Swedish Ministers Sloppy on their Academic Credentials

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publicerad 21 februari 2024
- NewsVoice redaktion
Swedish ministers and their CV:s...
Minister for Civil Affairs Erik Slottner (right), Minister for the Elderly and Social Security Anna Tenje (left) and Minister for Infrastructure and Housing Andreas Carlson (bottom).

The Swedish government has been described as the most academic of all time. Still, investigative reporter Richard Aschberg of Swedish State Televison (SVT.se) reveals that some of the country’s top politicians have cheated on their credentials and education.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson presented his government in October 2022 as ”the most academic government in modern times” by Academic Rights Watch. Still, Minister for Civil Affairs Erik Slottner (KD), Minister for the Elderly and Social Security Anna Tenje (M) and Minister for Infrastructure and Housing Andreas Carlson (KD), misrepresented their educational qualifications on the government’s website.

”They are led to believe that their academic qualifications are more significant than they actually are. It’s outrageous”, says university lecturer Magnus Zetterholm.

Erik Slottner states that his education at the Master of Science in Politics program at Linköping University between 2001 and 2003 – was a four-year program. However, a review shows that Slottner has only completed two of the four years of the program and thus can only count 90 of a total of 240 points.

”Anyone who reads this has to interpret when you express yourself in this way that it is a completed education. It is misleading”, says Peter Citron, head of the section at Linnaeus University to SVT.

Anna Tenje has a CV (curriculum vitae) stating on the government’s website that between 1996 and 1999, she attended the European administration/politics program at Linnaeus University and Edinburgh University. However, according to the university, the minister has not completed her degree, and the course in Scotland is not part of the program.

It emerged that she has taken 150 of the total 180 credits, and her CV will, therefore, be amended.

Andreas Carlson’s CV was also amended following SVT’s review. Initially, the Housing Minister stated that he had taken independent courses in law and communication at Lund University and independent courses at Jönköping University between 2007 and 2009.

It turns out that these were two 10-week distance learning courses of 15 credits each for three years.

Magnus Zetterholm, Senior Lecturer at Lund University and one of the founders of Academic Rights Watch says he is outraged by the inaccuracies.

”If you were malicious, you could imagine that you have written in this way to give the appearance of something that does not exist. It is a form of fraud. In an academic context, it would definitely be viewed in such a way.”

SVT has sought out Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, but he has declined an interview. However, he writes in an email that it is good that the ministers have clarified their CVs.

Statsminister Ulf Kristersson, december 2022. Pressfoto: Regeringen.se
Ulf Kristersson, December 2022. Press photo: Regeringen.se

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