Strategic Objectives 2023-2033

During autumn 2022 and early spring 2023, the Faculty of Education and Society (LS) has worked to formulate its new strategic objectives. In discussions with employees, working groups and collegial bodies, we have looked closely at where the faculty comes from, where we are today and what our ambitions are for the next 10 years. The strategic objectives were adopted by the Faculty Board at its meeting on 31 March 2023.

Historically, economically and organisationally, LS is closely linked to Swedish school and preschool education. The faculty has clear roots in the former Teacher Education in Malmö, which started its activities in 1960, was included in Lund University in 1977 and was moved to Malmö University in 1998. Today, LS has the third largest teacher training programme in Sweden, and approximately 10 per cent of the country's newly graduated teachers/preschool teachers graduate from Malmö University. In financial terms, our education programmes for Swedish schools account for the majority of the faculty's funding for education at first- and second-cycle levels.

LS constitutes the largest organisation in Sweden providing teacher training programmes that are organised within one and the same faculty, whereas large teacher training programmes at other higher education institutions are organised in different ways, requiring extensive coordination between different faculties/academies within the academic institution. What is unique to LS is not only that all the resources for teacher training are located in one faculty, but also that all of the educational science competencies used in our teacher training programmes (pedagogy, subject didactics, subject knowledge) are integrated within the faculty’s different units. This organisation and integration, sometimes called the Malmö Model, creates strong and cohesive academic environments dedicated to education, research and collaboration for and with the Swedish world of education.

Below is a description of where the faculty intends to be in 2033 and the ambitions that will be guiding our work.

In 2033, the Faculty of Education and Society (LS) consists of internationally and nationally strong knowledge environments with a good balance and interaction between research, education and collaboration. The prominent and forward-looking knowledge environments at the faculty are based on good structural working conditions that enable us to recruit, develop and retain the competencies we need to develop our research, teacher training and other programmes. This puts us at the forefront of research in educational science and other research areas of the faculty, and we conduct research-based education of the highest quality within our various academic environments.

The shared identity at the Faculty of Education and Society is enabled by border-crossing interfaces, an active exchange of knowledge, perspectives and ideas, as well as the uniqueness of our integrated teacher training programme. At the same time, we respect and promote the diversity that our knowledge environments and research groups at the departments and centres represent. Our faculty is thus characterised by diversity, coherence and belonging, which creates added value and is a prerequisite for the high quality of our research and education. Our physical environment is welcoming and reflects this diversity of rich academic activities.

One of the pillars of our organisation is our strong global and local societal engagement in both education and research. We are a relevant societal actor that, in collaboration with other actors, meets societal challenges in our research and shapes socially important professions and future citizens. This work includes a strong educational ambition in which academic integrity and identity, as well as democratic and human values, are key starting points.

The following ambitions will guide the Faculty of Education and Society in the years 2023-2033:

• The Faculty of Education and Society consists of outstanding and socially engaged knowledge environments with a balance between research, education and collaboration. The prominent knowledge environments are made possible by good structural conditions for the core activities, including functional, efficient and activity-oriented support, time to carry out the work, confidence in employees, mutual trust, and a good study environment.
• The faculty conducts outstanding research in educational science and the faculty's other research fields, with a good reputation both nationally and internationally. This research helps to ensure that all parts of the faculty's education, both teacher training programmes and other programmes, as well as collaboration, have a solid connection with research.
• The character of the faculty's different knowledge environments is respected and encouraged, while the faculty also has a strong shared identity, which is enabled through common arenas for meeting and learning from each other. We have good knowledge of each other's activities, which promotes the quality of the joint work with our professional programmes.
• The Faculty of Education and Society has one of the largest teacher training programmes in Sweden. The programmes’ educational activities are united within the faculty and are characterised by integrated in-depth subject knowledge and professionally related knowledge that is relevant to educational sciences, such as didactics, pedagogy, and learning.
• The faculty's programmes, together with research and collaboration, work towards the education of future generations where knowledge and democratic, academic and human values are at the centre. In-depth knowledge of and agency in relation to both local and global societal challenges are promoted at the faculty.
• Students at the Faculty of Education and Society receive high-quality teaching that they are proud to participate in. It is clear to students that they enter and operate in an academic context where they are offered the opportunity to acquire both professional qualifications and education.
• The physical environment of the Faculty of Education and Society is welcoming and reflects our commitment to humanity and dialogue, as well as the various academic activities that are ongoing. The environment enables the diversity of tasks within the faculty, including concentration-demanding work, as well as physical and digital meetings. It is safe, easy to navigate and conducive to study, contributing to a strong sense of belonging for students and staff.