Presidents of the University

Jönköping University Foundation
Agneta Marell, 2017-
Mats Jägstam, tf. 2017
Anita Hansbo, 2009-2017
Thomas Andersson, 2004-2009
Clas Wahlbin, 1994-2004

Agne Boeryd, acting 1990, acting 1993-94
Lars Amtén, 1990-93
Nils Gruvberger, part-time as a deputy 1986-88
Ingvar Törnqvist, acting 1982-83, 1983-90
Yngve Glennow, 1977-82

Milestones in the history of Jönköping University

1897
The first nursing students received their degree qualifications in Jönköping by Jönköping County.

1947
An elementary-school teacher's training college was established in Jönköping.

1963
A pre-school teacher's training college started in Jönköping.

1968
The elementary-school teacher's training college becomes "Jönköping Teacher School" and moves house to Västra Torget. The county's central school for the caring profession moves to new premises on Munksjö beach and in 1971 changes its name to "Munksjö School".

1970
The Institute for Gerontology and the "Ortos" Laboratory were started by Jönköping County, they later became part of the School of Health and Welfare.

1975
Higher Vocational Education started in Jönköping.

1977
Reform of Swedish higher education. Jönköping University College is set up as a state university college. The "Jönköping Teacher School" and the pre-school teacher's training college merged into the university. A two-year economic education started, become three-year in 1978. The Communication Officer (Informatör) programme started this year, it later became the Media and Communication programme. Some of the caring programmes at the Munksjö School become university programmes.

1979
First international student exchange; teacher training in Liverpool.

1981
Single subject courses relocated to the municipalities in the county.

1983
The Munksjö School starts a Prosthetics and Orthotics programme, focus: orthopedic technician, which is still now the only in its kind in Sweden.

1987
The Munksjö School's university educations within the health sector are renamed the School of Health and Welfare.

1988
First engineering programme starts at Jönköping University College.

1994
Jönköping University Foundation was founded, with three schools; the School of Education and Communication, the School of Engineering, and Jönköping International Business School (JIBS) as well as University Services. A joint faculty for the three schools is founded and the first right to award Master's degrees are given to Jönköping University. Host company activities start at JIBS and the School of Engineering.

1995
Jönköping University is given the right to award doctorates in four business school subjects. Research education is started at Jönköping International Business School.

1996
The first professors' inauguration at Jönköping University. Organized support for student business ventures is started by two students.

1997
The new campus is opened (Stage I) which includes the President's Office, JIBS and University Services. In 1998 the School of Engineering moves to campus. First doctoral thesis defence.

1999
First conferment of doctoral degree at Jönköping University. The School of Health and Welfare is given the right to award degrees in Social Science.

2000
The School of Education and Communication's new building stands ready (Stage II).

2001
Education in vocational education is started at the School of Education and Communication. Science Park Jönköping opens near the university and takes over, among other things, the support of student enterprises.

2002
The School of Health and Welfare becomes the fourth school within Jönköping University. The Students' House is opened.

2004
The university is given the right to award doctorates within the  Humanities and Social Sciences. First international scientific magazine published in Jönköping, the Journal of Media Business Studies.

2005
The University Library is named Library of the Year in Sweden.

2007
1 January 2007 Ingenjörshögskolan (the School of Engineering) is reorganized as Tekniska Högskolan i Jönköping. The name is not changed in English. A long term collaboration with Chalmers and KTH (The Royal Institute of Technology) is set up.
2010
The university is given the right to award Licentiate and Doctoral Degrees in Engineering, research area: Industrial Production, Machine design, Material and manufacturing processes, and Production systems.

2011
The first fee-paying international students from countries outside the EU/EEA are welcomed to Jönköping University.

2013
The university's own sports centre Campus Arena is inaugurated.

2014
Celebrating 20 years as a University Foundation.

2015
A new logo and graphical platform are introduced.

2016
As the first university in Sweden, Jönköping University offers Pathway Programmes with English foundation courses.

Jönköping University is appointed a so called "KK environment" by KK-stiftelsen (The Knowledge Foundation). This enables JU to build a strong research environment in knowledge-intensive product development – in close cooperation with industry.

2017
Service Center is inaugurated.

2019

House K is inaugurated as an office building for University Services. The building also contains examination rooms for students.

Already in 1897 the first nursing students in Jönköping received their qualifications by Jönköping County. In 1947 an elementary-school teacher's training college was set up and in 1963 a pre-school teacher's training college started here. For more information, check the Milestones tab.

Founding of Jönköping University Foundation

In the Statement of Government Policy of 1991 the elect government had stated their ambition to create more autonomous institutions of higher education. Jönköping University College and Chalmers University of Technology were given the opportunity to be set up as state universities. Jönköping University Foundation (JU) was founded on 1 July 1994.

The Foundation was organized with three schools — the School of Education and Communication, the School of Engineering and Jönköping International Business School as well as University Services. They were companies, owned by Jönköping University Foundation. In 2002 the School of Health and Welfare became the university's fourth school.

Professors and right to award doctorates 

During the first inauguration ceremony in Kristine Church in 1996, twelve professors were inaugurated as well as President Clas Wahlbin.

In 1995 the government decided to give the university degree-awarding powers in four areas/subjects: Business Administration, Commercial Law, Economics and Political Science; and doctoral programmes started in the same year. At the first conferment ceremony, in the Sofia Church in 1999, five doctoral degrees were conferred as well as two honorary doctorates. The first conferment ceremony was held jointly with the second inauguration ceremony and the two have henceforth been celebrated together. The Inauguration and Conferment Ceremony was later on moved to Elmia.

In 2004 the university's degree-awarding powers were extended to the Humanities and Social Sciences. By those means the School of Education and Communication and the School of Health and Welfare could start their own doctoral programmes. The university could therefore become an individual member of the European University Association.

On 1 January 2007 Ingenjörshögskolan became Tekniska Högskolan i Jönköping  (the School of Engineering — the name did not change in English). In 2010 the university was given the right to award Licentiate and Doctoral Degrees in Engineering, research area: Industrial Production, Machine design, Material and manufacturing processes, and Production systems.

Campus Area and premises

The university education was during the earlier years spread out in all of Jönköping. In April 1994 Jönköping Municipality acquired Jönköping Mekaniska Werkstad's old premises. The matter of where the campus should be was then settled. Högskolefastigheter i Jönköping AB (Höfab) with the municipality as majority owner and the university as part-owner was founded in October 1994.