Response to interpellation 2024/25:16 on opportunities for studies in northern Sweden
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
The debate concerns opportunities for studies in northern Sweden. L argues that the government is investing in engineering education and higher quality within humanities and law 1 2. L emphasizes that the higher education institutions have good conditions for campus and distance education 1 and that quality is prioritized through lowered floor amounts for increased teacher-led activities 2 3. L believes that higher education has grown significantly and that the investments have been reasonable to meet the skills shortage 4. S argues that the government is reducing resources for teaching in northern Sweden by 40 million kronor 5 6 7 and argues for investments at all levels throughout the country 5 7.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Utbildningsministern Johan Pehrson (L)
Mr. Speaker! Peder Björk has asked me if I intend to take the initiative to reduce the resources for or in some other way limit the universities' and colleges' opportunities to conduct independent courses and distance courses. Peder Björk has also asked me if I intend to work for the government to submit proposals that will result in universities and colleges playing a smaller role or no role at all for regional growth.
Mr. Speaker! 3.7 billion is the total sum of the appropriations for education at the four universities north of the Dalälven during the coming years, 2025. It is a fairly large sum. It is up to the universities themselves to decide how these funds shall be used. The majority of the funds will likely be used for the many degree programs that exist at these universities. But there is also a large scope to offer independent courses. Last academic year, a corresponding 10,500 full-time students studied independent courses at one of these four universities. This corresponded to approximately 27 percent of these universities' total education volume.
There are therefore good conditions to receive education in the northern part of the country both on campus and remotely. The important thing is that everyone receives a high-quality education. The Government now proposes an increase in the compensation within the fields of humanities, theology, law, and social sciences. This enables more teacher-led time and better prepares the students for their future professional lives.
Mr. Speaker! Sweden is in the midst of a major climate transition where access to competent labor is crucial. In 2024, the government therefore initiated an investment in engineering country Sweden. Therefore, among others, Umeå University, Luleå University of Technology, Mittuniversitetet, and the University of Gävle joined the government's initiative on education at an advanced level so that more people can further their education and acquire competence in areas that, among others, concern batteries and electrification and other areas where technological development is moving forward rapidly. The investment in education at an advanced level totals 74 million. Next year, the government's investment in a selection of educational institutions means that with 60 million, it will finance shorter courses with high-quality content aimed at individuals in the middle of their careers, an increase of 30 million compared to the current year.
In conclusion, I can say that the educational institutions have good relations with the surrounding community. For example, the university in my hometown, Örebro, has a closely structured cooperation with the private and public sectors. We do not intend to submit proposals that worsen the relationship between universities and colleges and the regional labor market.
Peder Björk (S)
Mr. Speaker! Sweden finds itself in a situation where it is predicted to have one of the absolute worst growth rates in all of Europe during this year. Sweden also finds itself in a situation where it has the highest unemployment in ten years.
At the same time as we find ourselves in this economic crisis, we see a development in northern Sweden. There, we have over several years seen the green transition emerge. New industries are being established, and new jobs are being created. This collectively, Mr. Speaker, requires new competencies and more employees. It is not just about the industry that is emerging, but also about managing the major societal transformation taking place in the wake of the green transition. Add to that a glaring need for competence supply in general in the coming years and particularly within welfare.
Overall, the economic crisis, the need for new skills, and a crying need for competence supply in the long term should mean that the government steps forward and invests in education at all levels throughout the country. That is exactly what previous Social Democratic governments have done. They have expanded with more educational institutions across the country. They have ensured that there have been more places of study. They have ensured that more people can afford to study by increasing the student grants. They have also introduced a transition study support.
Mr. Speaker! When I wrote this interpellation, the SD government had not yet presented its budget proposal for the coming years, but now we know what the Sweden Democrats, together with the Liberals and the others in the government, want. Contrary to what should be done in this situation, they want to reduce the resources for education at the educational institutions in northern Sweden specifically. In total, they want to reduce the financial support for education at the educational institutions in northern Sweden by 40 million kronor in the coming years.
Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I have a straight and concrete question for the Minister: In what way are companies and the public better equipped to meet various challenges by the universities and colleges in northern Sweden receiving reduced resources for teaching in the coming years?
Utbildningsministern Johan Pehrson (L)
Mr. Speaker! The government is therefore choosing to invest in engineers, in healthcare training and in teacher training as well as to increase the quality. The latter is very important. Higher education at universities and colleges must have a high quality. This, we believe, is a clear signal that we do not just want to see more people in higher education but that there is also a focus on ensuring that one receives an education that corresponds to what can be expected, so that one stands strong on the labor market in Sweden and ultimately on a global level when there is razor-sharp competition for, for example, investments in our country.
It is correct that we are in a recession. We may see something in the tunnel after the two rather difficult years that we have had to endure. It is naturally not Peder Björk personally who is behind this, but we inherited many difficulties. We have war in Europe, and we have had a very, very high inflation that has hammered investments and pressured both public and private operations and not least individual individuals and people in our country.
Now we are going to get out of this. Now we are betting on a growth budget that makes it more rewarding to work, to educate oneself, and to invest in Sweden. We facilitate for the companies so that they can hire, for example, people who have studied at Luleå tekniska universitet, to name one. This makes Sweden both stronger, wealthier, and safer.
We are making major efforts to meet the needs that exist, not least in northern Sweden, if one puts it a bit sloppily. The courses that we are now allocating resources to shall enable people, not least people in the middle of their lives, to educate themselves. Now we are making lifelong learning possible in Sweden, and I am very happy that the Social Democrats want to support this and want even more to be done. However, we can never compromise on quality.
It is nevertheless time to point out that Luleå University of Technology and Umeå University have had grant savings in recent years and thus have not fully utilized the resources that have been provided for education. Even this year, a smaller grant saving is perhaps expected.
In Sweden, we have one of the world's absolute best student support systems for people who want to pursue higher education. The courses are essentially tuition-free. The student support means that one receives favorable loans, and one also receives a direct cash compensation as a thank you for educating oneself in the country of Sweden.
We shall stand guard over this, but one does a great service to everyone who takes out loans if one does not have a major focus on quality, and that is what I, the Liberals, and the entire government want to introduce into the education policy, in addition to other things that should be done for education throughout the country – from vocational colleges and vocational adult education to, as we just debated, popular education with the folk high schools which also provide important contributions. Higher education must, however, be characterized by quality.
Peder Björk (S)
Mr. Speaker! The Minister for Education can say "invest" as many times as he wants, but the fact remains: the SD government is reducing resources to the universities in northern Sweden by 40 million kronor in the coming years. It is anything but an investment.
Mr. Speaker! If I take the Minister for Education at his word and listen to the exposition on quality, should I then interpret it as that the Minister for Education means that the cuts at the universities in northern Sweden are being made because the Minister for Education perceives that the quality is not high enough at these universities? If so, Mr. Speaker, I think the Minister for Education should be clear about that message. I have a completely different picture, Mr. Speaker.
I live in Sundsvall, and there we are very proud of Mittuniversitetet, which has campuses in both Sundsvall and Östersund. Mittuniversitetet's vision is to be a global university with regional engagement, where we research and educate for life. In the autumn semester of 2024, just over 17,200 people were admitted to studies at Mittuniversitetet, which was an increase of 9 percent compared to the previous year. Just over half of the offerings at Mittuniversitetet consist of distance education, and nearly 90 percent of all independent courses take place via distance learning.
Mr. Speaker! The Education Minister's predecessor, Mats Persson, was clear that the government wants to reduce the number of distance education programs and independent courses and, as he said, settle the notion that universities and colleges should be a part of regional policy.
The mere signaling of such a statement is harmful, Mr. Speaker, both for the business community and for the development in northern Sweden. For who wants to invest in developing a new industry in northern Sweden if the state does not provide educational opportunities? Who dares to invest in educating themselves when the government's representatives send such signals?
Mr. Speaker! The Minister very clearly avoided answering initially in the debate whether the Minister intends to carry out the policy that Mats Persson, his predecessor, so clearly expressed. I therefore give the Minister the chance again: Does the Minister want to see a development where distance studies decrease at the Swedish universities and colleges?
Utbildningsministern Johan Pehrson (L)
Mr. Speaker! Almost half of those who take a standalone course at a distance do not complete it. It is a serious problem or at least a serious signal that there are challenges, if I may put it that way, Mr. Speaker. We must ensure that we have a good throughput in the education that is offered.
We lowered the ceiling amounts to increase the quality and to ensure that there is substance in the content of the subjects I mentioned. Not least when it comes to humanities and law, I repeatedly receive signals that there is too little teacher-led activity, which reasonably implies lower quality in the education if one believes that teachers play a major role, Mr. Speaker, which I believe.
Lifelong learning is very important, and I explained how, together with the universities and colleges that I mentioned, we are trying to develop the conditions to meet lifelong learning and ensure that there are shorter and perhaps even slightly adapted courses so that people can upgrade their knowledge and meet large and small changes in the labor market and in their profession.
We are also making major investments in engineering education. In Luleå and Skellefteå, large investments are occurring broadly, not just at one larger company that is very much debated right now, and these investments must be met and matched with quality and more places within higher education for Sweden to continue to be attractive.
It is important to remember that this does not only apply to the important parts of northern Sweden that are currently being debated, but also to investments and initiatives in, for example, Dalarna and on the east and west coasts. Enormous investments are being made in Sweden. People believe that the government will solve the structural problems that exist with energy supply and a lack of infrastructure, and they also believe that we will pursue a tax policy that generates growth and does not lead to punitive taxation on education, something that the Social Democrats seem very interested in delivering to and from.
We want Sweden to grow so that more people get jobs and so that more new companies are started. I am the first to say that nothing can be more important than investing in a good education that begins in school, is continued at a high school, and then proceeds to higher education throughout the country. Regardless of whether one is at a university in this part of Sweden, at home in Örebro where I live, or in Sundsvall, it is clear that the focus must be on quality. Otherwise, we are not doing people a service, but a disservice.
Peder Björk (S)
Mr. Speaker! In this economic situation and with the development of the green transition, the SD government should step forward and invest in expanded educational opportunities throughout the country.
We have now debated the education in northern Sweden, and I can state that the Minister for Education is clear that there shall not be as great opportunities there because savings are to be implemented there.
The Minister for Education fails to consider how colleges and universities can be important for regional development. Education places are needed throughout the country, not as is currently happening when the SD government reduces the number of education places in northern Sweden.
It is clear that for Sweden to become more successful, for us to increase growth, for Sweden to be able to embrace the green transition and actually get more people into jobs, education and educational places are needed throughout the country. That is where the SD government fails, as they are now reducing resources for education in northern Sweden by 40 million kronor in the coming years. This will mean fewer educational places, and fewer people will get the opportunity to educate themselves or retrain.
Mr. Speaker! It simply does not work with an education minister who is the guy at the grill. We need a minister who can address educational deficiencies. Here, it is up to the minister to prove that the government wants to invest in the whole country. Right now, the development is going completely in the wrong direction. A different policy is needed here.
Utbildningsministern Johan Pehrson (L)
Mr. Speaker! I am grateful for the poetic elements in Peder Björk's contribution. The guy at the grill is an ordinary person, a person who asks important questions and has a single focus, namely that Sweden should have a very high level of education. For that, good educational opportunities are required, and it begins in school.
It would be nice if Peder Björk could reflect a little lightly – it is perhaps not to ask for too much, and we can take that in another debate – on how higher education in Sweden has grown significantly over the last 20 years. It is reaching record levels. It is not that Mittuniversitetet is the only new university. The investments have for the most part been reasonable so that there is a good basic education throughout the country, but they were made to meet the extensive skills shortage in Sweden.
When I took over after the Social Democrats, the lack of competence was perhaps greater than ever. Then one must consider whether it is something that the Social Democrats have done wrong in their investments. It is a thought that one could still sometimes test if one is self-critical. That is what one should do, is my tip.
We will now be clear that the research proposal being presented will focus on excellence. It will focus on groundbreaking technology. It is a major research initiative that is directly linked to the conditions for high-quality, top-tier education at Sweden's universities. It is necessary for Sweden to succeed in tough international competition. I look forward to more debates on this subject regarding that we should have a very strong education in Sweden.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.