Governance and organisation
Halmstad University is governed by the Vice-Chancellor, supported by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, the University Director and the Deputy Vice-Chancellors. The University Governing Board is the highest decision-making body and is accountable to the government.
The University’s highest decision-making body is the University Governing Board. The Vice-Chancellor is the Head of the University and responsible for the executive management of the University. The Pro Vice-chancellor acts as the Vice-Chancellor’s deputy. The University Director is responsible for the University’s operations in administrative, legal and financial terms and is the Head of the Administrative Support. The University’s Governance also includes two Deputy Vice-Chancellors, one responsible for research and doctoral education, one responsible for collaboration and innovation. The University’s education and research is managed by the four Schools. The Research and Education Board is responsible for quality assurance and evaluation of research and education.
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Organisational chart
The University Governing Board
The University Governing Board has the ultimate responsibility for all matters at the University and is accountable to the government that its tasks are fulfilled.
All members of the board must be without any political affiliations and exclusively represent the University. The chairman and seven of the regular members are appointed by the government. Faculty staff appoint three members by election and the student union appoints three members. The Vice-Chancellor is also a member of the board. The trade unions have the right to attend meetings and share their opinions.
Board members
- Harald Castler, Chair
- Susanna Öhman, Vice-Chancellor
- Pauline Broholm Lindberg
- Christina von Dorrien
- Staffan Edén
- Pia Enochsson
- Johan Hörberg
- Gunilla Nordlöf
- Stefan Östholm
Representatives elected by the faculty/teachers
- Åsa Andersson
- Alina Franck
- Märtha Pastorek Gripson
Representatives elected by the Student Union
- Felicia Jakobsson, Student Union Chair
- Douglas Nygren
- Karl Thore-Svensson
Union representatives
- Navid Ghannad, Saco-S
- Camilla Soto, TCO/OFR
Board Secretary
- Ann Landén
Co-opted
- Malin Hallén, Pro Vice-Chancellor
- Catarina Coquand, University Director
- Selma Sedelius, Head of Communications
Vice-Chancellor
The Vice-Chancellor leads the operations of a higher education institution. Susanna Öhman is the Vice-Chancellor of Halmstad University and assumed her position on March 20, 2023.
Vice-Chancellor Susanna Öhman
Susanna Öhman is a professor of Sociology, with most of her academic career from Mid Sweden University. As Head of the Risk and Crisis Research Centre (RCR) she has performed research about societal perspectives on risks and crises, how they are perceived by the public, and how to communicate with the public about them. At Mid Sweden University she has also held positions as, among others, acting Pro Vice-Chancellor, Dean, Chairman of a Faculty Board and Head of Department.
She was also previously Dean of the School of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences at Halmstad University during the period 2018–2020. She has also held various external assignments, such as a member of the review group in the Swedish Higher Education Authority’s evaluation of the quality system at Örebro University, member of The Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions (SUHF) working group for refugee issues in higher education and a member of the strategic group for gender mainstreaming in higher education at the Swedish Secretariat for Gender Research
The Vice-Chancellor is appointed by the government following a proposal from the Board and is appointed for a maximum of six years. However, the position may be renewed up to two times, each for a period of three years. The Vice-Chancellor must have a deputy, a Pro Vice-Chancellor, and may also have one or more Deputy Vice-Chancellors.
Contact the Vice-Chancellor: rektor@hh.se
Pro Vice-Chancellor
The Pro Vice-Chancellor is the deputy of the Vice-Chancellor. Malin Hallén is Pro Vice-Chancellor of Halmstad University since 1 January 2024.
Pro Vice-Chancellor Malin Hallén
Malin Hallén holds the position of Pro Vice-Chancellor with specific responsibility for education and quality. The appointment is, besides being the Vice-Chancellor’s deputy, centered around strengthening the quality of the education in different ways. Included in the assignment is also chairing the Advisory Board for Quality Assurance.
Malin Hallén is a Senior Lecturer in Media and Communications and has during her time at Halmstad University held a number of governing positions, among other things Chair of the Research and Education Board, subject director, programme director, Head of Department, Acting Dean of the School of Health and Welfare and Deputy Vice-Chancellor.
University Director
The University Director is the head of the University Administrative Support at Halmstad University – all administration, support and service to the University's management, education and research.
University Director Catarina Coquand
All university-wide issues are also handled within the Administrative Support as well as anything to do with the University as a public authority.
Catarina Coquand is head of the University Administrative Support with its nine departments since 2017. Previously, she has been a lecturer and researcher in Computer Science, as well as Head of Department and Project Manager at Chalmers University of Technology, and most recently Dean at Malmö University.
Deputy Vice-Chancellors
Halmstad University has two Deputy Vice-Chancellors with one specific area of responsibility each. The position as Deputy Vice-Chancellor is appointed by the Vice-Chancellor and is a three-year post with the option of being extended.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor with specific responsibility for research and doctoral education
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Thorsteinn Rögnvaldsson
Thorsteinn Rögnvaldsson holds the position of Deputy Vice-Chancellor with specific responsibility for research and doctoral education at Halmstad University since 2022.
Thorsteinn Rögnvaldsson is a professor of Computer Science and has held a number of governing positions at Halmstad University, among other things as Acting Vice-Chancellor, Pro Vice-Chancellor with specific responsibility for research, Programme Manager for the KK environment Research for Innovation and as chair of the Research Board.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor with specific responsibility for collaboration and innovation
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Kristian Widén
Kristian Widén holds the position of Deputy Vice-Chancellor with specific responsibility for collaboration and innovation at Halmstad University since 2025.
Kristian Widén is a professor of Innovation Science focusing on Construction Management and leads the University’s focus area Smart Cities and Communities. He has previously been a member of the Education and Research Board.
Research and Education Board
The collegially organised Research and Education Board is responsible for quality assurance and evaluation of research and education at first level, advanced level and postgraduate level for the entire University. The Research and Education Board is responsible for ensuring a clear link between research and education, and for overall strategic priorities regarding research and education on basis of strategies decided by the University Governing Board or the Vice-Chancellor.
Board members
- Eva-Carin Lindgren, Chair
- Marie Mattsson, Vice Chair
- Linnea Gustafsson, faculty representative
- Mikael Hindgren, faculty representative
- Urban Johnson, faculty representative
- Håkan Vadst, faculty representative
- Håkan Pettersson, faculty representative
- Frida Stranne, faculty representative
- Pia Ulvenblad, faculty representative
- Isabelle Widén, student representative
- Hilda Boman, student representative
- Ellinor Wikdahl, student representative
- Britta Teleman, PhD student representative
- Anna Hoffert, external representative
- Anders Isaksson, external representative
Secretary / administrator
The Board secretary and administrator can be reached by email: funkansli@hh.se
The Committee for Doctoral Education
The primary task of the Committee for Doctoral Education is to work with quality assurance of the University’s doctoral education and make decisions related to doctoral education. The Committee for Doctoral Education also is a forum for the exchange of experiences and collaboration between the University’s different doctoral education areas to ensure quality in postgraduate education.
Members of the Committee for Doctoral Education
- Marie Mattsson, Chair
- Magnus Jonsson, Vice Chair
- Åsa Andersson
- Vaike Fors
- Jonas Gabrielsson
- Krister Hertting
- Sara Högdin
- Sara Karnehed, PhD student representative
- Thomas Magnusson
- Senad Osmanovic, PhD student representative
- Jeanette Sjöberg
Secretary / administrator
The Board secretary and administrator can be reached by email: funkansli@hh.se
Schools
Read more about the education and research conducted within the Schools:
University Administrative Support
The University Administrative Support provides service and support to the University's education, research, collaboration and management.
Departments of the Administrative Support
Chancellery
The Chancellery is responsible for the direct support to the University Governance and University Governing Board as well as the University wide advisory boards, councils and committees. The Chancellery handles studies, administration and secretarial support, legal coordination, archive and registrator as well as questions concerning strategic collaboration and internationalisation. The University wide research support and the support for the University holding companies can also be found here.
Contact information for the Chancellery
Finance
The Finance Department deals with governance, administration and monitoring of the University’s finances including accounting, procurement and invoice processing. Some of the economists work at the Schools.
Contact information for the Finance Department
Student Affairs
The department is responsible for all educational and student support, both central and at the University Schools. At the department, everything concerning education administration and documentation can be found, such as admittance, schedules, exam coordination, crediting of previous courses/work, syllabi, course and degree certificates and degrees. It also gathers all the support functions that the University offers its students, with everything from guidance counselling and international exchange to pedagogical support and preventive healthcare and welfare. The work with providing a good study environment in a broader sense is done in collaboration with both the University Schools and Halmstad Student Union. Service Center encounters and handles questions from staff and students as well as the general public.
Contact information for Student Affairs
Communications
The department is responsible for the University's internal and external communication, which includes marketing and student recruitment. The responsibility for administering and developing the various channels and forms that are used in the communication, everything from the website and printing to exhibitions and events, can be found here.
Contact information for the Communications Department
Campus Services
The department is responsible for the University's physical environment and infrastructure. The department handles IT issues, telephones, facility management, caretakers, environmental management, security and all other premises and estate issues. Contact the department through the University helpdesk, www.hh.se/helpdesk.
IT Department
The department is responsible for IT and telephone issues. The best way to contact the IT department is through the helpdesk system, www.hh.se/helpdesk.
University Library
The University Library is responsible for providing information resources within the University’s education and research areas. At the University Library students, staff and others can take part of and exchange information in the form of books, media and other information resources, both physical and digital. The University Library offers guidance and support in the search for and handling of information, as well as in questions regarding scientific publication. The responsibility for the University publishing database DiVA, Halmstad University Press and the coordination of legal deposits of electronic materials also lies here.
Contact information for the University Library
Human Resources (HR)
The department is responsible for HR support and salary handling, both central and at the University Schools. The department is a support to the University governance as well as the Schools’ management in everything that concerns staff issues, from strategic skills development and leadership development to rehabilitation and recruitment. Everything that has to do with union interaction, working environment and equal opportunities, as well as handling of salaries and pensions, is processed here.
Contact information for Human Resources
Property Management Department
The Property Management Department is responsible for the University’s premises, premises planning, real estate services and security, physical security and fire safety work. The department is also responsible for the University’s environmental work and follow-up, as well as for improving the energy use of the properties.
