The University of Gothenburg (Swedish: Göteborgs universitet) is a university in Sweden's second largest city, Gothenburg. Founded in 1891,[2] the university is the third-oldest of the current Swedish universities and, with 53,624 students and 6,707 staff members,[3] it is one of the largest universities in the Nordic countries.
About
With its eight faculties and 38 departments, the University of Gothenburg is one of the most wide-ranging and versatile universities in Sweden. Its eight faculties offer training in the Creative Arts, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Humanities, Education, Information Technology, Business, Economics and Law, and Health Sciences.
The University of Gothenburg has the highest number of applicants per study place in many of its subjects and courses, making it one of the most popular universities in Sweden.
History
Library of social sciences, formerly main library
Library of social sciences, silent reading hall
The University of Gothenburg was founded as Göteborgs högskola (Gothenburg University College) in 1891. In 1907 it was granted the same status as Uppsala University and Lund University by the Swedish government, thus creating Sweden's third university.
Over the course of time, it has merged with a number of previously independent higher education institutions in the city and has continuously expanded its study profile. It was granted the rights of a full university by the Swedish Government in 1954, following the merger of the Göteborgs högskola (Gothenburg College) with the Medicinhögskolan i Göteborg (Gothenburg Medical School).[4]
The University of Gothenburg is a pronounced city university, that is most of its facilities are within the city centre of Gothenburg. The main building as well as most faculties are located in the central part of Gothenburg.
Together with Uppsala, Lund, and Stockholm universities, it is one of four large international research universities in Sweden.
Structure
Management
The entrance (left) to and the auditorium (right) of the main administrative building of the university.
The University of Gothenburg is one of Sweden's largest universities. It is a comprehensive university, organised into eight faculties and 38 departments. The university is a public authority as well as a confederation of Faculty Boards. Each faculty/school has significant autonomy based on its attributed powers, and a distinct identity within the university.
The University Board is the university's highest decision-making body.[5] The board consists has "supervision over all the University's affairs, and is responsible that its duties are fulfilled". The Swedish Government appoints seven of the members externally, based on their having experience in activities that have significance for the university's teaching and research functions. In addition, the vice-chancellor, three faculty members and three students, as well as union representatives are included as ordinary members.
The day-to-day management is headed by the vice-chancellor, Malin Broberg, who is responsible for implementing the decisions of the board.[6] She is supported by the central administration.
Faculties
Modern architecture: Sahlgrenska Academy (left) and the reading hall of the School of Business and Law (right).
GU offers a large variety of academic disciplines, e.g. Department of Geosciences (left) and Department of Swedish Studies (right).
The university is organised into eight academic faculties.[7] Collaboration across faculty and subject boundaries is emphasised in the university's research and education strategies. All faculties takes advantage of this possibility and are active participants in a multitude of cross-disciplinary research and education activities within the framework of the university. The university closely cooperates with Chalmers University of Technology, a fact that further increases the total scope of the academic environment in Gothenburg.
The Artistic Faculty (Konstnärliga fakulteten) offers courses in the fields of design and crafts, film studies, photography, scene, music and fine arts.
The Faculty of Education (Utbildningsvetenskapliga fakulteten) is responsible for teacher training in various subjects.
The Faculty of Humanities (Humanistiska fakulteten) comprises the humanities, for instance cultural studies, history, literature, history of ideas, religion, archeology, modern languages, philosophy, linguistics, theory of science and Swedish language and literature.
The Faculty of Arts
The IT Faculty (IT fakulteten) offers programmes in applied information technology, computer science and engineering.
The Faculty of Natural Sciences (Naturvetenskapliga fakulteten) covers a number of science disciplines such as botany, cell and molecular biology, physics, earth sciences, chemistry, conservation, marine ecology, mathematics, environmental science, and zoology.
The Sahlgrenska Academy (Sahlgrenska Akademin) is the faculty of medicine at the University of Gothenburg. Research and education in medicine, odontology and health and care sciences.
The Faculty of Social Sciences (Samhällsvetenskapliga fakulteten) offers courses in peace and development studies, public administration, journalism, psychology, social anthropology, social work, sociology, political science, and European studies.
