Regulations for donations and sponsorships at Stockholm University 

Responsible administrative unit: Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services, Annika Granebeck

(The document has been reviewed in 2025.)

Description:

This governing document applies to all matters related to donations and sponsorships throughout the whole organisation. It contains, inter alia, the University’s definitions of donations and sponsorships, as well as a description of the conditions and forms necessary to enter an agreement of donation and sponsorship.

This is a translation of a governing document. In case of a discrepancy between the Swedish and the English version, the Swedish version will prevail.

1. Introduction

Stockholm University plays an important role as a creator, seeker and communicator of knowledge. The University upholds credibility, independence and integrity in science, as well as freedom and openness in research and good research practice. Donations and sponsor collaborations must be in accordance with the role of the University, its values and goals as expressed int the document Strategies for Stockholm University for 2023-2026.

The purpose of this document is to clarify the division of responsibilities between concerned units within the University, and to provide researchers and responsible staff with guidelines regarding the handling of donations and sponsorships both within the administration and at departments/corresponding. The Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services is responsible for the follow-up of this document in case of changes in other regulations and/or governing documents within the University.

The activities and ideology of the donor or the sponsor must be considered before Stockholm University accepts a donation or a sponsorship.

1.1 National regulations

The Donations Ordinance (1998:140)
The Donations Ordinance contains regulations for public authorities on the acceptance of donations and the administration of donations in the form of foundations.
The Swedish National Financial Management Authority’s guidelines for public authorities on sponsorship “Sponsring som finansieringskälla?” (ESV 2002.15) *)
Ekonomistyrningsverkets föreskrifter och allmänna råd om donationer (ESVFA 2022:6) *)
Kapitalförsörjningsförordningen (SFS 2011:210) *)
Swedish Public Procurement Act (2016:1145)
The Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act (2009:400)
The Association of Swedish Higher Educations Institutions SUHF SP 2009:1: Ethics guidelines for the acceptance of donations to Swedish Universities and higher education institutions.
The Freedom of the Press Act (1949:105)
*) Only available in Swedish

1.2 Local regulations

Regelboken: Regler för Stockholms universitets innehav av konst (dnr SU-3541-21) *)
Strategies for Stockholm University 2023-2026
*) Only available in Swedish

1.3 International conventions

Stockholm University may only accept donations or enter into sponsorship collaborations with donors, organisations and companies that abide by the requirements of international conventions and guidelines concerning the environment, human rights and corruption. Donors, organisations and companies are not acceptable if they are involved in the production (including extraction) of fossil fuels, or in cases where more than five per cent of their total revenues derive from the production of arms, alcohol, tobacco, games or pornography.

Examples of international conventions to be followed are:

• The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
• The ILO Core Conventions on Rights at Work
• The UN Convention against Corruption

Donations must also not counteract the goals of Agenda 2030 and the UN Global Sustainability Goals.

For donations of art, artworks and antiques, the following conventions must also be followed:
• The ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums
• UNESCO’s International Cultural Heritage Conventions

2 Donations

2.1 What is a donation?

Stockholm University adheres to the following definition of a donation in accordance with the Donations Ordinance (1998:14):

”A donation denotes every type of property transfer to an authority through a gift or a testamentary disposition that takes place without a requirement for any consideration in return or specific beneficiary position and where the property is not used to create a foundation”
A donation can consist of real property, cash, securities, movable property (instruments, works of art, antiques, inventories), etc. If the donation consists of capital which is to be placed in financial instruments, an investment policy must be established. The donation can be made through a gift or a testamentary disposition. The deed must be in writing and signed by the donor.
If a donor has stipulated that only the returns on the donated funds may be used for the purpose, Stockholm University can undertake the management of the property as a foundation. In these cases, the person responsible for foundations at the Finance Office is to be contacted.

2.2 Who receives/owns the donation?

The donation falls to the state, thereby becoming the property of the state, via the authority which receives the donation. This means that it does not fall to individual staff, groups of researchers or units/departments, even if the donor has specified a particular purpose, a particular researcher or group of researchers.

2.3 Conditions for accepting a donation

Stockholm University can only accept a donation, if the following conditions are met:
• The purpose of the donation must be related to the activity of the University.
• The donation can only be used in accordance with the purpose.
• The donation must not be conditional or be subject to limitations. The donor must not make demands for considerations in return, such as exclusive access to research results, not even for a (short) period of time. It is not seen as a consideration in return that Stockholm University reports how the donation has been used within the framework of its purpose.
• The donor, or any organisation or person related to the donor, must not influence the orientation of the activity.
• The donation must not involve an increased need for grants/funding. The costs for handling the accepting of the donation must also not exceed the value of the donation.

2.4 Donations of artworks and cultural objects

• Only in exceptional cases will donations be accepted from living artists who wish to donate art of their own production.
• Only in exceptional cases will art donations be accepted if there are conditions which stipulate e.g. how the object is to be presented on the premises of the University. If specific conditions have been agreed on for the management or location of the property, they shall be applied.
• If the property consists of a cultural object, or an object which will be included in the collections of the University, the University may accept the property even if it must not be disposed of.
• Property that Stockholm University has received as a donation constitutes state property (state owned art), and can be handed over to the Public Art Agency Sweden, unless it is contrary to any conditions laid down in the deeds of donation.
• If Stockholm University deems that the circumstances regarding a donation have changed in such a way that the conditions for permutation exist, the University, in its role at the authority administering the donation, must apply for this.

2.5 Administration

If the donation ís of a kind that must be administered, this must be done in accordance with the rules in the Donations Ordinance. After the government has given its consent, an authority may invest donated funds that will not be used within the next two years, in accordance with investment rules set out in the Donations Ordinance, section 12.

2.6 Documentation of the donation and the wish of the donor

For donations in excess of 3 000 SEK, the wish of the donor shall be documented in a so-called donation disposition. However, all art donations are administered in writing through signed deeds of donation. Stockholm University uses deeds of gift or deeds of donation. The Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services provides a template for deeds of gift. All art donations are handled by the Curator of the University Art Collections (below, “Curator”), who provides a template for deeds of art donations, and who presents matters of art donations to the President.

The definition of the purpose must not be too narrow, particularly if it is a large donation or one that will generate revenue for several years. Conditions may change, e.g. staff may leave, departments may cease to exist or be merged.

2.7 Deeds of gift are public documents

The deed of gift is a public document, which means that the public normally has access to it. A public document shall be registered with the authority as soon as it has been received or drawn up.

2.8 Routines for the acceptance of a donation

Decisions regarding the acceptance and use of donations are made by the President. Exceptions to this apply to donations with a value of no more than 50 000 SEK. Such donations are decided by the head of the Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services, when the head of department and the Deputy Vice President have given their approval of the acceptance of the donation. The Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services administers decisions regarding donations.
• Contact the Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services when a donation is in the initiation phase.
• The deans and the Office of Science/Office of Human Science shall be informed about future donations by the departments/centres.
• The department makes a risk assessment of the intended donation. In case of doubt relative to the goal and strategy of the donation, the relevant dean shall be consulted. The Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services assists with the assessment.
• The head of department and/or the director in the administration finalises the discussions with the donor and draws up a deed of gift.
• The Legal Secretariat is contacted if there are legal questions. The President signs thank-you letters to the donors.
• The Communications Office shall be informed of all donations and be contacted when donations will entail the use of the name and logo of Stockholm University.
Donations shall be monitored by the head of department/corresponding on the basis of the goals of the collaboration. More information about advice and support for the acceptance of a donation can be found on the staff website.

2.9 Routines for the acceptance of artworks and cultural objects

Decisions to accept and use donations of artworks and cultural objects are made by the President upon recommendation of the Curator who administers decisions in matters concerning art and cultural objects.
• Contact the Curator when a donation is being initiated.
• The Curator makes a risk assessment of the intended donation. In case of doubt relative to the goal and strategy of the donation, the Curator shall be consulted.
• An assessment of future costs, including conservation costs, shall be made prior to an acceptance of artworks and cultural objects.
• The Curator finalises the discussions with the donor and draws up a deed of gift.
• The Legal Secretariat is contacted if there are legal questions. The President signs thank-you letters to donors.
• More information about advice and support for the handling of art can be found on the staff web and in Regelboken: Regler för Stockholms universitets innehav av konst (dnr SU-3541-21).

3 Sponsorship

3.1 What is a sponsorship?

Stockholm University applies the definition of sponsorship as made by Ekonomistyrningsverket (Tthe Swedish National Financial Management Authority) in “Sponsring som finansieringskälla?” (ESV 2002:15):

”Sponsorship is seen as an agreement whereby a sponsor provides the sponsored party with cash, goods or services in exchange for the exposure of a company name or trademark and possibly other benefits. Sponsorship is a commercial cooperation to the mutual benefit of the parties.”

Sponsorship is neither defined nor regulated in laws or regulations. A typical feature of sponsorship is that the sponsor pays to create a positive attitude to themselves and their products/services. This is done by exposing the sponsor’s company name, brand name or similar in a particular context. If there is no agreement that requires any consideration in return, it is not a question of sponsorship but of a gift or a donation.
For information about the right of Stockholm University to accept and dispose of non-state funding, see Kapitalförsörjningsförordningen (SFS 2011:210) chapter 6, section 1.

3.2 Goals and objectives of sponsorships

The purpose of sponsor collaborations is to enable activities which would otherwise not have been carried out in view of the existing budget of the University, alternatively to strengthen the objectives of projects which have already been decided. Such activities can, for example, take the form of conferences.
For additional projects and activities which are consistent with the task of the University, sponsorships can in some cases be a suitable complementary source of income.

3.3 The sponsorship collaboration

The sponsorship collaboration must benefit both parties and be transparent.
The public confidence in the activities of Stockholm University must not be jeopardised by the sponsorship collaboration. Therefore, the sponsorship collaboration must not cause a risk of suspicions of:
• Conflicts of interest
• Relationships of dependency
• Undue influence
• Activities not being carried out independently and appropriately

Sponsorships must not negatively influence the credibility and reputation of the University, since research and education at the University must be characterised by independence and impartiality.
The sponsor must not influence or direct the activities of the University. Sponsors and external partners must not have influence on the decision processes of the University.
Sponsorship revenue must not be used to fund the long-term public commitments of the University. If the University recruits staff for these sponsorship activities, such employments must be of limited duration.
Funding through sponsorship presents a higher risk than traditional funding or grants. There is, for instance, a risk that the sponsor terminates the agreement prematurely.

3.4 Calculations and accounts

Before entering a sponsorship collaboration, calculations must be made to avoid the risk of the sponsorship becoming a deficit, i.e. that the value of the sponsorship is lower than the University’s cost for providing considerations in return. For guidelines to making such calculations, see tThe Swedish National Financial Management Authority’s ”Sponsring som finansieringskälla?” (ESV 2002:15; only in Swedish).

Revenue from sponsorship, acceptance of cash, goods or services, must be accounted for in accordance with relevant routines (see the staff web, Ekonomi, Redovisning; only in Swedish). Sponsorship in the form of goods and services must be in accordance with the Swedish Public Procurement Act (2016:1145) and with the regulations for procurement in force at Stockholm University (see the policy with associated regulations on the staff web, Ekonomi, Upphandling; only in Swedish).

3.5 Sponsorship agreements are public documents

The sponsorship agreement is a public document, which means that the public normally has access to it. A public document shall be registered with the authority as soon as it has been received or drawn up.

3.6 Routines for sponsorships

Decisions regarding sponsorships are made by the President. Exceptions to this apply to sponsorships with a value of no more than 50 000 SEK. Such sponsorships are decided by the head of the Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services, when the head of department and the Deputy Vice President have given their approval of the acceptance of the donation. The Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services administers decisions regarding sponsorships.
• Contact the Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services when a sponsorship collaboration is in the initiation phase.
• The deans and the Office of Science/Office of Human Science shall be informed about future donations by the departments/centres.
• The department makes a risk assessment of the intended sponsorship. In case of doubt relative to the goal and strategy of the sponsorship, the relevant dean shall be consulted. The Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services assists with the assessment.
• A sponsorship budget shall be set up as a basis for the decision.
• The head of department and/or director in the administration finalises the discussions with the sponsor and a written agreement is drawn up. The department obtains the signature of the sponsor.
• The Communications Office shall be informed of all sponsorships and be contacted when sponsorships will entail the use of the name and logo of Stockholm University.
Sponsorships shall be monitored by the head of department/corresponding on the basis of the goals of the collaboration.

3.7 Written agreements

Sponsorship agreements must always be drawn up in writing. This is true irrespective of the volume of the funds involved or the form in which the contribution is made (i.e. as goods, services or cash). A template agreement is available from the Legal Secretariat which also examines the sponsorship agreement.
The agreement must contain the following:
• Purpose and goal of the sponsorship collaboration.
• Sponsorship funds and considerations in return.
• Details concerning responsibility. Details on who will be responsible for insurance of the objects/premises (if this is applicable).
• Provisions if a sponsored project or event does not take place, or if there is a change in the circumstances on which the sponsorship is based.
• Provisions concerning possible repayment of sponsorship funds.
• A reservation stipulating that the authority will not be liable for damages as a result of political decisions with direct bearing on the abilities of the authority to carry out its part of the agreement.
• The date when the agreement will end, and when it can be terminated by either party.
• Measures in case of breach of agreement and any dispute.
• Guidelines for using the University’s name and logo.

A sponsorship agreement between a company and an authority must not include a clause whereby the authority offers exclusivity to the company, i.e. a commitment from the authority to not enter into sponsorship agreements with competitors of the company or equivalent. Any confidentiality clause must contain exceptions for the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act (2009:400) and the Freedom of the Press Act (1949:105).

The policy document in pdf format

Regulations for donations and sponsorships at Stockholm University Pdf, 24 MB.