Divisions and Secretariats
The Ministry of Education and Research has a staff of 200. The Ministry is divided into five divisions and three secretariats.
Division for Schools
The Division for Schools is responsible for matters relating to pre-school education and school-age childcare, pre-school classes and compulsory schools, as well as schools for pupils with severe learning disabilities, special schools (for pupils with impaired hearing or sight), Sami schools and independent schools under state supervision.
The Division for Schools is further responsible for preparatory work and analysis, including economic and statistical analyses and budgeting within the entire field. In addition, it is in charge of a number of overall issues, including staff training programmes for teachers and school administrators, teaching materials and disability issues. School quality enhancement, work on schools basic values and IT matters are also included in the Divisions remit.
The Division is responsible for the following agencies within its sphere of activity: the Swedish National Agency for School Improvement, the Swedish Institute for Special Needs Education, the National Agency for the Special Schools and the Sami School Board. In this connection, the Divisions responsibilities include projects assigned to the agencies as well as monitoring and evaluation of agency activities.
The Division for Schools works on bills and ordinances within its sphere of responsibility, and also deals with school curricula, syllabuses and timetables.
Division for Upper Secondary Education
The Division for Upper Secondary School Education is in charge of issues relating to upper secondary schools, upper secondary schools for pupils with severe learning disabilities and independent upper secondary schools. The Division is responsible for evaluation and analysis, including economic and statistical analyses and budgeting, within the entire field.
The Divisions tasks include monitoring and evaluation of municipal and independent upper secondary school activities as well as responsibility for international issues affecting upper secondary school education, such as developments in the field of vocational training. The Division also works on bills and ordinances within its sphere of responsibility.
The National Agency for Education is accountable to the Division for Upper Secondary Education. The Agencys responsibilities include governance, allocation of resources and follow-up of results.
Division for Student Financial Support and Adult Education and Training
This Division deals with matters connected with study financing and student welfare at different educational levels. It is also responsible for formal and liberal adult education and post-secondary vocational and skills development programmes for adults that are not offered at institutions of higher education. In addition, it looks after issues linked to industrial policy and the labour market, such as educational schemes for the unemployed. International issues in student welfare and adult education also fall within the Divisions remit.
Some examples of areas the Division is engaged in are development actions for reforming adult education, Swedish for immigrants, continuation courses, advanced vocational training and independent adult education programmes known as supplementary schools.
The National Board of Student Aid, the National Board of Appeal for Student Aid, the National Centre for Flexible Learning and the Swedish Agency for Advanced Vocational Education are agencies that come under this Division.
Division for Higher Education
The Division for Higher Education is responsible for undergraduate studies, postgraduate education and research at universities and other higher education institutions. It monitors the results achieved by universities and university colleges in pursuit of the targets set for these institutions by the Swedish Riksdag and Government.
This Division is further responsible for matters relating to students in higher education as well as recruitment and access to undergraduate education. Channels for student influence also fall under the Division for Higher Education.
Examples of government decisions dealt with include allocation of resources to higher education institutions and to other authorities organised under the Division, and appointment of Vice-Chancellors and governing boards.
Agencies within the Divisions sphere include the National Agency for Higher Education, the National Agency for Services to Universities and University Colleges, the Swedish Net University Agency and state universities and university colleges. Furthermore, the Division is responsible for relations between the state and autonomous institutes of higher education and private education providers.
International higher education issues also fall within the remit of this Division just as gender equality matters.
Division for Research Policy
The Division for Research Policy is responsible for general matters of research policy. It coordinates the Governments research policies and Swedish participation in research collaboration within the EU.
The Division's duties include the preparation of business connected with research councils, agencies that conduct research and research organisations that are not attached to higher education institutions. Research libraries and international research collaboration are other responsibilities of this Division.
The agencies answerable to the Division include the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Institute of Space Physics and the National Library.
Legal Secretariat
The Legal Secretariat supports the Divisions in the preparation of laws and other statutory instruments. It conducts investigations and provides information on legal matters. The Secretariat ensures that administrative matters are carried out correctly and that the decisions taken are in accordance with the law.
Registrar's office
The Legal Secretariat includes the Registrar's office.
Secretariat for International Affairs
The Secretariat for International Affairs coordinates and, in collaboration with the competent divisions, prepares educational business relating to the EU, the Nordic Council of Ministers, OECD, the Council of Europe, Baltic 21 and cooperation with third countries.
The Secretariat is responsible for overviews of the Ministry' representation on international boards, committees and working groups and coordinates the monitoring and evaluation of this work. It is responsible for the International Programme Office for Education and Training and the Swedish National Commission for Unesco.
The administrative office of the Swedish National Commission for Unesco is linked with the Secretariat for International Affairs, which carries out administrative duties and other tasks for the Commission and is responsible for preparing Unesco business for action by the Government and the Government Offices.
The Swedish Eurydice Office is also linked with the Secretariat for International Affairs. Eurydice is a European network for information on education and education policy.
Coordination Secretariat
The secretariat is responsible for the coordination of operational planning, management by objectives and results, auditing and internal auditing. Personnel matters, financial administration, internal computer support and general administration as well as statistical support and financial analysis. Internal and external information are also included in the secretariats operations.
