Södertörn University's new research strategy was adopted on 24 September. The overall aim of the strategy is to clarify how Södertörn University will work to further strengthen and raise the profile of our research and doctoral education, and our researchers.

The aim is to have an even greater impact in the national and international academic community, as well as on society at large. Our new Research Strategy is one element of the university’s work towards full university status.

“The strategy targets academic and administrative staff at all levels who work with research and doctoral education at the university, particularly managers, and the idea is that the strategy’s objectives will be concretised in future activity plans. It should also be available to external stakeholders who wish to understand our research and what we stand for,” says Anna Maria Jönsson, pro-vice-chancellor for research and responsible for leading work on the strategy.

The strategy should serve as a guide for all staff in all areas of our organisation who are involved in conducting or supporting research. The strategy is valid for 2025–2027 and will be evaluated before the end of this period.

Creative research environments with stable conditions

The strategy states that Södertörn University will increase the proportion of externally funded research, promote scientific impact and provide opportunities for researchers to develop at all stages of their careers. One priority during the period is increasing opportunities for teaching staff with doctorates and researchers to conduct research as part of their position. The university will have strong collegial and creative research environments in which researchers at different stages of their careers gather around a common interest. These environments should be characterised by collegiality, intellectual openness, diversity and equality. Good and stable conditions will create conditions conducive to innovation, risk-taking and the opportunity to deeply examine research issues.

Some items the strategy highlights are improving support to increase the number of female professors and improving the provision of support for research applications, focusing on large, long-term and internationally oriented research programmes. In addition, the visibility of the university’s research in national and international academic and popular science contexts will be strengthened, as will the opportunities for working internationally as a researcher and doctoral student at Södertörn University.

How the strategy was developed

The decision to develop a research strategy was taken by the vice-chancellor in spring 2023 on the initiative of the university’s Management Council and with the support of the Faculty Board. In the autumn of the same year, a steering committee prepared a first draft of the research strategy. In January 2024, the draft was sent to different parts of the organisation for their input. Subsequently, representatives from the steering committee visited various areas of the organisation to discuss the draft. A revised draft research strategy was sent out for consultation in April 2024. The research strategy was presented to the vice-chancellor on 24 September and the decision was made to adopt the research strategy for Södertörn University.

“The decision to develop a research strategy, as well as the text itself, has the backing of all areas of the university. The process took just over a year and included meetings and a written consultation round. It has been inspirational work, and we received many comments and suggestions that we cannot fit into the research strategy, but which contribute to the development of the organisation in other ways,” says Anna Maria Jönsson.

Steering committee and consultation bodies

The steering committee that developed the research strategy comprised Anna Maria Jönsson, chair; two representatives from the Faculty Board: chair Stina Bengtsson and vice-chair Johan Eriksson; heads of school Linda Vikdahl Gunséus (Historical and Contemporary Studies) and Maria Bergman (Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies); director of CBEES Per Bolin: and chair of Studies in the Educational Sciences, Niclas Månsson. The administrative officer was research advisor Gabriela Voglio.

The bodies included in the final round of consultation were:

• Management Board of the School of Social Sciences
• Management Board of the School of Culture and Education
• Management Board of the School of Police Studies
• Management Board of the School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies
• Management Board of the School of Historical and Contemporary Studies
• Management Board for Teacher Education
• Council for Research Ethics
• JIHU Group (gender mainstreaming)
• Publication Committee
• Library
• CBEES
• Faculty Board
• University Support Services, especially External Relations
• Advisory Board for Internationalisation
• Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor on Sustainability
• Board for Strategic Collaboration
• University administration, especially HR, Campus and CIT Services, and Finance and Auditing
• BEEGS
• Doctoral Students’ Committee
• Steering committees of research areas for doctoral education