Ulrika Bergmark in the Scientific Council of the Swedish National Agency for Education

Ulrika Bergmark, Professor of Education at Luleå University of Technology, has been appointed a member of the Swedish National Agency for Education's Scientific Council. The Council will provide advice and guidance and work to ensure that the agency's work rests on a scientific basis and proven experience. The council is part of a larger developing process that the Swedish National Agency for Education is doing in 2025 to develop the business.

The Council consists of a total of ten researchers from different universities. The Government has appointed Director-General Joakim Malmström to head the Council and lead its work.

“I am very pleased and excited to be part of the Council. I hope to be able to contribute my knowledge and experience of practical research in collaboration with schools. I also hope that my unique position as a researcher at both a university and a municipal school authority will enrich the work of the Council. I look forward to many interesting conversations and meetings,” says Ulrika Bergmark.

Ulrika Bergmark is an upper secondary school teacher of Swedish and religion (MA). In 2009, she defended her thesis on the role of relationships and treatment in learning and health in schools. The thesis had a practical focus as the studies were conducted within the framework of a school development project.

Professor and scientific director

She has a shared employment as a professor of education at Luleå University of Technology and as a scientific leader at Piteå municipality. Having positions at these two organisations means that she contributes with her competencies on research, school practice and collaboration in a seamless way in both organisations' work. Her research interests include ethical relations and treatment, appreciative approaches, teaching in preschool and school, health promotion, pupil and student participation, education on a scientific basis and proven experience, teachers' professional development, school development, reading and literature, AI in teaching, collaboration between universities and schools, and practice-oriented research. She has also written popular science books in her research areas.

In addition to her research work, she is active as a university teacher and supervisor of doctoral students. She has also held a number of different management positions.

Criteria for the Council

The Swedish National Agency for Education has developed criteria for the composition of the Scientific Council, such as the competence profile of the members, their mandate and length of appointment, and the number of candidates that may be nominated per higher education institution or body. 21 of the 49 higher education institutions surveyed have nominated candidates for the Council. The nomination process included the Cice Chancellor submitting the names and justifications of a maximum of four candidates with at least a doctoral degree, two men and two women. When the nomination process closed, 55 researchers were nominated.

In the nomination process for the Council, the Swedish National Agency for Education has collaborated with an external reference group. The organisations that participated in this collaboration have been:

• Almega Utbildning
• The National Association of Independent Schools
• The Swedish Student Union
• Swedish Student Council
• Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKR)
• Swedish Teachers' Association
• Swedish School Leaders
• Swedish Association of Universities and University Colleges (SUHF)
• Swedish Association of University Teachers and Researchers (SULF)