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If you ask Inge-Bert Täljedal a question, you should expect the answer to begin with something like: “I wrote a chapter about that” or “I wrote a thesis on that”. Then he will share a fascinating story combining facts and personal reflections – paying particular attention to keeping track of which is which.

This 83-year-old draws his many stories from his rich and diverse life. When browsing through his nearly 600-page memoir “Privata gräv”, the reader meets him as a student, researcher, teacher, professor, vice-chancellor, poet, author, debater, local politician focused on culture, chair of the municipal council, analyst, lecturer, philosopher and, once again, student.

Which is your primary identity?

“That’s an interesting question. Since I was a young student, I’ve thought about the concept of identity and have explicitly said to myself, even when I was 20, that I can’t identify myself as any particular type. I’m also all of those people.”

But when you are at an event and are introducing yourself to someone for the first time, what do you say?

“Well, I say my name is Inge-Bert Täljedal,” he says with a twinkle in his eye.

“But if you were to ask me what I do, I would likely say I’m a professor at the Faculty of Medicine.”

Täljedal began his medical studies at Uppsala University at the age of 18, straight out of upper-secondary school. He chose medicine as he had heard that a medical degree offered may career paths to choose form.

I decided that if I was going to survive, I had to do something more, so I began studying philosophy at the same time.

He was an ambitious student who appreciated his studies, but he was not particularly interested in the rote study of body parts in Latin.

“In my first semester, we studied anatomy much more than is done today and it was deadly boring. There was no trace of any ideas or any sort of functionality. Our only task was to learn by heart a giant toolbox, the human body in the smallest detail. I decided that if I was going to survive, I had to do something more, so I began studying philosophy at the same time, even though I didn’t have any serious ambitions with the subject.”

Philosophy would be his companion throughout life and would come into its fullest after his retirement. But we will return to this in a bit.

Heard about a new university

After a few years of medical studies he took a break and began doctoral studies in histology, something that eventually led him to Karolinska Institutet (KI) in Stockholm. But in the early 1960s, both KI and Stockholm were not very welcoming. Täljedal had heard that a completely new university was being built in Umeå, to which his supervisor was also planning to apply for a professorship. This sounded interesting to the 23-year-old Täljedal.

“One day I decided I would check out the situation in Umeå, so I called the municipality and asked what housing was like in the town. They said: ‘We have a completely new neighbourhood, Mariehem, with lots of new flats. If you come to Umeå, you can drop by HSB’s office, they have the keys to the municipality’s housing. They will let you borrow the keys and you can take a look to choose a flat.’ This was paradise compared with Stockholm. So that’s what I did. I went up to Mariehem, stepped right into a second-floor flat that I thought was perfect and said: ‘I’ll take it’. And that’s how I ended up here.”

I have had the honour of being a part of the University’s journey and being able to watch it from every perspective.

Naturally, the housing situation was not the only appealing thing about Umeå. Being able to help build up a new department, a new university, in new premises and develop the subject of histology was obviously interesting.

Despite his youth, he quickly became a senior member of the department. Among the first things he was assigned to do was substituting as a reader (equivalent to today’s associate professor) under his supervisor who was now a professor, and teaching at the department.

“I hadn’t yet defended my thesis.”

Once he completed his PhD, he received multiple positions, which helped ensure his break from medical studies, along with his relationship to Umeå University, would be permanently.

“I have had the honour of being a part of the University’s journey and being able to watch it from every perspective. It has been interesting.”

Täljedal’s CV is over three A4 pages. There are many titles from the University and roles in many committees and councils, both connected to his research field (histology) and his specific research subject (diabetes). He has also worked with other academic issues and organisations, such as open access, the Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions and the Royal Skyttean Society.

But his CV also includes a long list of non-academic roles, including culture, theology and, not least, politics.

Täljedal has been interested in politics since his school days, and this interest has taken different forms. When asked to become the chair of Umeå municipality’s board of culture, he describes himself as having “untapped potential” for this and said yes on the spot.

This was the start of a decade as a part-time politician in Umeå municipality, including serving as the chair of the municipal council. 
This broad involvement has created a greater desire for and understanding of the importance of collaboration and cooperation between the municipality and the University.

After politics, he became Vice-Chancellor

After ten years as a politician, Täljedal planned to focus 100 per cent on his research again. Just then, though, the open position of vice-chancellor at Umeå University was advertised. He applied and was appointed for the years 1999–2005, leaving the role just before he was supposed to retire.

“I came to this town at the age of 23 and was part of the University’s development in so many way for such a long time, it was great to have the opportunity to finally lead everything. Above all, it was a very fun job. It was both difficult and exciting.”

The only thing that can be said is that it worked out beautifully.

Täljedal has many stories from his time as vice-chancellor. He can list many things he is proud of from this time. He mentions that he established the internationally successful Umeå Plant Science Centre, which today is operated by both Umeå University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). Täljedal believes that his experience as a politician helped him succeed in creating collaboration between the two universities.

“There was a fear that we would take over the Faculty of Forest Sciences at SLU and incorporate it into Umeå University. So I decided to work hard to ensure that to ally this suspicion, and I put a lot of effort into inspiring and reassuring SLU’s leadership. I was able to gain board support from both Umeå University and SLU. The only thing that can be said is that it worked out beautifully. It was very satisfying for me.”

While vice-chancellor, Várdduo – Centre for Sámi Research was also established, the training of police officers came to northern Sweden, and he appointed a new faculty board that has helped education sciences to develop into a research field. To this point, around 100 doctoral theses have been completed that have practically benefited the educational system.

“This was a huge success among teacher training programmes and has been recognised throughout the country.”

Became a student again

Shortly after leaving his role as vice-chancellor, Inge-Bert Täljedal retired at the age of 65. But he did not leave academia behind. He continued to lecture for several years on everything from cells and tissues to the role of the doctor and on ethical issues.

And then there was his philosophy studies that he had begun in Uppsala. After retirement, he had time to dig deeper into the subject. So much so that just three years ago he earned a master’s degree in philosophy at Umeå University. He has also devoted a great deal of time to research in the subject.

In addition, he also earned a bachelor’s degree in Italian in his later years. While a local politician, he did some research on the history of Umeå, identifying “Umeå’s first professor of philosophy”, Erik Olof Burman. This led to the establishment of the annual Burman Lectures at Umeå University LÄNK). Burman often referred to another philosopher, who wrote only in Italian. So, Täljedal thought he might as well learn Italian.

What drives you to take on new things?

“An undisciplined curiosity. I am quite disciplined once I discover something interesting. But why start reading Burman just because you are the chair of the municipal council, it’s irrational,” he says with a smile, but then exclaims:

“Adventure! How fun! Sometimes I have a bit of a bad conscious as I’ve focused on having fun throughout my life.”

Täljedal’s most recent enrolment as a student at Umeå University was in the 2025 spring semester. He would not mind writing a doctoral thesis within the history of philosophy. But right now he is doing research on his own and has recently published an article. He either writes at home or you can find him at a table in Lindell Hall.

“I also feel at home at the University.”

Receives the university's medal of merit

At the Annual Celebration on 18 October, he will be awarded Umeå University’s Medal of Merit for his major interdisciplinary contributions. This medal was previously only awarded to vice-chancellors and directors of administration. But he changed that during his tenure as vice-chancellor.

“I decided that we should award it to anyone at the University who really deserved the medal. We should not have pro forma awards.”

How does it feel to be the one receiving the Medal of Merit now?

“Last winter, one of the deans contacted me to ask if I would have anything against being awarded the medal. Now it doesn’t feel awkward at all. It’s been such a long time and a lot has happened since then. I feel honoured and am happy to be awarded a medal.”