Jönköping University receives requested teacher training

Jönköping University (JU) has received the gratifying news from the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ) to obtain a degree permit for subject teachers in mathematics for upper secondary school from the autumn of 2023. A qualification that has high demand in the country's upper secondary schools, not least in the Jönköping region.

“It feels very gratifying to receive a positive message from UKÄ for both JU and for the region's upper secondary schools. The labor market is good for subject teachers in mathematics and JU's competence and opportunity to start the education is important for both the region and the country,” says Agneta Marell, President of Jönköping University.

The School of Education and Communication (HLK) offers education for both basic teachers and subject teachers in a number of different subjects, but since the teacher education reform in 2011 has not offered education for subject teachers in mathematics for upper secondary school. With the new degree permit, JU again has the opportunity to provide that education.

“UKÄ and the Swedish National Agency for Education had long predicted a shortage of subject teachers in the subject of mathematics when we decided to apply for the degree permit. The announcement means that we can provide increased choices for our students in the education and thereby increase its attractiveness. It is a big job to apply for a degree permit and I am happy and proud of the news, it is a quality recognition both for our way of designing educations and our internal processes for dealing with such issues,” says Marie Öhman, Dean of the School of Education and Communication.

The education, which will be 5 years, includes four semesters of full-time studies in the subject mathematics (120 higher education credits) and will start in the autumn of 2023. JU will offer up to 20 study places in the education.

“My picture is that the shortage of qualified mathematics teachers is great both in the Jönköping region and in the rest of the country, so there is a strong demand for this competence,” says Göran Isberg, Director of Education at Jönköping municipality.