Examples of other measures include not recruiting to certain posts left vacant by retirements, consolidating premises and reduced resources within certain areas.
In total, the Central Administration needs to lower its annual costs by SEK 20 million and the package of measures comprises several parts. In line with a Vice-Chancellor’s decision taken recently, the university-wide support for contract education will be pared back to a node with three or four full-time staff. Today, the Lund University Commissioned Education department (LUCE) within the Research, Collaboration and Innovation Division, has around 20 employees and has run a deficit since 2019. The annual savings will amount to between SEK 2 million and SEK 3 million, from savings on premises among other things.
The node’s remit will be drawn up during the autumn, in consultation with the faculties. The plan is to include support in contract management and to be a point of contact at the University for those wishing to purchase contract education. Reporting to the Swedish Higher Education Authority and being the convenor of a LU network for contract education will also be included in the remit. The Vice-Chancellor’s decision means that most of the responsibility for supporting contract education will be taken over by faculties and departments.
Ready by March at the latest
The decision to reduce university-wide support for contract education has been preceded by a consultation round with faculty managements and dialogue with the employees affected. All faculties are broadly positive about the decision. The change will then be implemented gradually during autumn 2024 and early 2025. No later than 31 March 2025, LUCE as an organisational unit will cease to exist. Employees affected will receive transition support from the HR Division, starting after the summer.
The work to create a university-wide node to offer targeted support for contract education has begun and will continue through the autumn in consultation with those responsible at the faculties. The transfer of current contract education will be carried out during the autumn in consultation with the faculties.
Other measures in the package of savings for the Central Administration include, for example, not recruiting to certain roles after retirements or resignations, consolidation of premises, reduced resources for e.g. innovation support, work environment, internationalisation and employability, a revised age of 63 for drawing partial pension and that registration fees for Lundaloppet will no longer be paid by the employer.