Academic Elections

In 2026, KI will be taking important steps to strengthen collegial influence at the university and its internal organisation. By nominating and voting for colleagues to senior positions at KI, you will be helping to make sure that there will be qualified representatives sitting on the university’s committees and boards. Together, we will be creating conditions for stronger collegial influence and more effective management.

Academic elections for the position of dean (corresponding to the current position of academic vice president) and deputy dean are to be held this year. The election process for members of the Faculty Board and its committees will commence in the new year. 

The nomination period for deans and deputy deans is 17 November to 7 December 2025.

Why we hold academic elections 

Collegial governance is a fundamental principal at all universities, and means that decisions that benefit the university as a whole are taken collectively by experienced teachers and researchers. The Higher Education Act provides that such decisions be taken by persons with scientific or artistic competence. At KI, these individuals are appointed by academic election. 

The election procedure 

The election process begins with an invitation to staff and students to nominate candidates. The University Director decides on the nomination period, which must last at least two weeks. The nominations are then assessed by the Nomination Committee, which presents its proposals to the Nomination Assembly. The Nomination Assemble then compiles the shortlist of candidates. The election itself is a direct election to advise the president, who then takes the final decision based on its outcome. 

Who can vote? 

All members of KI’s teaching or research staff who are on a full or part-time (50% or more) contract on 1 January of the year elections are scheduled to be held are entitled to vote. All persons with voting rights are listed on an electoral roll drawn up by the university director after preparation by the departments. 

If you are entitled to vote, you will receive an email to your KI address containing a link to a digital voting system via KI Survey, on which you may cast your vote anonymously. You may vote in accordance with the Nomination Assembly’s proposal or for your own candidates.

Collage with staff Karolinska Institutet
Collage with staff Karolinska Institutet Photo: n/a

Two elections in 2025–2026 

Academic elections for the positions of dean and deputy dean (current academic vice president) will be held in 2025. Elections to the Faculty Board and its committees will take place in 2026.

Election of deans and deputy deans 

New title as of 1 July 2026: Dean and Deputy Dean (current Academic Vice President) 

  • Nomination period: 17 November–7 December 2025.
  • You may nominate candidates to the positions of dean and deputy dean for: o the Committee for Higher Education o the Committee for Doctoral Education o the Committee for Research
  • The elections will be held in early 2026.
  • Term of office: 1 July 2026–31 December 2029.
  • The roles of dean are to develop and strengthen KI within the committee’s field of concern, to lead a committee, to sit on the Faculty Board and to assist the president.

Elections to the Faculty Board and its committees

The Nomination Assembly and Nomination Committee

The Nomination Assembly consists of 75 representatives from KI's departments, distributed proportionally to the number of full-time employees at each department. The term of office is four years (from 17 June 2023). The mandate of the representatives ends when a new assembly is elected and has begun its first constituent meeting. The University Director is the convener and forms the Presidium together with the Chair and Vice-Chair.

Three student representatives have the right to attend and speak in the nomination assembly. Two student representatives are appointed to the Nomination Assembly's election committee for the election of deans and vice-deans. The student representatives are appointed by the student unions.

The Nominations Committee consists of seven members and is elected from among the members of the Nominations Assembly, excluding the Presidium, for a term of four years. The committee appoints a chairperson from among its members, who convenes its meetings and chairs its work. Students have the right to appoint two voting representatives to the Nomination Committee. 

Election of faculty members to the University Board 

The University Board (konsistoriet) is KI’s governing body and thus its supreme decision-making body. The function of the board is regulated in the Government Agency Ordinance , the Higher Education Act and the Higher Education Ordinance. The teaching staff is entitled to be represented by three elected members. The candidates are selected by the Nomination Assembly and then voted for by students and staff with voting rights (see “Who can vote”).