The Department of Language Education (ISD), the Department of Humanities and Social sciences Education (HSD) and the Department of Mathematics and Science Education (MND) will, after the turn of the year, constitute a single, large department in the human sciences and will be found within the Faculty of Humanities. The goal is to consolidate education and research in teaching and learning into a single department, creating simpler, more straightforward organisational and decision-making structures, all in an effort to facilitate the work of both employees and students.
This is certainly a complex process and will not be easy for the three departments affected by the transition, but at the same time, many of us at the University are looking forward to the new year and the new opportunities the larger department will be able to offer. Many people are actively engaged in this effort, working tirelessly to ensure everything goes as smoothly as it can. They have thus far managed to maintain a positive outlook while working to build consensus, without losing sight of what needs to be done.
In the short term, we hope that the new department can also consolidate activities in the subject area in spatial respects. The current plan is to try to find a spot on the north side of Frescati, where HSD and MND are already located today, in the newer building at the north end of the Arrhenius laboratory. During the spring, investigations were conducted to identify the challenges associated with a department merger. It became apparent that it is best that the National Resource Centre for Chemistry Teachers (KRC) stay in the north side and that Språkstudion – which is situated in suitable premises in Södra huset and has a clear connection to all the language departments – should change department affiliation and become part of the Department of Linguistics.
Later this autumn, programme advisory boards will also be established for the various parts of the teacher education programmes. Preparatory work is also underway here at the relevant departments and faculties. The new teacher education committee will include representatives from both the natural and human sciences and will be established later this autumn. As of the turn of the year, the chairs of the programme advisory boards will also be members of the committee. The chairs will be able to take an approach based on activity-specific knowledge and an overall understanding of the challenges inherent in organising and implementing teacher education programmes.
The vice chancellors from the natural sciences and human sciences are actively engaged in this work, as are several of the deans. Although the new department will be included in the Faculty of Humanities on an organisational level, it is important to emphasize that teacher education is something that impacts the entire university.
This is a text written by the Deputy Vice Presidents Elisabeth Wåghäll Nivre, Henrik Cederquist and Yvonne Svanström. It appears in the section ”Words from the University’s senior management team”, where different members of the management team take turns to write about topical issues. Words from the University’s senior management team appears in every edition of News for staff which is distributed to the entirety of the University staff.