New Heads of Department to be appointed for five of the school’s six departments

The term of office for five of the school’s six heads of department expires on 31 December 2026. This applies to the following five departments:

• Department of Architecture
• Department of Real Estate and Construction Management
• Department of Philosophy and History
• Department of Urban Planning and Environment
• Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering

All heads of department concerned have served two terms (a total of eight years). The school's practice is that the total length of appointment as head of department may not exceed eight years. It is therefore not relevant to extend the term of office for the five heads of department whose terms expire on December 31, 2026, and new heads of department will be appointed.

The scope of the assignment as head of department is 50% of a full-time position.

Nomination period

The departments' staff could nominate new head of department for the departments listed above. Self-nomination was permitted. The nomination period was 1-31 March 2026.

Requirements for candidates

Eligibility Requirements (mandatory)

• permanently employed at KTH at 100% (full-time).
• good understanding of the Swedish language.
• solid experience in research and teaching, but does not need to hold a teaching position.

Assessment criteria

A head of department must be well qualified to act as an operational manager with overall responsibility for finance, personnel, and the working environment, as well as ongoing research and education activities.

It is therefore important that the applicant:

• is well acquainted with KTH as an educational institution and public authority.
• is physically present during the term of office.
• has the prerequisites to actively promote gender equality and diversity issues.
• demonstrates academic leadership.
• has the ability to work closely with university administration in day-to-day work.
• has the ability to see and communicate well with all employees.

Duties for head of department

• The head of the department is chief of operations for the department. This means being responsible for the quality of the operations, ensuring they are conducted within the financial framework and in line with the operational goals.
• The head of department also has employer responsibility for the department’s staff (including hourly employees).
• The head of department leads a department, is responsible for its activities.
• The head of department reports to the head of school, and carries out the duties assigned by the head of school.
• The head of department is part of the school’s management advisory board and acts on behalf of, and represents, both the school and KTH in various contexts and through different activities.
• The head of department should have a deputy. (From KTH’s Rules of Procedure 3.2.2)
• The time allocation for the head of department role is 50% of a full-time position.

The head of department as a manager

• Well-informed about the different parts of the operation.
• Distributes authority and responsibilities with clear, written delegations.
• Responsible for ensuring that development dialogues and salary reviews are made for all staff.
• Responsible for ensuring that local workplace meetings are held regularly within the divisions of the department.
• Maintains a good working environment.
• Corrects operational problems and communicates with the head of school.
• The head of department is part of a line organisation and takes into account that KTH is a public authority. This includes working in line with KTH's goals, vision, and core values.

The head of department is responsible for the department’s finances

• Responsibility for budget work.
• Responsibility for strategic planning as a foundation for long-term financial development.
• Responsibility for correctional measures due to financial imbalances.

Head of department as academic leader

The role of the head of department involves taking a systems perspective, with leadership focused on creating conditions for collaboration across different environments and disciplines. The academic leadership includes, for example:

• Overall responsibility for the department’s research-strategy preparedness and for promoting collaborations both within and outside KTH.
• Overall responsibility for career support for staff.
• Follow up on the quality of the department’s course offerings.
• Overall responsibility for ensuring that the department’s doctoral education functions well and that doctoral students have a good working environment.

Nomination committee

* Doctoral student representatives appointed by THS

Timeline and process

Positions of trust to be filled in 2026