Lund University is seeking a new Vice-Chancellor to take office on 1 January 2027

Do you want to lead Lund University into the future?  

Lund University is one of Europe’s leading higher education institutions with a long tradition of academic excellence and a vision to be a world-class university that understands, explains and improves our world and the human condition. Pre-eminent education and research is conducted at the University, encompassing a notable breadth of subjects and cross-border collaboration with the world around us. Strong student influence, collegial governance and global engagement are prerequisites for high quality in our activities and to make Lund University a place for innovation and strategic development.

As the academic leader and head of a public authority, you have overall responsibility for the University’s education, research and external engagement. You are the University’s foremost representative locally, nationally and internationally, and you lead the organisation with curiosity, intellectual independence and clear visions.

Lund University operates in a changing world in which unforeseen opportunities and challenges arise. The University is to be a place where academic freedom and diversity are developed and where innovation is a force that promotes education, research and external engagement. As Vice-Chancellor, you safeguard the inner life of the University and the wellbeing of students and staff while you shape the University in an international context to meet the needs of future generations.  

We are seeking someone who is strongly committed to the University’s development and wants to utilise the opportunities to meet the complex societal challenges of our time.

As an applicant, you are to

• be a well-established academic professor with extensive, relevant experience of, and a very good ability to, conduct, develop and lead education, research and external engagement  
• be an experienced and clear academic leader and manager with personal integrity and decisiveness who can translate visions into action and have a strategic approach
• be receptive, responsible and committed, and show an empathic approach in which a high ethical awareness and the ability to reflect on the organisation, staff, students and their own leadership are of the utmost importance
• be a relationship-builder with a good ability to create a consensus on visions and strategic goals, and possess experience of pursuing University issues at local, national and international levels
• have extensive experience of acting in international contexts and a good ability to communicate orally and in writing in Swedish and English.

The Vice-Chancellor’s remit is to

• safeguard and promote collegial decision-making, academic freedom and the University’s autonomy
• safeguard and promote sustainable and strong student influence, ​​​​which is key for the University’s activities on various levels
• work to ensure that education and research maintain the highest international quality, enrich each other and are intertwined
• be the University’s foremost representative, work to strengthen external engagement and actively participate in public debate  
• work to ensure a sustainable and attractive study and work environment in which gender equality, diversity and equal opportunities and a sense of belonging are central for students and staff
• work to ensure sustainable financial conditions that strengthen the University’s long-term competitiveness and quality, and utilise the  potential of research infrastructures that are important for the University
• unite the role of academic leader with the remit of the head of a public authority
• balance systematic security management with openness
• act and communicate in a complex and decentralised organisation by creating effective and cooperation-oriented management structures.

We welcome applicants who can demonstrate qualifications that substantiate the ability to take on a position of this kind.   

The person appointed as Vice-Chancellor must be qualified in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance (HEO chapter 2, section 11).

Apply and nominate

Would you like to apply for the position of Vice-Chancellor?

Apply via Poolia Executive Search (in Swedish)

The deadline for applications is 1 February 2026. 

Would you like to nominate someone for the position of Vice-Chancellor? 

Submit your nomination via Poolia Executive Search (in Swedish)

The last day to submit your nomination is 1 February 2026. 

Contact

Gunilla Thylander, HR manager at the Faculty of Science, can provide more information about the position: gunilla [dot] thylander [at] science [dot] lu [dot] se, +46 46 222 40 32, +46 73 057 67 66

Trade union representatives:

Adam Brenthel, SACO, adam [dot] brenthel [at] saco-s [dot] lu [dot] se, +46 737-011224

Jacob Branting, OFR/S, jacob [dot] branting [at] lth [dot] lu [dot] se +46 727-063233

Aferdita Isenim, Seko, aferdita [dot] iseni [at] service [dot] lu [dot] se, +46 723-618102