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Co-organization next step in development of UA

KTH Campus in snow.
KTH's University Administration is taking new steps in the development of a coordinated UA.
Published Dec 06, 2023

The next step in the development of KTH's University Administration, UA, is that staff in HR, finance and communication will be co-organized within each area from the first of April next year. This is one of several points decided by the President in an orientation decision on how UA will be organized in the future.

 "The development work enters a new phase with a focus on resources in the form of money and personnel to further strengthen quality and efficiency in the support of our core activities," says Kerstin Jacobsson, University Director who leads and is responsible for the development of UA.

By co-organizing these three areas, the idea is to facilitate recruitment and skills supply for these areas, among other things.

Potrait of Kerstin Jacobsson
Kerstin Jacobsson, University Director.

" The co-organization is not about where you work or where you sit, nor is it usually about getting a new line manager, but rather about getting more colleagues in your area of activity, greater clarity and some getting a new head of department - that is, the head of the subject area. “

But does this mean further centralization so that local support in the departments disappears?

"No, there will be a coherent organization for HR, finance and communication, but the intention is to retain and develop the support available at departmental level.

For HR and finance in particular, the co-organization means an increased degree of coordination of working methods and processes.”

“In a way, these two areas carry the structure of the entire organization and are therefore particularly important to coordinate in order to create more efficient processes, identify needs, concentrate activities, increase cost-effectiveness and thereby free up resources and time to improve the quality of support for the organization.”

The key words for UA's development are that support should be organized in a uniform, equal and accessible way, which in turn should lead to, among other things, reduced duplication, reduced vulnerability and increased efficiency.

“ We work systematically and holistically in a strategic direction that is crucial for strengthening support for research and education and thereby KTH's international competitiveness.”

The orientation decision also contains points relating to support with different competences for departments or divisions and coordinated management support for both management and the faculty boards at each school that will be established on 1 January 2024. In addition, a model with common principles for how the University Administration should be financed will be developed.

 "I see it as a need to lean forward to really listen and learn more about the conditions and driving force behind research and education so that more people get the skills they need and we can contribute with administrative support and relief in the organization as a whole. "

In addition to the goals set for the development of UA almost three years ago, the background to the decision includes sharply increased premises costs, inflation and the fact that UAwill save SEK 50 million in 2024 and probably more from 2025 onwards.

 "KTH has expanded significantly in both research and education and is a different organisation than 15 years ago - this also requires a different University Administration," says Kerstin Jacobsson.

Robust support

Portrait Anders Söderholm
Anders Söderholm, President of KTH.

President Anders Söderholm says about the decision:

 "The goal is to have more coherent processes, a function-based organization and to create robust support that meets the needs of the operations at the far end of the capillaries.

And speaking of many changes taking place simultaneously.

 "Some of them have been relevant for a long time and have been investigated in different rounds, but they are necessary for KTH's development. Just as an University Administration that matches these is crucial."

The decision in brief

- An efficient and University Administration to the departments or corresponding divisions in the form of coordinated teams with different competences.
- Co-organization of operational support staff in HR, finance and communication from 1 April 2024.
- Coordinated management support at each school will support management and faculty boards.
- A model with common principles for financing the University Administration is developed.

Background

In the spring of 2021, the President decided to review the business support, and in March the following year, the University Director was tasked with forming an organization for joint and coordinated business support. In June 2022, it was decided that an action plan would be developed. On 5 April 2023, the University Director decided on an action plan for the development of the University Administration at KTH. KTH has had a joint UA since 1 January 2023. The development program for UA will be completed in September 2026.

More about the development of the University Administration

Here you can find answers to frequent questions about the coordinated operational support

Text: Jill Klackenberg