FACULTY MANAGEMENT. Jenny Nyström and Magnus Simrén have now assumed their roles as new Dean and Pro-Dean respectively. Initially, they want to listen to the faculty and get an idea of which issues are important to different areas of Sahlgrenska Academy.
“It really is a great honor to be entrusted with leading such an incredible organization,” says Dean Jenny Nyström. “The faculty has experienced strong growth in recent years under the leadership of Agneta Holmäng and Henrik Hagberg, and a wealth of opportunities lie ahead of us.”
Newly appointed Dean of Sahlgrenska Academy (mandate period: 2024–2029).
Professor of Physiology. Former Head of the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology.
Defended her doctoral thesis in Gothenburg in 2000, followed by a period as a postdoctoral researcher at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.
Alongside her new position, she will continue her teaching and research in renal physiology, with a particular focus on the mechanisms behind inflammatory kidney diseases.
Leading the faculty is a team effort, as emphasized by both our new Dean and our new Pro-Dean. Many employees contribute toward the development of Sahlgrenska Academy, from pro-deans, members of the Faculty Board, and heads of departments, to members of various councils and committees.
“Our collegiality gives us tremendous strength, and we want to take full advantage of this,” adds Pro-Dean Magnus Simrén. “We look forward to the dialogue that needs to take place within the faculty, and we want to set aside sufficient time for these internal discussions. During our first months, we want to focus on really listening to what the organization wants.”
Common solutions
No major changes are therefore expected in the near future. In the longer term, however, the new leadership has identified several key issues that the faculty will need to address and resolve together. The deteriorating economic situation looks set to affect the faculty for some time to come. The throughput of students within our programs needs to be discussed and addressed. The Sahlgrenska Life project also needs to be carried out responsibly.
“A bigger long-term goal is to strengthen the cooperation between the faculty’s various departments, particularly in order to contribute to more inspiring and creative collaborations,” says Dean Nyström. “I am convinced that this will result in better research. We also need to strengthen our cooperation across departmental borders to avoid duplicated work.”
Good conditions for clinical research
Like his predecessor Henrik Hagberg, Pro-Dean Simrén will take great responsibility for the faculty’s collaboration with Region Västra Götaland through the national medical training and research agreement. The conditions are excellent, with top scores in two evaluations having maximized our allocation of funding via this agreement.
• Newly appointed Pro-Dean of Sahlgrenska Academy (mandate period: 2024–2029).
• Professor of Medical Gastroenterology. Former member of Sahlgrenska Academy’s Faculty Board.
• Defended his doctoral thesis in 2001, followed by a period as a postdoctoral researcher at KU Leuven in Belgium.
• Alongside his new position, he will continue his research in neurogastroenterology, focusing on IBS at the Wallenberg Laboratory and the gastrointestinal lab, as well as his clinical activities at Sahlgrenska University Hospital’s Medical Clinic.
“Hälsosam has already made several strategic investments, including in junior researchers,” says Pro-Dean Simrén. “There may also be room for other initiatives here to further improve the conditions for the research we carry out in cooperation with Region Västra Götaland. The dissemination of research findings within healthcare is another crucial aspect of our collaboration with the region.”
A strong team
The faculty management will also include five pro-deans, with broadly the same areas of responsibility as during the previous period. Four of these five pro-deans were announced just before Christmas. Mats Brännström becomes Pro-Dean for Research, Ewa-Lena Bratt becomes Pro-Dean for Internationalization and Cooperation, Mia Ericson becomes Pro-Dean for Third-Cycle Education, and Gudmundur Johannsson becomes Pro-Dean for Education.
The new pro-deans have been identified in cooperation with the faculty-wide drafting committee.
“I think we have put together a really strong team, in which the different pro-deans show great breadth and represent much of Sahlgrenska Academy,” says Dean Nyström. “With their range of skills and backgrounds, we believe that they will complement each other well.”
“We will have a dialog with the new pro-deans about exactly which tasks will be included in different assignments, and there may be some minor adjustments,” concludes Pro-Dean Simrén. “For example, we want to add sustainability as a new area of responsibility to be included in one of the pro-dean assignments.”
Another pro-dean position will be filled shortly, with responsibility for infrastructure and facilities. Akademiliv will provide additional information once this appointment has been concluded. The pro-deans will also be presented in more detail at a later date.
BY: ELIN LINDSTRÖM
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MAGNUS SIMRÉN
- Newly appointed Pro-Dean of Sahlgrenska Academy (mandate period: 2024–2029).
- Professor of Medical Gastroenterology. Former member of Sahlgrenska Academy’s Faculty Board.
- Defended his doctoral thesis in 2001, followed by a period as a postdoctoral researcher at KU Leuven in Belgium.
- Alongside his new position, he will continue his research in neurogastroenterology, focusing on IBS at the Wallenberg Laboratory and the gastrointestinal lab, as well as his clinical activities at Sahlgrenska University Hospital’s Medical Clinic.
