SLU’s operations are financed by direct government funding, fees and external grants and contracts. The allocation of the government funds is decided in the board’s financial allocation decision.
The major part of the funds is transferred to faculties and departments. If possible, large central provisions are avoided, for example to administration and libraries, which instead are funded through a surcharge (currently 15 percent of salary costs) charged at the departmental level.
SLU’s operations are directed by a large number of targets set by the government, the parliament, and by SLU’s management. The Higher Education Act forms the basis for the university’s operations and the targets in this act therefore strongly guide the university.
The government annually adopts, in an appropriation directive, parts of the targets it sets for the university. Furthermore, a large amount of documents in the form of laws, ordinances and other governing documents also express the targets of the government and the parliament.
In addition, the board’s assignments to the faculty boards are decided within the operational plan and the financial allocation.