Open Hearing with candidate(s) for President of Stockholm University

During the hearing in Aula Magna the final candidate(s) for the position of new university President will have the opportunity to present themselves to staff and students. Photo: Agneta Hollström

“At the hearing, the person or persons who have been selected as the top candidates by the recruitment group after careful consideration and two rounds of interviews will present themselves. All staff and students will have the opportunity to listen and ask questions,” says Mats Melin, chairman of the university board and chairman of the recruitment group.

The recruitment group is responsible for the ongoing work of recruiting a new President for Stockholm University and consists of representatives of teachers, other staff, students and the university board.

The work of recruiting a new President for Stockholm University has been ongoing since the autumn of 2023. The current President, Astrid Söderbergh Widding, will be leaving her position at the end of January 2025, and a new President is to be recruited for the period from 1 February 2025 to 31 January 2031.

Why is the university organising an open hearing?

“We are doing this so that everyone can meet and get a picture of the person or persons who the board may propose as the new President and leader of the entire university. Not all universities do this, but we believe that it is important to have as much openness as possible, and therefore we invite everyone to an open hearing. We want to be more open than is formally required,” says Mats Melin.

The formal requirements, according to the Higher Education Ordinance, are that the board must “consult with the teachers, other staff and students” before proposing a new President.

“We do this by having the candidate or candidates present themselves to Stockholm University’s Consultative Assembly, which consists of 60 elected representatives of staff and students, on the same day as the open hearing.”

At the hearing everyone will have the opportunity to ask questions. Photo: Niklas Björling

What will happen during the hearing?

“The idea is that the candidate or candidates first will have a few minutes to introduce themselves: their background and experience, and of course, why they want to become President of Stockholm University and what they want to do in the role. Then everyone will have the opportunity to ask questions.”

Everyone – or at least as many as time allows – will be able to ask questions during the hearing, according to Mats Melin.

“It is impossible to predict what the questions will cover. I guess they will focus on what the candidate or candidates can and want to contribute to, to make Stockholm University an even more prominent university and to ensure that we have an even better working and study environment.”

After the hearing, the Consultative Assembly will report its views. Once the recruitment group has received this information, it will submit its final proposal to the university board. The board will then decide to propose to the government who should be appointed as the new President.

Please note that there will be a bag ban in the auditorium. Only small handbags will be allowed. Bag storage is available.

More information

Rektorsrekryteringsprocess vid Stockholms universitet (In Swedish)