A University in Saepmie

Mid Sweden University is located at the heart of the South Saami area of Saepmie. The university's Saami name is Gaskeuniversiteete. Currently, a diverse group of researchers at the university are engaged in various aspects of Saami-related studies. As a result of this, the university has initiated a coordinated research and education effort, carried out in collaboration with the Saami community in a way that benefits South Saami culture and society and the development and preservation of the language.

It is the intention of Mid Sweden University to develop both research and education related to Saami issues. We want to strengthen the university's role as an academic institution at the heart of the Saami area, and at the same time contribute to strengthening the position of the South Saami community, both in Sweden and in other parts of Saepmie.

We start from an explicit rejection of the racist and objectifying research on the Saami that previously took place in both Sweden and the other Nordic countries. From this follows also that activities conducted at the university in both research and education which directly affect the Saami must be anchored in, or carried out in collaboration with, the Saami community in such a way that the abuses of previous generations are not repeated. This has made it a natural step to develop this declaration of intent in collaboration with the Gaaltije Foundation.

Decolonisation efforts are currently taking place at universities worldwide and Mid Sweden University will contribute to this international development. Both local and regional institutions, such as regions and municipalities in Jämtland-Härjedalen and Västernorrland, are already developing strategies for decolonisation. It is important that the university keeps up with and contributes to such development, as there is a growing need for knowledge about, and application of, Indigenous perspectives across all academic disciplines.

Research at Mid Sweden University on Saami issues is diverse and spans multiple disciplines across both faculties. However, it has scope to be further expanded and deepened, e.g. through highlighting Saami presence in the region, both historically and in the present, and initiating research to enhance knowledge of the South Saami. Research findings may then be used to strengthen the representation of the Saami community in education, business, culture, and historiography.

Regional background

Several initiatives aimed at strengthening the Saami community are underway in the region where the university is located. In Östersund, plans are in place for the Saami Parliament building and for a Saami museum in the South Saami region. The surrounding municipalities are requesting educational programs within schools and healthcare that incorporate elements of Saami culture. Jämtland-Härjedalen and Västernorrland, with Östersund as a central hub, are traditional Saami areas that have recently gained renewed recognition and momentum. This was particularly evident during Staare 2018, a celebratory event on the centenary of the first Saami national meeting, held in Sweden in Staare, Östersund, in 1918. The event brought together Saami from across Saepmie and beyond for meetings, discussions, and cultural activities. Both Saami and the wider society have attested to the powerful impact of this gathering, which has led to new initiatives and ongoing processes. Many of the same issues that were discussed more than a hundred years ago remain relevant today.

Mid Sweden University has a significant responsibility to contribute to the development of Saami heritage in the region and to better align its education and research with South Saami issues. In recent years, the Gaaltije Foundation has played a crucial role in uniting the Saami community and has been an important partner for the university.

Mid Sweden University is located and operates in the Jämtland-Härjedalen and Västernorrland regions. Both regions, and eight out of ten of the municipalities situated in them, belong to the designated administrative area for the Saami languages. While regions and municipalities within this administrative area must meet certain legal requirements, it is perhaps even more important to demonstrate ambitions that go beyond these legal obligations.

As the only university within this Saami administrative area, Mid Sweden University aims to show responsibility and a clear commitment to its role in the region.

What do we want to achieve?

Identify

In cooperation with Saami organisations and municipal actors, we want to identify what the role of Mid Sweden University in the Saami area should be and, based on this, contribute to increased knowledge about the Saami society and to its best use. We also want to build skills that will enable us to function as an arena for contacts and a starting point for new projects. Finally, we intend to play an active part in the international network of collaborations between Indigenous peoples and universities that has emerged in recent decades.

Educate

We want to increase the study of Saami society within the university's existing courses in order to strengthen future competence levels relating to Saepmie in both the public and the private sector. Additionally we aim to investigate conditions for, and establish, education with a Saami focus. The aim is twofold: to offer education that is relevant to Saami people, and to provide skills to both existing and future Sami operations within our region, such as the Saami Parliament and a Saami museum.

Research

We want to contribute further to research relevant to the Saami and Saepmie. Such research is already conducted at Mid Sweden University but needs to increase, to be better coordinated internally and to be more often carried out in collaboration with Saami organisations.

Make visible

We aim to highlight Saami issues and position Mid Sweden University as a Saami university within the South Saami region. There is already a wealth of research that needs to be shared with the wider academic community, the education sector, and the general public. In doing so, the university can also establish itself as a leading educational institution in Indigenous studies and a hub for Saami knowledge.

The goal

The longer-term goal is for Mid Sweden University to establish and maintain a visible research connection to Saami society and Saami organisations. In the long run, such research will become an obvious part of global Indigenous research and – together with other actors within academic Saami studies in the Nordic countries – place us at the forefront of the academic decolonisation of the universities in Saepmie.