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Stockholm University

Coordinates: 59°21′55″N 18°03′30″E / 59.36528°N 18.05833°E / 59.36528; 18.05833
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Stockholm University
Stockholms universitet
File:Stockholm University logo.svg
TypePublic
Established1878
Students28,200 (FTE, 2009)[1]
64,000 (all categories)[2]
1,520 [3]
Location
Sweden Stockholm
,
Sweden
Campusurban
AffiliationsEuropean University Association
Websitesu.se

Stockholm University (Swedish: Stockholms universitet) is a state university in Stockholm, Sweden. The university has two scientific fields: the natural scientific field and the social-humanistic scientific field. It has over 66,000 students at four different faculties: law, humanities, the mathematical and natural sciences making it one of the largest universities in Scandinavia. The institution is also frequently regarded as one of the top 200 universities in the world.[4][5] Stockholm University was granted university status in 1960 and is therefore the fourth oldest Swedish university.

History

The initiative for the formation of the University of Stockholm was taken by the City Council. It was done after a decision in December 1865 on the establishment of a fund and a committee to " establish a higher education institution in the capital"[6]. The nine members of the Committee were respected citizens in different ways seemed to science and society[7].

The next important step was taken in October 1869, when the National Association was established[8]. Several members of the committee became members of the National Association - including Professor Pehr Henrik Malmsten[9]. The association's mission was to establish a university in Stockholm and would "not be dissolved until college came into being and its future could be secured." Basic rules of the Stockholm University College was adopted in May 1877, and in the fall semester of the following year, the actual operations began.

In 1878, the university college Stockholms högskola started its operations with a series of lectures on natural sciences, open to curious citizens (a tradition still upheld by yearly publicly open lectures). Notable in the university's early history is the appointment of Sofia Kovalevskaya to hold a chair in mathematics in 1889, making her the third female professor in Europe. In 1904 the college became an official degree granting institution.

In 1960, it was granted university status, becoming Sweden's fourth state university. The university premises was situated in central Stockholm at Observatorielunden but as enrollment increased, lack of space made it necessary to move. Since 1970 most of the university operations are pursued at the main campus at Frescati north of the city center.

Organisation

Stockholm University is a state agency and is governed by the decisions coming from the government and parliament. The University has the right, within the limits the government provides , to decide on many issues such as their internal organization, educational, admission of students and more.

Bodies within the university organization
  • The University Board is the University's highest governing body. The board is responsible for the University as a government agency 's mission and for following the requirements of laws and regulations. The board reports to the government. It consists of eight external members (including the Chairman and Vice-Chairman), four business representatives from the university with two group alternates and three student representatives (one graduate student representative) with an alternate. The University board is above the principal who is the head of the Authority and have operational responsibility for all operations. The principal has a vice president to replace him/her if necessary.
  • At the university, there are two area councils, Area board of science and Area board of humanities, law and social sciences. They are headed by a vice principal. The area boards are responsible for strategic planning of education and research, coordination of faculty teaching, and research and internal and external collaboration.
  • After the district councils, the faculty boards are the highest decision-making bodies at the faculty level. The faculty boards consists of the dean, the assistant dean, other business representatives and student representatives. The deans are appointed by the president after proposal by choice within the faculty. 
  • After faculties, decisions are taken on the institutional level, where each department has a department head who manage and make decisions together with the institutional board.
  • The University administration is the preparation and service organization for the University board, principals and other decision-making bodies, and it is led by the executive director. The University administration has a number of administrative units in charge of different parts of the university administration, for example, finance department, IT department, HR department and the student section. There are also three staff units: The strategy, planning and communication unit that will help the university management with decision making.
  • The Permanent Secretary is the most senior official at Stockholm University and decide on including university administration's organization and finances. The permanent secretary is titulated University Director.

Research

The university researchers engage in governmental investigations, participates in the media, leaving comments on proposed legislation and is included in several Nobel committees and international expert bodies. For a full list of Stockholm University's leading research areas, go to http://www.su.se/english/research/leading-research-areas.

Field stations

Askö Laboratory (Marine research)

Tarfala (Glaciology and Mountain)

Tjärnö (Marine Biology)

Tovetorp (Ethology)

Tullbotorp (Botany)

Student unions

Prior to 2008, Stockholm University had only one student union[citation needed] called Stockholm University Student Union (Stockholm universitets studentkår, SUS). However as of 2008 the computer and system science students[10] and the teacher students have their own, independent, student unions called DISK and "The Teacher's College's Student Union" (Lärarhögskolans studentkår). The law students also have their own student union, as do journalism students (Studentkåren vid JMK).

The future of the Teacher's College's Student Union is however not entirely safe, as Stockholm University's Student Union has declared it will begin talks with the Teacher's College's Student Union on transferring its members to it, as it already has a teacher's division[11] In contrast to common belief DISK does not stand for anything.[12]

Notable alumni

Rankings

Template:Infobox European university ranking

In the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2012, Stockholm University was placed as the 81st overall best university worldwide.[14]

Whereas, in the 2012 QS World University Rankings,[15] Stockholm University was ranked 171st overall in the world. Its subject rankings were: 83rd in Arts & Humanities, 142nd in Life Sciences & Biomedicine, 108th in Natural Sciences, and 84th in Social Sciences.

The Campus

The main part of Stockholm University in the area Frescati, ranging from Bergius Botanical Garden in the north to Sveaplan in the south. It is located in the world's first national urban park and the area is characterized by nature, architecture and modern art. Within Frescati are the areas Albano (Stockholm), Bergius Botanical Garden, Frescati Backe, Frescatihallen Hage, Kräftriket, Little Frescati and Sveaplan located. Identification of many of these areas have a history dating back to the late 1700s. After Gustav III's trip to Italy in 1783-84 were several places at Brunnsviken named after Italian models. Stockholm University has also, for example the Department of Computer and Systems Sciences, located in Kista.

Public transportation to Stockholm University

There are many ways to get to Stockholm University, the main campus Frescati is located near the underground railway station Universitetet metro station, on the red line of the Stockholm Metro. The commuter train line Roslagsbanan also stop close to the main campus, at Universitetet railway station. SL buses can also be used to get to the campus.

The Computer Science campus, Kista, also is close to an underground station called Kista. It is also located close to the pendeltåg station Helenelund, only 1-2 stops (depending on bus line) from the bus station Torsnäsgatan located next to the campus area. The Teacher Students campus is located next to the underground station Thorildsplan.

See also

References

  1. ^ Swedish Higher Education Authority (Högskoleverket) - Annual report 2010 (Swedish), page 106ff
  2. ^ Stockholm University fact page
  3. ^ Högskoleverkets årsrapport 2011
  4. ^ [1][2] [3][4] [5][6]
  5. ^ http://www.su.se/english/about
  6. ^ Thomasson, Carl-Gustaf, Stockholms högskolas matrikel 1878-1887. Stockholm 1969, sid. 52
  7. ^ Engström, Eric, Stockholms högskolas gynnare. Givare och donatorer under högskolans uppbyggnadsskede. Uppsats, pedagogiska institutionen, Stockholms universitet (årtal?)
  8. ^ Nordisk familjebok, Uggleupplagan 27, Stockholm Nynäs järnväg - Syrsor: Stockholms högskola, 1918
  9. ^ Svensk Uppslagsbok: Stockholms högskola, Baltiska förlaget A.-B., Lund: 1929
  10. ^ http://disk.su.se/doks/press_egen_kar.pdf
  11. ^ [7][dead link]
  12. ^ Disk - Om Disk
  13. ^ "Karin Kock". Kvinnor i arbete. Gothenburg University. Retrieved 21 November 2011. Template:Sv icon
  14. ^ http://www.shanghairanking.com/ARWU2012.html
  15. ^ http://www.topuniversities.com/institution/stockholm-university
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