Letter of intent signed between Jönköping University and the municipality of Jönköping

Jönköping municipality and Jönköping University (JU) have signed a new declaration of intent with the aim of renewing and further developing current cooperation. The organisations work together to identify joint initiatives and priorities, including strategic competence supply and student housing.

“The starting point for the declaration of intent is that JU and the municipality, through joint initiatives and priorities, must ensure that collaboration can be deepened and further developed to strengthen the region. JU's development is closely linked to Jönköping's growth. An attractive campus in the middle of the city is a competitive advantage in the university's growth,” says Agneta Marell, president of Jönköping University.

In 2014, a letter of intent was signed for joint initiatives between Jönköping municipality and JU, which had four focus areas within which collaboration was to be conducted during the declaration's validity period (2014–2017). To renew and develop the collaboration, the municipality and JU now want to work further with a new declaration of intent based on the collaboration areas covered by the previous version: student social issues, strategic competence supply, promoting research, and increasing the number of student housing.

“Jönköping University is very important to the municipality. Over the past 20 years, the campus area has developed and student life blends into the rest of the city's life. A strong university satisfies the need for competence in the region and the international profile together with research has strengthened Jönköping's identity. The declaration of intent formalises our good cooperation, which we will continue to develop to focus on what is most important for both parties,” says Ann-Marie Nilsson (C), chairman of the municipal board in Jönköping.

The importance of the university for Jönköping municipality

In the report “The importance of the university for Jönköping municipality” (Högskolans betydelse för Jönköpings kommun) from 2020, the municipality and JU present a common picture of the significance of the university for the municipality. It is based on various statistical data and investigates issues concerning JU's significance for the municipality in competence supply, business development, internationalisation and diversity, economic growth, and urban development and attractiveness.

Provides the municipality with enployees

One example in the report is competence supply. The report shows, for example, that JU provides the municipality with employees in the education system and within care and nursing. “Among students graduating between 2007 and 2015, approximately 2,500 worked in these two industries one year after graduation, which corresponds to almost two thirds of JU's graduates who were employed in the municipality of Jönköping.”

Also, with regard to population development, it is seen that JU contributes to the municipality's influx of people, especially with regard to younger people of working age who also have a university degree.

The report is written by Sofia Wixe who is a Assistant Lecturer in Economics at Jönköping International Business School at Jönköping University. Sofia previously also worked as an analyst at the municipality of Jönköping.

Read the report (in Swedish). Pdf, 1.9 MB, opens in new window.

Contact information:

Jenny Dahlkild, Executive Manager at Jönköping University, jenny.dahlkild@ju.se, 036-10 17 33

Andreas Zeidlitz, Head of Administration and Development at the municipality Jönköping, andreas.zeidlitz@jonkoping.se, 036-10 57 30

Sofia Wixe, Assistant Professor in Economics at Jönköping University, sofia.wixe@ju.se, 036-10 17 63

Contact information AI research:

Niklas Lavesson, Professor Computer Science, niklas.lavesson@ju.se

Einav Peretz-Andersson, Lecturer, einav.peretz.andersson@ju.se, 036-10 17 13