Next stage in the development of support services
The development of KTH’s support services is now entering its next phase. This means for example that support services at KTH’s five schools will be merging with the 12 departments that currently come under University Administration (GVS). They will jointly comprise the five new departments from 1 January 2023.
“We can now go into the summer break with a clearer idea of how we can develop support services moving forward. We will carry on sorting and prioritising during the autumn,” says Kerstin Jacobsson, University Director, who is leading the process of coordinating and harmonising support services.
The programme directive resolved on by the President on 14 June outlines the general plan for the process. The directive also encompasses the new organisational structure, the aim being to build equivalent, accessible support services for students, teachers, researchers and personnel throughout KTH.
Thourough inventory
The background is the inventory of the various support areas carried out by the Heads of Administration at the schools and the Heads of Department at GVS during the spring.
“They have done a thorough job that reveals the variety of different functions encompassed by support services at KTH,” says Kerstin Jacobsson.
The question many people will be asking is: How will this affect me? How would you respond to that?
“As I said before, it will of course have an impact, and the extent depends on where you work and what you do. It’s an ongoing process and we don’t have all the answers right now. But two of the guiding principles in the development work are dialogue and participation, so there will be opportunities to get involved and make a contribution.”
30 September 2026 is the final deadline for the overall programme. That’s quite a way off, isn’t it?
“It might seem that way, but KTH is a large organisation, and we’re designing the programme to be efficient and sustainable in the long term. The process has to be allowed to take the time it takes, so we have to be persistent and keep our eyes on the eventual gains and the goals we’re setting for the organisation. By then it will almost be our 200th anniversary.”
The (in Swedish) for joint and coordinated support services is part of a plan encompassing a roadmap for the merger and an ultimate structure for the organisation. The appendices to the decision also include the analyses of the various support areas that form the basis of the change process. On the Intranet there is more information about joint and coordinated support services .