Faculty Board discusses working methods and recruitment processes
The Faculty Board of the SCI School recently gathered for its latest meeting, where several important issues were on the agenda. Hjalmar Brismar, one of the Board members, shares insights on the key discussion points and the challenges the Board faces going forward.
What were the main discussion points during the last meeting?
"A significant part of the meeting was devoted to routine matters related to the establishment and closure of courses. These decisions were formally taken by the Board, but as the matters had already been prepared by the Director of First and Second Cycle Education (GA), ProgrammeDirectors (PA) and Director of Third-Cycle Education (FA), there was no need for detailed discussions at the meeting."
A recurring issue within the Board is to analyse and consider which issues should be dealt with by the Board and to what extent the decision-making power can be delegated to the various managers within the School. "It is important that we establish relevant working methods for the Board and ensure that we spend our time on the right things, rather than just acting as a formal ‘stamp’ for different decisions," says Hjalmar.
Supporting recruitment processes through appointment committees
One of the most critical issues currently under discussion, both at central level and within the schools, is the recruitment processes at KTH. The Faculty Board is currently conducting an investigation, which is planned to be presented later in the autumn. A working group is examining the proposal that the Faculty Board should take responsibility for the preparatory work for appointments and promotions, while the formal decision on associate professorships and professorships should continue to be made by the President. To enable this, it is proposed that the board establishes a special appointments committee.
"It is important that we monitor and contribute with the highest possible level of subject expertise within the School when it comes to promotions and appointments," he emphasises. "We need to ensure that those making the decisions have the right skills and mandate, which is a prerequisite for doing a good job."
Trust and competence
Going forward, the Faculty Board will focus on developing a work culture based on trust and efficiency. "If we trust everyone to do their best, we can be more efficient and use our resources in the right way. Let decisions be taken by those who have the expertise and give them the mandate to do so. In the unlikely event that something goes wrong, let go of the pressure and correct what has gone wrong afterwards," he concludes.