Vision, goals and strategies

The university's vision statement is as follows:

Together, we take responsibility for the future. Through continually developing distinctive education and research, we make a difference.

This vision means that for us, taking responsibility is a given – in education, in research, on campus, and in collaboration with the wider community. Each employee's daily accomplishments form a tapestry of unique threads that together make a difference. We are cutting-edge and leave a distinct impression on everything we do. We are bold and we work together across boundaries.

The Governing Board of the University of Borås adopted this new vision statement for the university in February of 2020. Linked to the vision are goals and strategies, that are updated every five years.

This section presents the current goals and strategies, as well as the new ones that apply for the period 2026–2030.

Goals 2021–2025

The university's goals for 2021-2025 are: The attractive university and Complete academic environments 2.0.

The attractive university

In order to meet the challenges and expectations that higher education and research face, it is important for the University of Borås to be an attractive university. The attractive university affirms and encourages free and critical thinking, questions established truths, and, with a scientific approach, both challenges and participates in the public debate. At an attractive university, differing opinions and competencies are respected, and we have the ability to conduct constructive discussions based on facts. The attractive university takes responsibility for the future and the goals formulated in Agenda 2030. This means that a global perspective and gender mainstreaming are self-evident aspects of our education and research.

The attractive university is attractive both to present and future students and to staff and conducts its work together with external partners in the public sector, business and industry, and cultural life.

Complete academic environments 2.0

To ensure the high quality of education and research at the University of Borås, the university is to have complete academic environments. A complete academic environment is characterised by a balance and a close relationship between our educational programmes and research as well as degree-awarding powers at all levels of the educational system. A complete academic environment is likewise characterised by nationally and internationally recognised environments as well as sustainable development, gender equality, and internationalisation, in accordance with Agenda 2030.

A complete academic environment has well-developed collaborations with the surrounding society and a balance between research that is externally funded and that receives direct government funding.

Strategies 2021–2025

We use the following strategies to achieve our goals.

Digitalisation
Continually developing distinctive education and research
Environments for learning
Together and in collaboration

Goals 2026–2030

The university's goals for 2026–2030 are: The attractive university and Distinctiveness and societal relevance.

Goal: The attractive university

The University of Borås aims to be a higher education institution that:

affirms and encourages free and critical thinking and questions established perspectives and norms;
actively challenges and participates in public debate from a scholarly or fine arts approach;
respects different opinions and competencies and provides the opportunity for constructive discussion based on knowledge and proven experience;
attracts and engages students, employees, and partners both nationally and internationally.

Goal: Distinctiveness and societal relevance

The University of Borås has:

a clear and comprehensive focus on distinctive and socially relevant education and research programmes;
high quality in all of its areas of activities in an environment in which research is tied to educational programmes and educational programmes are tied to research;
nationally and internationally recognised and celebrated environments;
research and education with a clear link to Agenda 2030.

Strategies 2026–2030