Regarding political parties on campus

In February, the President of Jönköping University made a decision regarding the presence of political parties on university premises and campus.

Jönköping University is a religiously and politically independent organization. As a higher education institute, we are of course advocates for democracy. We offer our students and staff an international environment, a place for the development of knowledge, the exchange of experiences, and meetings between people from all over the county and around the world.

In order to ensure the uniform handling of requests from external actors to rent premises on campus, and thus avoid the risk of arbitrary and non-democratic interpretations of individual issues, we saw the need to make a clear statement about what will apply here at JU. Several universities have engaged in similar discussions about this issue. The President's decision was prompted by business intelligence and discussions within Jönköping University's management, together with the Student Union.

Jönköping University's protocol is that the university does not grant political parties permission to use premises or spaces on campus. The decision clarifies that exceptions may be made for:

• events that have a direct and clear link to university activities (education and research)
• sectoral policy debates and lectures related to university activities and of which the university is co-organizer
• events effected on behalf of a government authority
• the part of the university campus that (according to a decision by Jönköping Municipality) is a public place

Our students and our staff should be able to trust that their workplace and working environment is free from propaganda and opinion-forming efforts. Jönköping University remain open to events in which the university participates as an organizer, including political discussions, lectures or visits related to our operations: education, research and collaboration.

Agneta Marell, President
Mats Jägstam, Vice President
Jacob Wassén, President Jönköping Student Union
Marie Öhman, Dean School of Education and Communication,
Jan Mårtensson, Acting Dean School of Health and Welfare
Jerker Moodysson, Dean Jönköping International Business School
Ingrid Wadskog, Dean School of Engineering
Hanna Ståhl, Managing Director University Services