When I started as a new investigator at the Swedish Higher Education Authority (HSV) in 2001, I received a briefing from the then University Chancellor Sigbrit Franke. One sentence stuck out very clearly. ‘Working to scrutinize higher education will never make you appreciated, but you will always be respected.”
Respect, but not love – that’s what awaited us new civil servants.
Working with operational support at a higher education institution is very similar to my previous work at HSV. Sometimes we are seen as costing too much and sometimes we do too rigorous controls that do not favor either education or research. But we are recognized for our expertise, our willingness to provide a high level of service and our personal care. My approach has always been that we are two sides of the same coin – in symbiosis.
Now the University Administration at KTH is undergoing an extensive change that has not been tried at any other higher education institution. It is of utmost importance that in this process we are responsive, dare to reconsider and motivate our employees to make their voices heard. Because without employees, there is no organization.
I personally believe very much in the new Faculty Boards at KTH´s schools. A collegial forum for and by KTH’s creative and driven teachers and researchers. The University Administration also has an important role to play here. There are great opportunities for genuine co-operation between the faculty and support.
We make each other better by showing sensitivity, curiosity and mutual respect. Think of the coin and never stop giving each other appreciation. If anything, this drives a good working environment and valuable insights that can lead us forward in the scientific puzzle that is academia.
Joakim Palestro, Head of Adminstration at EECS