The History of the UNIVERSITY of GOTHENBURG FRONT COVER the University Building in the Early 1900S
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The History of THE UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG FRONT COVER The University building in the early 1900s. BACK COVER In the early 1930s, there were 300 students enrolled at Gothen burg University College (Göteborgs högskola). Two hundred of them were members of the student union, here gathered in front of the University Main Building in Vasaparken. The union’s inspector Hilding Kjellman, honorary member Johan Vising and the leader of the academic choir Hjalmar Lindroth are shown in the front row. BELOW The Assembly Hall in the University Main Building, early 1900s. Production: Information Office 2012 Print: Billes Photo: Göran Olofsson and Johan Wingborg Historic photos: photographers unknown. Editor: Carina Elmäng The information in this text is from the University’s booklet Trädet och kronan (2004) and the book Göteborgs universitets historia I & II by Bo Lindberg and Ingemar Nilsson, among Reg.nr: S-000256 Reg.nr: 3750M several other sources. All we have to offer is a window that is always open to the rest of the world. This window lets in a draft that seems to benefit the bacteria of freedom and rebellion. Hjalmar Frisk (1900–84), Vice Chancellor of Gothenburg University 1951–1966, In a speech in connection with the student parliament in Gothenburg 1958 The whole context: ‘Students at Uppsala and Lund will find that their Gothenburg counterparts disappear in the streetscape. Our friends from Stockholm will, in vain, seek for princesses by blood. All we have to offer is a window that is always open to the rest of the world. This window lets in a draft that seems to benefit the bacteria of freedom and rebellion.’ Crown Prince Gustav, later Gustav V, inaugurating the new building of Gothenburg University College in Vasaparken 18 September 1907. Table of Contents The History of the University of Gothenburg .........................................6 A University Emerges .........................................................................................................8 Faculties Evolve ........................................................................................................................11 ‘The Pedagogue’......................................................................................................................13 From Medicine to Public Health ........................................................................ 16 Artistic Education ...............................................................................................................19 Social Sciences ........................................................................................................................ 22 School of Business, Economics and Law .................................................... 24 Natural Sciences .................................................................................................................... 26 The University Library ................................................................................................... 28 The Inauguration in 1954 ............................................................................................. 29 The Open University in the Middle of the City .................................. 30 1848 Gothenburg Craft Association started a school on Östra Hamngatan, 1861 an idea to establish a science library in Gothenburg was acted upon. which later developed into the School of Design and Crafts (HDK). The History of the University of Gothenburg The University of Gothenburg is one of the most popular universities in Sweden, with the highest number of applicants per place for many programmes. Besides the attractive downtown location, students find the great breadth combined with the highly successful focus on in-depth and cutting-edge research and education appealing. 6 The History of the University of Gothenburg 1864 the idea of a free academy in Gothenburg was presented for the first 1865 a drawing school with a capacity of 170 students per year time, in an article in the newspaper Göteborgs Handels- och Sjöfartstidning. was established. The first building of Gothenburg University College. Built in 1867 and located at the corner of Södra vägen and Parkgatan, it housed the school until 1907. The building was demolished in the 1960s, yet it was considered to be too worn down for lectures to be held there already in the early 1900s. The History of the University of Gothenburg 7 1890 the first course in Gothenburg for teachers of textile handicraft was held. 1891 the first professors met their students at the beginning of the autumn semester. The Gothenburg city library (the predecessor of the university library) is established, based on the museum library. A University Emerges The University of Gothenburg’s cultural heritage about a university college in Gothenburg, the univer- includes thoughts about a free academy in Gothen- sity college that eventually became the University of burg, first presented in May 1864 in an article pub- Gothenburg. lished in the newspaper Göteborgs Handels- och Gothenburg University College opened in a Sjöfartstidning. large wooden building at the corner of Södra vägen ‘In brief, it can be described as follows: A free and Parkgatan in central Gothenburg. However, the academy is an institution for free studies of modern build ing soon became too small and was in poor con- subjects conducted for the purpose of education dition. A Gothenburg journalist wrote the following and led by cultural figures who shall also perform about a public art lecture: ‘The lecture hall was filled research. The studies shall be free in the sense that to capacity. It did not seem certain that the floor joists they shall not be linked to any academic degrees. would be able to carry the load.’ Academic degrees are detrimental to higher studies. The industrialist Oscar Ekman learned about the They force students to study the subjects that a certain situation and felt that something had to be done. He degree mandates, and not those that he is interested wanted the university college to be placed in a ‘for in (…) The hunger for knowledge is a strong enough her high purposes worthy building’. In 1902 an archi- driving force for studies.’ tectural contest was announced. The two architects The idea was presented by Sven Adolf Hedlund, Ernst Torulf and Erik Hahr won the assignment, and at the time a well-known cultural figure and one of in September 1907 the last touches were added to the the 19th century liberals who ended up playing a very University building in Vasaparken. The full construc- important role for Gothenburg’s cultural and politi- tion cost of 630 000 SEK was paid for by Ekman alone. cal development. He was a publisher, editor-in-chief The Crown Prince at the time, Gustav (later King for Göteborgs Handels- och Sjöfartstidning, mem- Gustav V), inaugurated the new building. ber of parliament, member of the Gothenburg city council, and the strongest supporter of the establish - Important dates ment of Gothenburg University College. It was in Gothenburg University College (1891–1954) consisted the late 1800s that Hedlund, together with the author of a traditional faculty of arts (humanities, social and journalist Viktor Rydberg, initiated the debate sciences and partly natural sciences), where the hu- 8 The History of the University of Gothenburg 1893 the first course in Gothenburg for teachers of home economics was held. 1901 the first professorship in political science at Gothenburg University College is established. Construction workers working on the foundation of the new building, around 1904. The History of the University of Gothenburg 9 1902 an architectural contest for the construction of the current University 1904 the building on Kristinelundsgatan was erected. This building has been Main Building in Vasaparken was announced. home to what is today the School of Design and Crafts since the beginning. institutions were incorporated into the University, for example the colleges of public administration, teacher training, journalism, music and performing arts. As a result, the University of Gothenburg became one of the both largest and broadest higher education institutions in Sweden. In 1998 the University College of Health Sciences became part of the University. The central vocational college had started in Gothenburg in 1961 with programmes preparing for Just having been awarded their doctoral degrees, a group of men pose in front example laboratory assistants. Regular health care of the main building in Vasaparken in 1931. assistant programmes emerged in the early 1960s and programmes for several other health and care profes- manities dominated strongly. In 1891 there were seven sions were started a few years later. Until then health professors teaching 22 students. care workers had received their training directly at The building in Vasaparken was completed in 1907. the hospitals. The Medical College was established in 1949. Health and caring sciences have belonged to the Gothenburg University College and the Medi- Sahlgrenska Academy since 2001. The IT University cal College merged in 1954, forming the University was started in the same year when Chalmers Univer- of Gothenburg. Before the merger, Gothenburg sity of Technology and the University of Gothenburg University College was a foundation financed by pri- joined forces to introduce new and advanced pro- vate, municipal and state funds, whereas the Medical grammes within IT. College was state operated. The University was in- The oldest part of the University of Gothenburg augurated