ReseaRch Quality assuRance foR the futuRe a ... - Lund University

Part 2 – Conclusions of the review
procedures that are characteristic of the Swedish university system,
and in some cases may require action at national level. We address
these latter issues in section H, which we hope will be of value to
national stakeholders.
F1. The make-up of the academic community
59. The foremost international universities increasingly owe their
strengths to their capacity to act as magnets for international
talents. These bring a diversity of inspiration to the university
and to the society of which it is part. They stimulate international
collaboration and the mobility of people and ideas that continually
refresh the university. The pool of talent from which Lund University
draws tends to be limited to Sweden and indeed is dominated
by its own graduates. If Lund wishes to rank amongst the best in
the world, this must change. It should adapt its processes so that it
is increasingly able to draw on the international pool of talent.
60. The processes that require attention if this is to happen are associated
with the point of entry to the university, the structure of careers
and salaries, and a number of other issues that influence the attractiveness
of Lund for researchers. They are addressed in sections F2
below. We regard them as fundamental issues that influence the
research potential of the university, as they have a great influence on
the University’s capacity to attract and develop staff of the highest
calibre, and it is the quality of the University’s staff that is the single
most important determinant of its research strength.
F2. The structure of careers and research training
a) The point of entry to the University
61. Current processes by which tenured staff are appointed encourages
PhD graduates to take up a variety of fixed term posts within the
University until the application of Swedish employment law requires
that they are given permanent posts or until a tenured position
can be found for them. The University should move to a position
where there is a clear entry point into tenured academic posts and
where such posts are advertised nationally and internationally with
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