ångström Laboratory on 22 September 2025 to present the Budget Bill. Photo: Sandra Gunnarsson, Uppsala University.
On 22 September 2025, the Swedish Government presented the Budget Bill for 2026. Most of the Bill is in line with what was previously advised, which also formed the basis of the University’s 2026 Operational Plan.
In the Bill, the Government proposes an increase in the floor allocation (direct government funding) for research of just over SEK 83 million in 2026 compared with 2025. This increase consists of price and salary indexing (just under SEK 46 million) as well as ad hoc decisions (just over SEK 37 million).
The proposed increase in direct government funding for research is almost SEK 13 million less than anticipated. This is largely due to a reallocation of almost SEK 10 million to other higher education institutions. Both quality indicators and reallocation between higher education institutions are used in the allocation of new research funding. Precisely how the Government has calculated is not reported, but it writes that EU grants have been assigned a higher value with the aim of increasing incentives for higher education institutions to apply for EU funding. The Government is not planning to reallocate any more research funding in 2027 and 2028.
This change is not expected to affect the Operational Plan for 2026, which has already been approved by the University Board, as just over SEK 15 million of the direct government funding for research is reserved for later allocation. Research funding for later allocation in 2026 will instead decrease to just over SEK 2.5 million.
Education
In education, Uppsala University will receive the funding in 2026 that was calculated and planned for in the 2026 Operational Plan and approved by the University Board in June 2025.
All funding amounts are adjusted upwards in line with price and salary indexing. It is proposed that increases in funding amounts per annual performance equivalent advised in previous budget bills be implemented. This means an increase of SEK 1,050 in the funding amount per annual performance equivalent for education in the humanities, theology, law and social sciences; and for education in the natural sciences, technology and engineering, and pharmacy it means an increase of SEK 1,040.
Other matters
In addition to the actual decisions on funding for research and education, the Budget Bill also states that:
- the administrative burdens on teaching staff and researchers will be reduced;
- the strategic research areas (SFOs) will be evaluated and form the basis of the Government’s long-term research policy;
- an inquiry will be conducted into streamlining the governance of the courses and programmes offered;
- the Government will continue to work on the basis of a previous inquiry with proposals to improve the quality and funding amounts for teacher and preschool teacher study programmes.
Anders Berndt