Introduction
1. Internationally leading research for new knowledge
2. Broad research-based education of high international quality for individual and societal development
3. A well-functioning organisation with strong academic environments that work strategically with recruitment and skills provision
4. Stockholm University shall be a force in society that contributes to democracy and sustainable development
5. Summary and conclusion
Introduction
The starting point for Stockholm University's Science Academic Area’s Strategic Plan 2023–26 is the University's central strategies for the same period of time. The Strategic Plan is aimed at students and staff at Stockholm University as well as society as a whole.
The Science Academic Area consists of one faculty – the Faculty of Science, which in turn consists of 14 departments and four centres directly under the faculty. The latter means that the directors of these four centres have roles equivalent to those of the heads of the departments, with primary responsibility for strategic development within their respective fields. In 2021, the area, i.e. the 14 departments and the four centres, had 1903 employees (full-time equivalents). This was divided into 176 professors, 121associate professors , 29 assistant professors, 366 researchers, 160 postdocs, 627 third-cycle students (i.e. PhD-students) and 424 staff members with technical or administrative duties. In the same year, the number of students at first or second-cycle level was around 4000. The area shall work to increase the number of students and third-cycle students. The Science Academic Area has the capacity to provide high-quality research-related education to far more first-and second-cycle students than it does today. The number of third-cycle students has decreased significantly over the last five years, mainly due to budget limitations.
Those with teaching positions, i.e. positions as professor, associate professor or -assistant professor in the Science area at Stockholm University, are expected to be active in both research and teaching. Assistant professors and associate professors are eligible to apply for promotion to associate professor and professor respectively. Departments and, where appropriate, centres, shall ensure that their own budgets have the capacity to fully cover all teaching posts. The number of staff, quoted above, indicates that the scale of the activity is considerable, which is further illustrated by the fact that the Science area had almost SEK 1.3 billion in government funding and spent around SEK 1.2 billion out of its external grant funding in 2021.
The Board of Science is the highest decision-making body of the Area and the Faculty of Science. The Board's meetings and decisions are prepared by its working committees, four section committees, the first-/second- cycle and third-cycle education committees, as well as other panels and committees. The area is divided into four sections according to its scientific fields: the Biology Section, the Chemistry Section, the Mathematics-Physics Section and the Section for Earth and Environmental Sciences. The area has defined eight profile areas1 that are characterised by extensive and excellent basic and applied research. These eight profile areas provide a framework for the large breadth and depth of the research.
The area's departments/equivalent are mainly located in Frescati, Albano, AlbaNova and on Campus Solna. The departments for the Biology, Earth and Environmental Sciences and Chemistry sections are located at Stockholm University's main campus in Frescati. More than 20 research groups from the area's different departments and from all of the four sections are active at Campus Solna and within the Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab). Stockholm University is responsible for the activities at Campus Solna together with KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and Karolinska Institute (KI), and for SciLifeLab together with KTH, KI and Uppsala University. Three departments – the Department of Physics, the Department of Astronomy and the Department of Mathematics, and two centres, the Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics, Nordita, and the Stockholm Resilience Centre, SRC, have their principal establishments in Albano and AlbaNova. The Science Academic Area also operates a number of smaller field stations and research infrastructures located outside of Stockholm – examples include the Askö Laboratory on Askö in Stockholm's southern archipelago; the Navarino Environmental Observatory, NEO, in Greece; the Tarfala Research Station in the Tarfala Valley east of the Kebnekaise Mountains; the Tovetorp Research Station in Södermanland; and the Swedish Solar Telescope, SST, on the Canary Island of La Palma.
Stockholm University's key strategies focus on four strategic areas:
- Stockholm University's research shall be internationally leading and a driving force in the development of new knowledge.
- Stockholm University’s education shall be broad, research-based and of high international quality for the development of individuals and society.
- Stockholm University shall have a well-functioning organisation with strong academic environments, and work strategically with recruitment and skills provison.
- Stockholm University shall be a force in society that contributes to democracy and sustainable development.
Under the following headings (1-4) we describe the key considerations, positions and choices that the area is focusing on in order to make an optimal contribution within Stockholm University's four strategic areas.
1. Internationally leading research for new knowledge
1.1 Independent research leads to new knowledge and new applications
The Science Area shall support independent research where teachers and researchers develop new knowledge by scientific studies of their own choice and preference. The first and most important task here is to push the frontier for human knowledge forward, but also to lay the ground for new innovations and applications. The area's basic research as well as its applied and challenge-driven research are inedependent and strong. The applied and challenge-driven research addresses both societal challenges and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Strategic and rigorous recruitment- and promotion processes shall continue to support the development of a diverse range of strong research environments. Stockholm University is an internationally leading research university providing research-oriented courses and study programmes of high quality. The teachers shall strive for excellence in research and teaching alike.
1.2 External initiatives and external research grants provide new opportunities
A number of initiatives by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, KAW, will play a significant role in the development of the area's research during and beyond the next ten-years period. The KAW initiative in Data-Driven Life Sciences (DDLS) supports technology development and research in the life sciences by analysing, processing and using the large data sets now being generated at an accelerating rate. The Wallenberg Initiative for Sustainable Materials (WISE) supports research with the aim of building a knowledge base and competence in order to develop new sustainable and environmentally friendly materials. Under these two programmes, the area has announced and will announce a number of assistant professor positions with additional resources that typically include funding for two PhD-students and two postdocs. In addition, the DDLS and WISE programmes are announcing a large number of additional PhD- and postdoc projects, visiting professor grants, and funds to develop technology platforms. The WISE research programme also offers the possibility to recruit senior international top researchers in cases of particular urgency. The Science area shall make optimal use of the opportunities that are offered or may be offered by the external funding via the DDLS and WISE programmes and similar initiatives. Examples of the latter are WINQ, Wallenberg Initiative on Networking and Quantum information, led by Stockholm University, and WASP, Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Programs, in which Stockholm University is not yet participating but is developing strong activities through initiatives in the field of computational mathematics, among others. It is important to take advantage of the opportunities offered by participation in large external programmes, but it is also important to continue to develop the breadth of the area's research through parallel initiatives in other activities and subjects. The Science area shall continue to reserve the funding for strong research areas, so-called SFO grants, originally received for specifically identified areas for those areas. This concerns life sciences (SciLifeLab) as well as climate, marine and environmental research. The area shall continue to support calls for applications for SciLifeLab fellows and contribute to technology development for the life sciences. The area shall use SFO grants to finance a research school in climate, marine and environmental research related to the Baltic Sea.
The Science area shall actively support researchers and teachers in their work on EU applications, in particular those intended for calls by the European Research Council, ERC. The area shall also further strengthen its work on applications to governmental and private funding agencies at national level. In this way the area shall further increase the overall external funding of its research. The area shall actively support researcher recruitment through the Wallenberg Academy Fellows programme and the work on applications to KAW's calls for applications for research projects of high scientific potential and to any future programme of similar nature. The area shall strengthen its work on nominations to the KAW Scholars Programme. The area shall inspire teachers and researchers to apply for grants, including from smaller private foundations by collaborating with the Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services to provide information on calls for applications and other application opportunities. The area plans to draw up proposals on how to co-finance projects financed by external grants, which are strategically important. Initiatives for donations that unreservedly support the University's independent research will be welcomed.
The Science area shall monitor the development of the so-called profile area reform, which may mean that the performance-related allocation of research and third-cycle education funding to the country's higher education institutions will be based on profile area applications and not, as is the case today, on performance indicators such as bibliometrics and the success of applications for external research grants.
1.3 Infrastructure for scientific progress and breakthroughs
It is essential to have access to the most powerful research tools and to suitable, state-of the-art, research infrastructure for the advancement of science. At the same time, this provides a good support for the career development of teachers, researchers, postdocs, PhD-students ond other members of staff. The area shall ensure access to major national and international research infrastructures as well as its own infrastructures, including the research vessel R/V Electra af Askö, for example, and it shall continue to offer a range of local infrastructures including, for example, the "core facilities" supported by the area and the University. The area's support for research infrastructures, including its support for "core facilities" shall be evaluated at least every third year. The area shall take advantage of the opportunities to develop new infrastructure offered by, for example, the WISE and DDLS programmes, as well as to improve existing infrastructures. It is also important to emphasise the significance of opportunities for the area's teachers, researchers and third-cycle students to develop customised equipment for specific scientific studies, which requires good technical support. The area shall support career development opportunities for technical staff with a high level of scientific and technical competence through the introduction of Staff Scientist and Senior Staff Scientist positions.
1.4 Quality assurance of research
The University's quality assurance system for research is based on an annual indicator report highlighting possible changes in the strengths and weaknesses of a department or research environment in a concrete and simple way. The leadership of the Faculty of Science has regular dialogues on research quality with the departments and the four centres of excellence directly under the faculty. The purpose of the dialogues is to monitor and discuss the development of research quality in different research environments. In cases where an indicator report shows major changes over time, or for any other reasons, the area's management may propose to the President of the University to initiate an external focus evaluation. The area shall use the quality dialogues and associated tools to continuously review the research organisation, also taking conditions for teaching into account.
2. Broad research-based education of high international quality for individual and societal development
2.1 Courses and study programmes with strong connections to research
The area's courses and study programmes shall have a strong connection to research in a broader perspective as well as in relation to scientific activities at the University. The latter can for example be in the forms of degree projects within ongoing research projects, but research and research methodologies should also be integrated in other courses. The courses and study programmes shall be of high quality, delivered by teachers active in research, and be sought-after both nationally and internationally.
2.2 Courses and study programmes with focus on skills for the labour market and research
The area’s courses and study programmes shall be of high relevance for the job market, for future academic research and for society. The courses and study programmes shall meet the needs of the labour market for knowledge and skills, while being well anchored in the strong research conducted in the area. This shall be continuously monitored through regular alumni surveys that follow the career development of former students and their reflections on the professional benefits of various educational elements. The area shall offer courses and study programmes for lifelong learning, including skills enhancement courses for professionals who either want to change their career or enhance their skills. The area shall take advantage of the opportunities for increased interest in natural science courses and study programmes at Stockholm University that may arise from the reform regarding transitional study support. The link between the courses and study programmes and the labour market shall be strengthened and clarified. The educational ideal is important and the area shall make use of the broad range of courses available at Stockholm University and through the University's partnerships in this context. It is important that the area continues to offer general courses and study programmes with strong links to internationally prominent research and with great depth in the subject matter. This will prepare students for third-cycle (PhD-) education at Stockholm University or other higher education institutions around the world. The area shall work to strengthen the reputation of both general and vocational education in the labour market – for example, by offering a wider range of internships and practical training courses.
2.3 Teacher training in natural sciences and mathematics
Stockholm University provides teacher training in mathematics and natural sciences, among other subjects. Since 2022, all teacher training, including that mentioned above, is conducted under the direction of the Human Science Academic Area and in collaboration with the Science Area, which is represented in the teacher-training committee . It is crucial to have good teacher training in mathematics and natural sciences for schools and society and for the future academic development of these subjects in Sweden. It is the future school teachers who will inspire and stimulate -the interest of younger generations, which is important for the recruitment of students to higher educational programmes in science, medicine and engineering and thus for medical, technological and methodological developments in society and in companies. The Science area shall continue to be strongly committed to teacher training and its quality development. This is particularly important in the next four-year period following several years of declining numbers of subject teacher students for natural sciences and mathematics. The area shall work to reverse this trend, such as by continuing and developing information sessions to inform students taking a bachelor's degree in mathematics or science about the possibility of a future career in the pre-university educational sector.
2.4 Student recruitment and internationalisation
The area shall work systematically to improve student recruitment in the Stockholm area, at national and international level, and in the short and long term. Student recruitment will be based on the success of former students (alumni) in the labour market, the close links with leading research, the teaching expertise and high level of scientific competence of teachers, as well as the good opportunities for student participation in the decision-making at Stockholm University. The area shall support student social activities, student involvement in educational issues as well as in committees, panels and working groups for the area and the faculty.
The area shall work actively to broaden recruitment and participation with the aim of attracting student groups from environments where higher education is less common. This is not only an issue of democracy and equality; it also has the potential to improve the quality of education and to increase the number of applicants well prepared for courses and study programmes at the university level.
The internationalisation of education is important, not only for the studies themselves, but also to increase the opportunities for students to be exposed to other perspectives and cultures. The area shall work to strengthen the internationalisation of the courses and study programmes and to increase the number of both incoming and outgoing students – such as by taking advantage of the opportunities offered by Stockholm University's participation in the European Civic University Alliance (CIVIS). The area shall consider the possibility of providing more courses and study programmes in English.
2.5 Distance teaching, quality assurance and teaching collaborations
The area shall work to ensure that education can be provided efficiently and effectively, with both on-site and distance teaching (where preferred). The area shall promote digitalisation for the benefit of the education. The University's system for quality assurance of education provides a basis for high quality, and the area shall work to ensure that the system functions well and is appropriately designed. Student participation in the work on quality assurance is key to the development of the system, and the area shall support student participation. The area shall work to create conditions for cooperation in education both within the University and with other universities, such as within the Stockholm trio and CIVIS.
3. A well-functioning organisation with strong academic environments that work strategically with recruitment and skills provision
Stockholm University shall have a well-functioning organisation with strong academic environments, and work strategically with recruitment and skills provision.
3.1 Organisation, collegial decision-making and elections to the area board
The Science area shall have an organisation that promotes quality in research and education and that facilitates and encourages collaboration between departments and faculties and between the two -academic areas of Stockholm University and with other universities. Stockholm University's highest decision-making body is the University Board. The President is the Executive head of Stockholm University, Executive head of a state agency and, together with the Vice President, the University Director, the two Deputy Vice Presidents of the Human Science area, and the Deputy Vice President of the Science area, the President forms the University leadership group. The Deputy Vice President of the Science area is chair of the area board, which is the area's highest decision-making body. The area's Deputy Vice President, who is also Dean of Faculty, and the Vice Dean of Faculty, are appointed by the President on the basis of nominations within the area. Other members of the area board are appointed through direct elections within the area. The decisions of the Science area are prepared through collegial processes at various levels, within the area board's working committee (“Arbetsutskottet, AU” in Swedish), its four section committees, and within a number of other panels. Proposals for decisions are developed and discussed within these committees and panels prior to the actual decisions in the area board. These collegial processes form the basis for the faculty's decision-making and are crucial for establishing the decisions of the area board.
3.2 Transparent, short and efficient decision-making processes
The most important decisions of the Area Board include decisions on teacher recruitment, strategic initiatives, programme syllabuses and course syllabuses, issues relating to quality assurance of research and education, and the overall budget for the area. Proposals for decisions on organisational issues, such as changes to the organisation of the area's departments and centres, and the possibility of setting up new centres, are also discussed and further developed in the board prior to actual decisions. The area shall work to maintain transparent and efficient decision-making procedures and shall ensure that no scientific environment or department becomes sub-critical. It is important that the various activities are of an adequate size to ensure a dynamic academic environment, which is particularly important for the development of third-cycle students, young researchers and teachers.
3.3 Strong independent departments with their own strategic plans
Stockholm University is a decentralised organisation, which means that departments and centres directly under the faculty have a very strong influence also on the overall strategic work in the area and in the University. In the Science area, the vast majority of the faculty's funding for teaching and for research and third-cycle education is allocated directly to the 14 departments and four centres so that they can manage it independently – and with considerable freedom to take their own strategic decisions. The decisions taken at area level are often first prepared at departmental level. This applies, for example, to decisions on teacher recruitment where proposals are drawn up by one, or sometimes several, departments prior to further consideration and decision by the area board. The work of the heads of departments and centres is of key importance for the strategic work of the Area Board. It is of great importance that the departments have well-functioning, effective and efficient technical and administrative support, both through the central administration and through their own operational support. The area shall actively work to further develop the cooperation with the central administration.
3.4 Optimisation of premises for research and teaching
The area shall work to have appropriate premises for research and teaching. The recent sharp increase in the cost of premises poses a major challenge and the area shall use every opportunity to limit the negative impact on research and teaching that this may have. Issues relating to increases in rental costs will be addressed at all levels. Departments and centres shall continuously review their needs for premises. At the same time, premises issues need to be addressed at the overall area and central levels in order to reduce the University's total cost of premises in the long term by creating opportunities to terminate lease agreements for entire buildings. The area shall contribute with total commitment to the central work on premises optimisation and actively consider different ways in which research and teaching can be developed while reducing the floor area of the University's rented premises – for example, by allocating the office and desk space of teachers and other staff in a more resource-efficient way than is currently the case. At the same time, the need for premises for the area's extensive laboratory activities must be carefully considered.
3.5 Teacher recruitment – the most important decisions of the area and the University
The most strategically important decisions made by the area concern teacher recruitment. The processes for teacher recruitment must be open and transparent in order to ensure that the most skilled and suitable teachers can be recruited. The calls for applications must be wide-ranging and it must be ensured that there are suitable candidates available within a given area. A special search committee must be appointed by the hiring department for each individual teacher recruitment case. After the call for applications has closed, the search committee must report to the teacher nomination board on its work to ensure the strongest possible, gender balanced, pool of applicants. Teacher recruitment shall be carried out to develop the strongest possible research and education environments.
Appointment committees are appointed for three years and for each of the four sections in connection with the appointment of a new area board. The external expert reviewers are appointed separately for each individual call for applications and in order to provide a broad and thorough assessment of applicants within the scientific area of the position announced. In special cases, and where several sections are affected by a call for applications, a special teacher nomination board may be appointed for the corresponding recruitment. The current well-functioning processes for teacher recruitment shall be continued to be followed but also continuously reviewed with possibilities for smaller adjustments when needed. Even in times of significant financial challenges, the area shall ensure that initiatives for the strongest possible teacher recruitments can be implemented. The main recruitment route shall be via assistant professor positions but direct recruitment to more senior positions within the University's tenure track system may sometimes be more effective. The related promotion processes shall continue to be thorough with clear and high eligibility requirements. Rigorous criteria for recruitment and promotion are crucial for the long-term development of the University's academic environments since the majority of future professors, who are the University's main representatives of their scientific fields, will have been recruited via assistant professor or associate professor positions.
3.6 Strengthened third-cycle student recruitment and allocation of funding for research and third-cycle education
The total number of third-cycle (PhD-) students in the Science area has declined significantly over a number of years. A strong third-cycle education, with an adequate and appropriate number of PhD-students at different stages of their education, is crucial to maintaining and developing the quality of the area's academic environments. What exactly constitutes a suitable number of third-cycle students may differ between activities. However, it is clear that the number of third-cycle students in the area has decreased significantly up to the end of 2022. There are likely to be several reasons for this, but one main cause is the tighter budget for the University as a whole and thereby also for departments and centres within the Science Area. This has made it harder to fully or partially finance PhD positions via the direct governmental funding (“anslagsmedel” in Swedish) which is allocated to departments or centers. Reductions in co-funding rates have also meant that researchers and teachers have used their external grants for postdocs rather than for PhD-students. A contributing factor is likely to be the freezing by the area of the performance-based allocation of funding reserved for third-cycle education, the so-called third-cycle student carousel, at the 2020 level up to and including 2023. This may have reduced the willingness of departments/ equivalent to invest resources beyond the funding reserved for third-cycle positions.
The area shall take steps to stimulate the recruitment of third-cycle students, particularly in the areas with greatest needs. In 2023, the area will draw up proposals on how best to reintroduce performance (examination) as a parameter in third-cycle education for the allocation of reserved third-cycle education funding. This work will be carried out in connection with the review of the allocation of research and third-cycle education funding to departments and equivalent as decided by the area board.
3.7 Recruitment of heads of department and directors
At Stockholm University and in the Science area, and in the vast majority of cases, heads of department and deputy heads of department are recruited from the department's own teaching staff. This means that they bring with them their own experience of the particular research and teaching activities that they shall lead. Heads of department and the directors of centres directly under the faculty are appointed for a three-year period by the President on the proposal of the Dean and following consultation with the relevant department board or equivalent. The appointment of heads of department and deputy heads of department is of great importance for the development of the activities and must continue to be pursued with the utmost care. Good academic leadership shall be ensured through recruiting heads of department and directors mainly from the respective departments or centres.
3.8 An attractive and gender-equality workplace
The area's departments/equivalent shall be attractive workplaces with guiding principles of collegiality and equality. All staff members shall be treated equally and provided with the best possible conditions to develop within their respective positions. The main responsibility for a good work environment lies at departmental level, and heads of department/equivalent are responsible, by delegation from the Dean, for the work environment in terms of its organisational, psychosocial and physical aspects, including laboratory safety.
The area has the task of proposing and implementing measures for the work on gender -equality in all aspects of its activities. These measures can be within the framework of the area's recruitment and promotion processes, but also in education and training, for example. When it comes to the recruitment and promotion processes, the area shall implement a range of measures and evaluate them. In the area as a whole, senior teaching positions are most predominantly filled by men, mainly in the professorial category, but this imbalance is not evenly distributed across departments and academic environments. There may be many reasons for the gender imbalance, which in turn means that it will be important to have a diverse range of measures to achieve gender balance within different employment categories. The area shall introduce measures to ensure that all staff members recieve training in gender equality work and perspectives, with specialized training for teacher-recruitment- and promotion board members. A system with observers on the Appointment committees shall be tested in a pilot exercise.
4. Stockholm University shall be a force in society that contributes to democracy and sustainable development
4.1 New knowledge for better decision-making and increased impact.
The Science area shall contribute to Stockholm University's role in society, to sustainable development, and shall strengthen democracy by providing new knowledge based on its research, courses and study programmes. The area promotes strong basic research. At the same time, universities and higher education institutions have an important role for the development of society and play a crucial role in building and disseminating knowledge. This is crucial in order to better address the major societal challenges of our time. These two roles do not contradict with each other. Strong basic research paves the way for discoveries that lead to new knowledge, and it provides the basis for challenge-focused applied research. More in-depth knowledge of processes in, for example, air, soil and water, of plants and animals, and of human impact on the environment and climate, provides input for more well-established democratic processes and policy decisions.
In addition to the new knowledge of nature and natural processes to which the research contributes, the most important contribution of the area to the development of society consists of the knowledge and skills that students and alumni bring to society . The area's courses and training programmes shall contribute to an increased knowledge and awareness of the challenges facing society and humanity. The work in both education and research shall be characterised by sustainability and environmental awareness.
The area shall work to simplify and strengthen the communication about research and new research findings. This can take place in many different ways, such as through the area's involvement in Vetenskapens Hus (the House of Science), research schools, open lectures, seminars, through Stockholm University's Baltic Sea Centre, Bergius Botanic Garden, the Stockholm Resilience Centre, the Bolin Centre for Climate Research, and through the information from the departments on new research findings to the general public and decision-makers. Through its own communication and close cooperation with the University's central Communications Office, the area will raise public awareness of Stockholm University as a leading international research university in the natural sciences. The area is frequently requested to provide input for the University's consultation process (“remisssvar” in Swedish) and will respond to such requests as far as possible, thereby further utilising the expertise of its staff. In a similar way, the participation of researchers and teachers in public debate and as experts, in particular on natural science issues, will continue to be encouraged, acknowledged and supported.
4.2 Research and teaching with a focus on major societal challenges
The area shall cooperate with other societal actors and universities at local, national and international levels. The area operates or is a partner in a large number of centres, many of which are operated in collaboration with other actors or universities. The area shall offer education within the subject area of environment, climate and sustainable development, where strong research exists, both in the framework of general courses and study programmes, as well as in competence-enhancing courses for professionals already in work. The area has invested in a new centre, Stockholm University Centre for Circular and Sustainable Systems (SUCCeSS), which collaborates with external actors in order to study and strengthen circular and sustainable processes. Together with other activities in both education and research at, for example, the Bolin Centre for Climate Research, the Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University's Baltic Sea Centre, and the Bergius Botanic Garden, the area contributes to delivering courses and study programmes and research that focus on sustainability and environmental issues.
The area has launched several infrastructure initiatives in the Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab) and makes decisions on the strategic research funds linked to this national research and infrastructure centre, which is jointly run by SU, KTH, KI and UU. In this way, the area makes a strong contribution to the technological development in the life sciences, which is important for driving the development of society, including in the medical field. Around 200 of the area's staff members work at Campus Solna, which is jointly run by Stockholm trio universities (KI, KTH, SU) within the framework for SciLifeLab. This is a good example of the importance of technology-driven research being carried out in conjunction with the needs of research and with other universities and actors. In this way, Stockholm University and its Science area contribute to collaboration and societal development.
Very large external initiatives have been launched in recent years in research areas related to the Science area that are linked to major societal challenges within healthcare, environment and sustainability, among others. This is very positive and the area shall continue to contribute in the optimal use of these resources and thereby contribute to good development in collaboration with actors outside academia. Stockholm University and the Science area will consider the possibility of creating, or contribute to, a centre for the radiological sciences where the basic research that is currently spread across different parts of the Faculty can be brought together and, through external collaborations, linked to clinical research and activities.
5. Summary and conclusion
The starting point for Stockholm University's Science Area’s Strategic Plan 2023–2026 -is the central strategies of Stockholm University. The strategic plan identifies the goals that the area is working towards, which will be reflected and incorporated in the area's action plans for 2023–24 and 2025–26. Key objectives are, in particular, to safeguard independent basic research, to increase the number of first-cycle students, the number of third-cycle students, to consolidate and develop Stockholm University's role as a leading international research university, and to communicate that Stockholm University holds that position. Through decisions in the area board, the area has undertaken to review the allocation of research and third-cycle education funding across 14 departments and four centres. In connection with this work, the area will also consider whether to reintroduce performance-based allocation of the funding reserved for third-cycle students’ salaries. At a time of global turbulence, inflation and sharply rising costs, it is difficult to see the number of teachers or the overall number of employees in the area to grow significantly. This further underlines the importance of the strategic work at departmental, faculty and central university level in order to further enhance the quality of the area's activities within the given frameworks. This is where the recruitment and promotion of teachers plays a key role in the continued development of the strongest possible academic environments.
