News
Enhanced support for responsible internationalisation
Published: 13 October 2026
The Vice-Chancellor recently approved two new policies as part of SLU's work on responsible internationalisation. The decision covers a new policy for internationalisation, a new policy for international cooperation agreements and enhanced operational support. The aim is to make it easier to benefit from the opportunities offered by international collaboration while effectively identifying and managing potential risks.
International collaboration, recruitment and exchanges are important for the quality and relevance of SLU's activities. At the same time, international collaboration must be based on careful assessments of both opportunities and risks. The guiding principle of SLU's new internationalisation policy is therefore that international activities should be conducted as openly as possible and as securely as necessary.
SLU's work on responsible internationalisation is based on the national guidelines for responsible internationalisation published by the Swedish Research Council in March 2026.
"Internationalisation is essential to most of our activities at SLU. We need to continue developing international partnerships and remain open to the world, while improving our ability to assess and manage potential risks. With updated policies and coordinated operational support, we want to make it easier for staff to get the help they need when making these assessments," says Ylva Hillbur, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Internationalisation.
Coordinated support for internationalisation
Operational support for responsible internationalisation includes an internal group of experts who can provide ongoing advice and assistance to staff. Information and guidance are also available on the staff website, along with a dedicated email address for enquiries.
This will make it clearer where staff can turn to for advice when assessing opportunities and risks, for example when considering a new international collaboration.
Two new policies
The Vice-Chancellor's decision also includes two new governing documents: Policy for Internationalisation at SLU and Policy for Establishing Cooperation Agreements with International Partners. (The two policies are currently only available in Swedish, but English versions will be published shortly.)
The internationalisation policy sets out SLU's overall approach to international activities. The policy on cooperation agreements establishes the principles for written agreements with universities, public authorities, companies and other organisations abroad.
Guidance and support on the staff website
Guidance and support materials are available on the staff website, including advice on evaluating international collaborations and partners and assessing potential risks.