The Academies
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences was founded in1739. The Academy is an independent organisation whose overall objective is to promote the sciences and strengthen their influence in society. The Academy seeks chiefly:
• to be a forum where researchers can meet across subject borders
• to offer unique research environments
• to support young researchers
• to reward prominent contributions to research
• to arrange international scientific contacts
• to act as a voice of science and influence research policy priorities
• to stimulate interest in mathematics and the natural sciences in schools
• to disseminate scientific and popular-scientific information in various forms.
Every year the Academy awards the Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry, the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, the Crafoord Prize and a number of other large prizes.
Organization: Academy work is very much based upon the Academy's ten classes (see the menu Members), each representing a scientific subject field, and at its six research institutes. Committees, such as the Environmental Committee and the Energy Committee work with issues requiring a broad scientific competence.
The Presidium: The head of the Academy is the President, assisted by three vice-presidents – all elected to these honorary positions for a certain period. Together with the Permanent Secretary, who is a full-time employee, they form a presidium.
The governing body is the Academy Council which consists of the Presidium and 10 members, representatives of the classes. The Council is responsible for planning activities and for efficient use of available resources.
A secretariat assists the Academy in its day-to-day work and administers its many activities. It is headed by the Permanent Secretary and is situated in Frescati, close to the Museum of Natural History and the Stockholm University.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts
The Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts is a non-governmental organization, founded in 1735. Its aim is to promote the development of the visual arts and architecture. The Academy grants scholarshps and funds awards, prizes and also rent studios in Paris for Swedish artists. The external activities of the Academy are primarily exhibitions, lectures and conferences, publications of works on art and architecture and participation in international joint projects.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Music
The Royal Swedish Academy of Music was established in 1771. The diversified pursuits of the Academy today are based on a large number of scholarships and endowment funds, various specialized committees and publishing activities. Scholarships totalling 5 million Swedish Kronor are awarded annually to talented young people for music studies.
Organisation: The Academy has 180 Swedish members elected from different spheres of the musical community, in addition to the 60-some foreign members designated from among the eminent music personages of our time. The members meet five times per year. The Academy is headed by a Board, its President and two Vice Presidents. A Permanent Secretary with office staff carries out the daily work of the Academy.