We are seeking an experienced academic leader with a clear, inclusive and communicative leadership style who can lead development to reinforce the University’s position and competitiveness, both nationally and internationally. The Vice-Chancellor will be a confidence-inspiring representative of Umeå University, and will work actively and successfully to strengthen the University within education, research and collaboration.
Umeå University is one of Sweden’s largest higher education institutions, with approximately 38,000 students and more than 4,500 employees, and is of significant and growing importance for skills provision in the north of Sweden. We are a broad university, with a wide range of high-quality education and world-leading research within several scientific fields. The groundbreaking discovery of the CRISPR-Cas9 genetic scissors, which won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, took place at the University. The University’s cohesive campus environment makes it easy to come together and collaborate across subject boundaries, fostering a dynamic and open academic culture.
Assignment
The Vice-Chancellor is Umeå University’s principal representative and most senior manager, and leads the University’s overall work. The Vice-Chancellor has ultimate responsibility for developing strategies, and for driving renewal and change.
Eligibility
The Vice-Chancellor must be:
a professor with in-depth experience of carrying out, leading and developing higher education and research of high international quality;
extremely well versed in the conditions and working methods of the higher education sector;
and an experienced manager with proven excellent results and experience of acting as a leader and an employer.
Qualifications
The Vice-Chancellor must have the ability to:
promote and defend academic freedom, as well as collegial processes and student influence;
use clear and collaborative leadership to make, win support for and implement decisions;
understand, bring together and develop the right conditions and opportunities for the broad university;
combine inspiring and strategic academic leadership with the role of managing the University as a public authority;
be visible among employees and students, and create a sustainable, attractive working and study environment which features equal conditions and gender equality as a matter of course
engage in public dialogue and collaborate with surrounding society, including civil society, the business sector and the public sector;
and work together with other higher education institutions and partners to strengthen skills provision in a growing region.
Employment conditions and starting date
The Vice-Chancellor will be employed by government decision for a maximum of six years, following a proposal from the University Board at Umeå University. Employment may be renewed, although no more than twice for a maximum of three years each time (in accordance with Chapter 2, Section 8 of the Swedish Higher Education Ordinance).
The successful applicant will take up the position on 1 July 2025.
How to apply
We will be working with Michaël Berglund AB in this recruitment. Please contact them if you have any questions about the recruitment process – see the contact details below.
Further information is available from Anna Ekström, chairperson of the University Board. Email: anna.ekstrom@umu.se.
Recruitment consultant Ewa Kuszelewski at Michaël Berglund Executive Search, +46 73‑368 84 77, ewa.kuszelewski@michaelberglund.se, or recruitment consultant Jacob Severin (responsible for contact with candidates), +46 73‑777 68 05, jacob.severin@michaelberglund.se.
Information about the recruitment process and similar issues is available from Academy Clerk Daniel Andersson, +46 73-672 99 11, daniel.l.andersson@umu.se
