Shirin Ahlbäck Öberg is a Professor at Uppsala University's Department of Government, specializing in administrative policy and governance of public activities. She holds leadership roles such as Vice Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences (2011–2017) and currently chairs the Board of CESAR – Centre for Social Work. Her research focuses on governance paradigms, public professions, and university governance under New Public Management.
Education:
- BSc in Public Administration, Uppsala University (1991)
- PhD in Political Science, Uppsala University (1999)
Research Interests: Her work explores administrative policy, public governance dynamics, and institutional autonomy. Key areas include the impact of managerialism on universities and military organizations, constitutional frameworks for academic freedom, and the balance between government control and professional autonomy.
Articles Overview: Recent publications analyze Sweden’s governance models, academic freedom in universities, and agency autonomy. They reflect a focus on institutional design, public sector reform, and democratic accountability.
Awards & Grants: Recipient of the Uppsala University Distinguished Teaching Award (2020) and multiple research grants totaling over 22 million SEK, including leadership of projects on public professions and agency autonomy.
Advising & Leadership: Supervised five PhD students (with two ongoing) and held roles in university governance, including steering committees for quality assurance and democratic education initiatives. Active in external roles like the Swedish Corona Commission (2020–2022) and the University of Bergen Board (2021–2025).
Labs/Teams: Co-chairs the European Group of Public Administration’s Performance and Accountability working group, and leads research programs such as the 'Decollegialization of Higher Education Institutions.'
