With wind in her sails

– It is important to be tactical, be able to analyse new situations and keep track of how the winds are changing, explains Malin Broberg. She is talking about sailing. But perhaps she could just as well have been talking about the job of vice-chancellor at the University of Gothenburg.

t is called a 505, the two-man boat that Malin Broberg competes in, together with her husband-to-be, Johan Röök. On August 3–13 last year they competed in the World Championships in Cork, Ireland.

– It started with a few days of training before the actual competition began. It involved long days that often lasted from nine in the morning until five thirty at night. Most crews in this class consist of fairly large men, as the person leaning off the boat must have a certain heft. But there are mixed crews as well, even though it is quite unusual. We ended in 20th place in the competition, but second in the mixed crews which resulted in us being interviewed by TV.

The competitions are not only about winning, but just as much about having fun together with other people.

– The discussions in between races are often quite nerdy, where we talk about tactics and equipment. We rarely have time for sightseeing on our trips, it's mostly about winds and waves.

Malin Broberg’s interest in sailing has led to a lot of travelling, mainly in Europe but also the USA. At the beginning of 2019, she and Johan competed in Australia.

– When we travel in Europe, we transport the boat on a trailer. But before the World Championships in Australia, all the European competitors assembled in Germany to fill containers with boats, masts, booms, sails, tools and clothing, which were then shipped to Fremantle outside Perth. Transportation took three months, from October to December, and then we did not get the boat back again until March. But, of course, we never sail during the winter months so that was alright. Competing as a couple is great, as we get to spend a lot of time together. But it is also practical, we never have to negotiate about where to go when we compete.

Malin Broberg has been sailing since she was 8 years old. In the beginning, her father, Anders Broberg, acted as both coach and driver. Eventually, she attended the yachting upper-secondary school in Lerum, started competing at an elite level and for a while nurtured the idea of a career in sports, or perhaps becoming a PE teacher.

– Eventually, I decided to become a psychologist, just like my dad. However, I did not work in a clinical setting for very long before an opportunity arose for me to be a doctoral student. And after presenting my doctoral thesis, I continued working at the university.

Malin Broberg’s field of research is child development, particularly in children with functional disabilities. Her field is wide-ranging, including everything from how the welfare system operates to more medical matters about how brain damage can affect children, and the effects of various treatments.

– I have supervised seven doctoral students, four of whom were externally employed and combined their research with clinical work. For three years I was also the R&D coordinator within the administration for “Habilitering & Hälsa”, tasked with developing their research environment.

Malin Broberg has always enjoyed getting things done in various associations and making things happen together with others. When various opportunities have knocked, she has often taken advantage of them.

One such example was at the end of 2016 when she was asked, at short notice, whether she could step in as pro-dean at the Faculty of Social Sciences. She was replacing Marie Demker who had been elected Dean at the Faculty of Humanities.

– I had been on the faculty board for a term and a half, but it was still unexpected. But you don’t get an opportunity like that every day so I accepted. In the summer of 2018 our dean, Birger Simonson, retired, and I was elected to be his successor.

Malin Broberg argues that her leadership style is characterised by three things: accessibility, trust and transparency.

– At each level where I have worked I have broadened my mind and learned something new. I have gained ever greater insights into how the organisation works, how funds are allocated and how I can provide support to both managers and other employees. One important aspect is how we prepare matters that are to be decided upon. It is about being transparent, letting things take time and listening to others rather than talking myself. We have so many incredibly skilled employees, everyone with their own their view on matters that you need to understand. Sometimes a compromise may be good, but in other instances it may lead to nobody being particularly happy. If the process has been an open one, then perhaps those who were disappointed can at least understand why the decision was what it was.

One example of how management suddenly can be put to the test was the pandemic.

– My husband works for a company with plenty of contacts in China, so I was perhaps not entirely unprepared for the fact that a contagious virus was spreading. But getting a university organisation with its inertia to change and start working differently in just a few days, that was truly a feat. We were successful because we all took responsibility together.

The lessons the university can learn from the pandemic include the matter of the students’ study environment, Malin Broberg believes.

– Not everybody has the opportunity to study at home, so the university should provide plenty of places to study, but perhaps also other things, such as lockers and the possibility to shower if you cycle to lectures. It is also important to use digital tools in the best way possible, while at the same time making good use of the periods we spend together in person. Traditional lectures can be good, but the truly deep learning often happens in discussions with others, when you train your analytical ability and learn to listen. I also believe that we need to stay at home when we are sick; coming to the university sick has been far too common an occurrence.

It was in September last year that Malin Broberg found out that she was one of around 50 nominees to the position as vice-chancellor.

– Of course, it was a great honour and declining it would have felt wrong. Since then I have had to sit a number of tests, been interviewed and been asked to present what I hope to contribute. Primarily, this entails how this extensive and interesting university can be strengthened, both internally and externally.

The comprehensive range is the University of Gothenburg’s great strength, Malin Broberg argues.

– But we need to understand the different needs of the various parts: An internal allocation that may appear unfair can be justified by the bigger picture. Sahlgrenska Academy, for example, competes with the independent Karolinska Institutet, and the Faculty of Fine, Applied and Performing Arts competes with various universities in Stockholm.

At the same time, it is important that the university is perceived as one unit.

– We are a prominent broad-based university in a major city, with a focus on climate and sustainability. We play an important role in Gothenburg and the region, which has a considerable need for skilled labour, innovation and research. But we are not only here to educate for the labour market. We also need to invest in lifelong learning and contribute to ensure we have an educated populace that contributes with different knowledge-based arguments and critical perspectives. There is a lot of talk about resistance to facts,, but it may also be the case that certain loud voices are taking up more room in public discourse. It must be possible to discuss all kinds of subjects and perspectives, but the debate should be held in a civilised manner.

As dean, Malin Broberg cycled between the departments in Haga and Linnéstaden.

As vice-chancellor for the university she will scarcely have time to cycle everywhere.

– I cannot promise that I will visit all the parts of this extensive institution, but I will do my very best to learn about all our operations. Once we have a pro-vice chancellor in place, we can start working on putting together the vice-chancellor’s office and plan for the future. I am both honoured and humbled by my new assignment. I know that I have a very professional, skilled and experienced team to lean on, so in that sense, I feel confident.■

Malin Broberg

Currently: Proposed as the twentieth vicechancellor of the University of Gothenburg, commencing on July 1, 2023. The government will make the formal decision during the spring.

Profession: Licensed psychologist and professor of psychology.

Lives in: Önnered.

Family: Husband-to-be Johan Röök, two adult children and two bonus children.

Hobbies: Sailing, sewing, knitting, and cooking.

What was the last book you read? The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama.

What was the last film you watched? At the cinema

Top Gun: Maverick. Together with the children, true nostalgia.

What is your favourite food? I love food! But I am allergic to fish and gluten.