Alexander Maurits
What are your goals for your term? What issues are important to you?
A few years ago, the HT Faculty Board adopted strategies for the period 2025–2027. The introduction to this document emphasizes that the HT Faculties should be “an attractive workplace that gives employees the opportunity to adapt and renew operations as the world around us changes. High-quality recruitment, a creative and inclusive study and work environment, with opportunities for professional and career development, are essential prerequisites.” I am convinced that these are essential prerequisites for the humanities and theology in Lund to continue to maintain high standards in education and research.
To be a bit more specific, I have drawn up a list of what I would like to work on if I am elected Dean of the HT Faculties for the 2027–2029 term. The list includes the following issues:
- Professor Program 3.0: During my time at the Joint Faculties of Humanities and Theology, I have seen two professor programs launched (in 2013 and 2020), and perhaps it is time to revisit this program and other career development plans. This involves, among other things, maintaining excellence, fostering a positive work environment, and promoting gender equality.
- Work Environment: A good work environment and favorable conditions for performing one’s duties are essential for us as individual employees to thrive and, together, maintain the HT Faculties as a strong educational and research environment.
- Collaboration and partnerships: The HT Faculties shall collaborate with partners both within and outside Lund University, both nationally and internationally. One context in which collaboration can take place is the recently launched Lund Humanities Village. I would like to see the HT Faculties, and our researchers, once again present at events such as the Book Fair or Almedalen Week.
- Long-term financial sustainability: After several years of financial prosperity, we have seen a sharp decline in recent years, and the Faculties—and many of our departments—have depleted their accumulated capital (what we refer to as “government capital”). We must find a level of operations—in both education and research—that is financially sustainable in the long term. We likely have a few financially challenging years ahead of us, where we must prioritize what we can and want to invest in. In connection with this, organizational changes cannot be ruled out.
What is at the top of the agenda?
If I am elected, I want to initiate a dialogue as soon as possible with my colleagues in the faculty leadership, deans, and unit heads—and preferably also with other staff members—about how they envision the development of the operations they are responsible for and work within.
What key insights have you gained from your role as Pro Dean of Third-Cycle Studies?
Through meeting with many of our doctoral students and advisors across all 52 (!) doctoral programs at HT, I have gained a better understanding of how multifaceted research at the HT Faculties is. It has also become even clearer to me what an important resource our doctoral students are—at the HT Faculties, doctoral students make up about 20 % of all employees.
Over the past five years or so, doctoral education at HT has generally become significantly more international, and this has provided valuable insights into how international recruitment impacts our operations (both in terms of content and the demands it places on how we welcome new colleagues who have not previously worked in Sweden). I also observed this shift on a more general level during my final years as head of the Department at the Centre for Theology and Religious Studies (CTR).
As pro dean, I have also participated in various dialogues with university leadership, and I believe this has provided important insights into the vice chancellor’s various priorities.