The vision of the University of Borås is to achieve full university status and become the third University with full academic rights in West Sweden. As a step towards realizing this vision, the University focuses on students' learning, increasing the proportion of research, and continuing to build complete academic environments. The University of Borås has approximately 12 000 students and just over 700 employees. In collaboration with the public and private sectors, we conduct education and high international quality research with great societal relevance. We are a modern university with a central campus in the center of the city. The national and internationally known Swedish School of Textiles and Swedish School of Library and Information Science are a part of the University of Borås, with educational programs and research.
Several of our educational programs are only available at our institution and attract students from all over Sweden. The University offers courses and study programs within the areas of:
- Library and Information Science
- Behavioral and Education Sciences
- Business and Informatics
- Engineering
- Fashion and Textile Studies
- Health Sciences
We are entitled to award doctoral degrees within four of these areas Library and Information Science, Resource Recovery, Textiles and Fashion (design and general), and The Human Perspective in Care. The University of Borås is a member of the European University Association, EUA (external link). EUA represents and supports higher education institutions in 46 countries, providing them with a unique forum to cooperate and keep abreast of the latest trends in higher education and research policies.
Collaboration with business, government, organizations, and society is a central part of the University of Borås. Our goal is to integrate knowledge from academic studies with knowledge based on practical experience, creating an arena for new knowledge. We call this Science for the Professions.
The quality assurance processes at the University of Borås support the continuous enhancement of quality of the University's research and education programs and develop a culture of quality among the university staff. A policy document guides the quality assurance processes for quality assurance (Policy för kvalitetsarbetet vid Högskolan I Borås, Dnr 337-08-90). They involve regular quality evaluation processes of the University's education programs initiated by the Research and Education Board and the Committee for Artistic Development Work and are based on written guidelines (Ordning för utvärdering av utbildningar vid Högskolan I Borås, dnr 152-11-11), as well as a regular inventory of the quality assurance processes. A quality assurance coordinator supports quality evaluations and is responsible for developing and coordinating the quality assurance processes.
Our educational programs and research rest firmly on a scientific base. We work to ensure that all education is closely tied to current research. Our educational programs and research are characterized by high societal relevance in the sense that research results must be practically applicable, and educational programs focussed on professions and employment. Research results must be useful and contribute to improvements in the business and public sectors. Moreover, a criterion of excellence is that our graduates are employable in professions closely related to their education.
Our educational programs and research are of high quality. This has been achieved by developing models and methods, the provision of knowledge of how to apply them, and the continuous critical examination of various kinds of development and phenomena. Our work is characterized by openness to new ideas and original ways of interpreting changes and conditions. We want our students to be well-educated when they leave the University and well-versed, with an ability to see their field and their profession from various perspectives. Abilities such as these provide a strong basis for life-long learning.
The University of Borås is a government authority. The government provides opportunities for higher education and research in Sweden through universities and university colleges. The University of Borås provides:
- Courses and study programs founded on scientific or artistic grounds and
- Support services for researchers and research groups working at the University
A governing board runs the University. The head of the authority is the vice-chancellor, responsible for the day-to-day operations of the University. An international perspective and exchange of knowledge and innovations between countries is a natural part of higher education and research. Universities across the globe should influence and be influenced by our different cultures, ideologies, and values.
Internationalization at the University of Borås is not just a measure of our research and education quality. However, it is an integrated part of achieving the University's goals and visions. In this way, internationalization at the University places students' learning in focus; it supports the increasing amount of research at the University and assists in developing complete academic environments where education is closely linked to research done at the University.
The University of Borås has a vital role in solving global challenges and giving our students competence to contribute to, and change, the increasingly internationalized arenas both at home and in other countries. Irrespective of whether our students work in Sweden or other countries, they will have careers where an international perspective is essential. An international perspective is required for sustainable development in all areas, including healthcare and education.
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