Snow still lies like a soft white quilt over Lund as I meet Sofie Ceberg, Senior Lecturer and the Faculty’s new Coordinator for gender equality and equal opportunities. After a long winter break, she is full of energy and eager to take on the assignment. The role is intended to strengthen the Faculty’s long-term work on gender equality and equal opportunities (shortened to "JoL" in Swedish), with recruitment identified as a priority area to reverse the current situation of too few female professors. At the same time, the task involves developing structures and working methods that foster a sustainable and inclusive work environment for both staff and students.
What attracted you to the role of JoL Coordinator?
“As a Senior Lecturer in Medical Radiation Physics, I am deeply committed to research, teaching and collaboration, but I am also passionate about gender equality and equal opportunities. The latter must be in place in a workplace for the other elements to flourish as fully as possible,” says Sofie Ceberg.
“We need good working environments, equal conditions and a variety of perspectives around the table in order to create the conditions for success. It is the oxygen in a workplace, and when it is lacking, creativity dies. I want to help build an organisation where everyone has equal opportunities to develop, succeed and feel good along the way. That is why I applied for the role of JoL Coordinator,” she continues.
What do you hope to contribute in the role?
“I have always reacted strongly when something feels unfair even as a child. When I was in school we were only four girls in my class, and I saw first-hand how important support can be, and how difficult things become when systems are not built on equal conditions. I bring that experience and committment into this role,” says Sofie Ceberg.
“One of my strengths is that I dare to speak up, take on difficult conversations and articulate when something is not right, which is important. But equally important is that I am incurably optimistic. I believe most people want to achieve gender equality, but many lack the tools. I try to approach things from a positive angle, and I believe that will be especially valuable here combined with offering knowledge and opportunities for training,” she adds.
“At the same time, I am new to the assignment, so I will listen, read up and learn from those who have worked with these issues for a long time,” she concludes.
Where does the Faculty stand today?
“Looking at the figures, we are far below the university average when it comes to recruiting women, particularly to senior lecturer positions. The Faculty leadership has worked for more gender-equal recruitment by pushing for more appointments at the assistant lecturer level, where the gender balance is somewhat more even but we need to do more,” says Sofie Ceberg.
“At the same time, the Faculty has already begun taking steps, including the development of an Equal Opportunities Plan. That gives us a foundation to build on. The next step is to translate the plan into tangible change, with the right mandate and the right people.”
What will your first steps be?
“I want to start by meeting Heads of Departments and JoL representatives, gaining an understanding of everyday challenges and what needs are most pressing. Nothing happens without support at departmental level.”
“Another important area I plan to explore is how we enhance our attractiveness. The Faculty might not offer the most spectacular start-up packages, but we compete with other strengths: strong research environments, colleagues who care, six weeks of paid holiday and the quality of life in Lund. That needs to be clearly communicated — especially to international candidates. A well-designed recruitment strategy from advertising to onboarding can make a real difference,” says Sofie Ceberg.
How are students affected by this work?
“When students thrive, incredible things happen. I care deeply about students’ conditions, but equally about ensuring colleagues have a work environment that supports them. It all needs to connect. Students also need education, support and sustained engagement with these issues. Regular contact with the JoL representatives at LUNA is already scheduled.”
What changes do you hope to see?
“More female professors would be a concrete result but numbers are only the tip of the iceberg. The essential challenge is identifying the structures behind the imbalance and transforming the culture for real. We are all part of the existing structure, and raising awareness of, for example, how bias affects us is something I hope will inspire more people to join the effort for change.”
She emphasises that the responsibility must be shared widely:
“We must do this together — students, staff and leadership. The challenge is getting everyone to see that gender equality is not a niche concern benefiting a few, but something that strengthens the whole organisation. In a few years, I hope we will have established structures, practices and training that ensure gender equality and equal opportunities are a natural part of everyday life,” she says.
Sofie concludes with confidence in the future:
“I am curious about the improvement potential we have and how this work can enhance our attractiveness, so that more people choose to come here, and more importantly, want to stay.”
This article has been written by the author with some support from AI-based language tools, including translation.
