Vision and Target Areas
Jönköping University's vision People First communicates an ambition to include a human-centric perspective in all decisions, processes and activities. For the university, this means that students, employees and people in the surrounding community form the foundation.
The vision is realised by all companies within JU developing goals, indicators and processes for follow-up within five target areas. The process in the companies does not follow the same template, but is adapted to the companies' different starting points. However, all processes are inclusive and transparent.
People First
Let’s put People First – world-class education and research for the benefit of individuals and society.
We are an international university that builds on a regional culture of entrepreneurial excellence. With a sustainable work environment for students and staff we deliver world-class education and research with societal impact.
Target Areas
Target areas
The vision is realised by all companies within JU developing targets, indicators and processes for follow-up within six target areas. In addition to this, the Foundation Board has decided to monitor 20 key performance indicators (KPIs) for operations at the JU level. Three of these have targets set for 2030.
The three targeted key indicators focus on aspects that provide favourable conditions for JU's operations. These are:
- Work environment – ambassadorship
- Education – number of first-choice applications per admitted student
- Research – external research funding obtained from the EU Framework Programme and the ERC.
The key indicators are described under each target area.
1. Working environment
The foundation for all other target areas is a world-class working and study environment that supports both the well-being and performance of employees and students.
Key performance indicators (KPIs):
KPI 1: Ambassadorship
Ambassadorship is measured using eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score), which captures the extent to which employees would recommend their employer to a friend or acquaintance. The result ranges from -100 to 100.
In 2026, the eNPS at JU will be 10.
The target for 2030 is an eNPS of 20.
KPI 2: Student satisfaction
Student satisfaction is measured via ISBSB as the proportion of students who respond that they are generally satisfied or very satisfied with their experience at JU.
KPI 3: Psychological safety
Psychological safety is monitored under the framework of systematic work environment processes. An organisational and social work environment review must be carried out by all managers responsible for personnel. Among other things, the review must result in an OSA protocol signed by the manager and the chief safety representative. These protocols form the basis for a report to the board.
2. Sustainability
We strive to integrate sustainability into education, research and collaboration so that, over time, value is created both locally and globally.
Key performance indicator (KPI)
KPI 4: Impact case from JU's activities
The board has decided that this key indicator should be reported in the form of impact cases. This means that between one to three sustainability initiatives that are important to the organisation will be selected each year. Resources will be allocated for these initiatives to follow up and communicate the positive value that has been achieved.
3. Education
We work to provide high-quality education that prepares students for relevant professional roles and societal challenges.
Key performance indicators (KPIs):
KPI 5: Number of first-choice applications per admitted student
The number of first-choice applications per admitted student (in selection group 2) is measured for undergraduate and advanced level programmes in the national admissions rounds starting in the autumn semester. Data is obtained from UHR. This is a measure of attractiveness that is monitored at the JU level and does not focus on individual programmes. At programme level, lower targets may be justified.
Autumn 2025: 1.86
The target for 2030 is 2.0 first-choice applications per admitted student at the JU level.
KPI 6: Proportion of students in relevant employment
This key indicator is measured as the proportion of students who have established themselves in the labour market one year after graduation, as measured by Statistics Sweden.
4.Research
We want to achieve research excellence through more and higher quality publications, a higher citation rate and increased external funding.
Key performance indicators (KPIs)
KPI 7: Scientific publications – Web of Science
KPI 8: Scientific publications – Scopus
Scientific publications are measured over a three-year interval in the form of a fractionalised number of scientific publications. Scientific publications are tracked in both Web of Science and Scopus, as these databases partially capture different publication volumes.
KPI 9: Citations, top 10% articles – Web of Science
KPI 10: Citations, top 10% articles – Scopus
The citation rate is measured as the number of top 10% cited articles over a three-year interval. The key indicator is tracked in both Web of Science and Scopus, as these databases partially capture different publication volumes.
KPI 11: External research funding – EU Framework Programme and ERC
KPI 12: External research funding – total
External research funding is measured as accumulated external research funding earned per year. This is monitored via research grants earned from the EU Framework Programme and ERC, and total external research funding earned.
External research funding earned from the EU Framework Programme and ERC in 2025: SEK 2.9 million
Target for research funding earned from the EU Framework Programme and ERC by 2030: SEK 20 million.
5. Internationalisation
Internationalisation strengthens both education and research. We want to increase the number of international students, student mobility and international collaborations.
Key performance indicators (KPIs)
KPI 13: International programme students – EU
KPI 14: International programme students – Fee-paying
The number of international programme students at undergraduate and advanced levels is monitored for both students from the EU and fee-paying students.
KPI 15: Student mobility – Incoming
KPI 16: Student mobility – Outgoing
Student mobility is measured by the number of incoming and outgoing students within our exchange programmes.
KPI 17: International co-authorship – Web of Science
KPI 18: International co-authorship – Scopus
International co-authorship is measured as the share of internationally co-authored scientific articles over a three-year period. This indicator is tracked in both Web of Science and Scopus, since these databases partly capture different publication sets.
6. Collaboration
Collaboration with industry, the public sector, and civil society increases the relevance and impact of both education and research.
KPI 19: Number/share of R&D projects with co-financing collaboration
The number/share of R&D projects with co-financing collaboration is a key indicator for collaboration in research. It is measured as the number/share of research projects co-financed by industry, the public sector, or civil society
KPI 20: Share of programmes offering work-integrated education (VFU/NFK etc.)
Collaboration in education is monitored through the share of programmes offering work placements (such as VFU/NFK). This key indicator is based on data in Ladok via local tagging of courses with VFU or internship during the relevant calendar year.
