The Annual Report for 2019 was the main item on the agenda when the University Board met today. The report makes for satisfying reading. The University has a well-run economy and well-run operations. The turnover has increased by SEK 285 million, our educational activities are proceeding according to plan and we are doing well in the competition for direct government funding for research. The number of new doctoral students is now increasing after several years of decline and our agency capital is being steadily put to work. However, being satisfied does not mean we can relax; looking ahead, we see a number of crucial issues that we must urgently address in order to stay at the top. In the budget documentation we are submitting to the government, and which we discussed at the meeting today, we again take up some of the most important issues for the future.
We also had a thorough presentation of our upcoming European University Network application for the ENLIGHT project. The EU programme, known as the European Universities Initiative, aims to “bring together a new generation of creative Europeans able to cooperate across languages, borders and disciplines to address societal challenges and skills shortages faced in Europe.” Solutions to complicated societal challenges require international cooperation to access multiple points of view and benefit from other countries’ experiences. Our application focuses on collaboration with the municipality and several partner universities in Europe to create something completely new on the theme of sustainable cities. An exciting project, which, if the application is approved, will advance our capacity for international collaboration.