Fakultet

Fakultet is a term used in many languages to denote a major organizational unit within a university, typically responsible for education and research within a broad field. The word derives from Latin facultas meaning ability or opportunity. In many national contexts such as Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and many Slavic and post-Soviet countries, fakultet is equivalent to the English faculty or school, as a top-level division of the university. In some institutions, the term may be used interchangeably with department or discipline, depending on national conventions, with a faculty comprising several departments.

A faculty is usually led by a dean and governed by a faculty council or senate. It includes professors, associate professors, lecturers, researchers, and students enrolled in its degree programs. Its core responsibilities include designing and administering curricula, overseeing admission standards, coordinating degree requirements from bachelor’s to doctoral levels, and managing research activities, budgets, and facilities. Faculties often host research centers and collaborate across faculties through interdisciplinary programs.

Organization and size vary widely: some faculties cover broad domains such as humanities, natural sciences, or engineering, while others are more specialized. In systems with a two-tier structure, faculties may be subdivided into departments or institutes; in other systems, they may be the primary teaching and research unit, with colleagues across disciplines working together under a single governance. The concept and name reflect historical university organization and continue to influence governance and academic planning today.