SAFER's host Chalmers has the highest reputation in Sweden
The distance between Chalmers - SAFER's host university - and other Swedish institutions of higher education has grown, according to research firm Kantar Sifo's newly published reputation index for 2018.
Chalmers University of Technology has topped the rankings every year since the measurements of Swedish public opinion began six years ago.
That Chalmers is well-known is a prerequisite for this high reputation. Other factors that strongly influence the general public's high opinion are that Chalmers University of Technology is regarded as:
- Successful
- A high-class institution
- Competitive
- Contributing to society at large
- Credible in the media
The foundation for good reputation is therefore a well-functioning organisation. That always comes first, according to Kantar Sifo. But high reputation also requires a good ability to communicate the university's successes and benefits.
"I am extremely honoured by the Swedish public’s high confidence in us and our operations, which has been shown year after year. Our ability to collaborate with others and contribute to society at large is obviously something that many people notice and appreciate. We succeed in communicating what we do and what we stand for," says Stefan Bengtsson, President and CEO of Chalmers University of Technology, adding: "Everyone at Chalmers should feel the same pride as I do.”
The survey was conducted online in July, where 3,700 people responded to a large number of follow-up questions about institutions known to them. The group represents the Swedish general public between 18 and 74 years. The answers resulted in an index for each institution.
Chalmers University of Technology comes out top in the country with index 90, eight points above Royal Institute of Technology, KTH (82), followed by Lund (81) and Uppsala University (79). Chalmers figures have never been worse than 86, and have been strengthened four points since 2016. The average index for all universities is 62.
The research-heavy of technological universities and the country's oldest universities have the highest reputation in general. The movements between the years are usually small. What is remarkable is, however, that the Karolinska Institute continues its dramatic decline trigged by the Macchiarini scandal, and now belongs to the lowest-regarded in Sweden in the eyes of the public.
