Language at SLU

Last changed: 04 February 2026

Language use at SLU is regulated by the Swedish Language Act, but also by our own rules on language use. To ensure consistent language in SLU texts, we have an in-house style guide.

Language Act

The Language Act was adopted in 2009 and has two sections that apply to SLU:

Section 11

The language of the public sector is to be cultivated, simple and comprehensible.

Section 12

Government agencies have a special responsibility for ensuring that Swedish terminology in their various areas of expertise is accessible, that it is used and developed.

Section 11 is on plain language. Using a plain and cultivated language is an obligation all public authorities have.

You achieve this by writing according to the principles of plain language and following the SLU style guide.

Section 12 is about the terminological responsibility that public authorities, including SLU, have.

Our task is to ensure that terminology in our areas of expertise is available, as this is a prerequisite for communicating SLU's knowledge to the surrounding community.

Rules on language use

SLU's governing document on language describes the overall principles of cultivated, accessible and inclusive language. It also describes what applies to language use in different situations. The rules are intended to make it easier for staff by clarifying, for example, the type of information that must be available in both Swedish and English.