Chalmers University of Technology Archives Chalmers tekniska högskola

History and Founding

Chalmers University of Technology (Swedish: Chalmers tekniska högskola) was founded on November 5, 1829, in Gothenburg, Sweden, under the name Chalmersska Slöjdskolan, funded by a bequest from William Chalmers (1748–1811), a supercargo and director of the Swedish East India Company. The university's central archives preserve the institutional records of this nearly two-century-old institution. Chalmers was a private institution until 1937, when it became Sweden's second state-owned technical university, and again became a private foundation university in 1994.

Collections and Holdings

The Chalmers University Archives (Chalmers arkiv) holds the official records and historical documents of the university's administration, academic departments, and research activities. The Chalmers Library's special collections complement the archives and include: Chalmeriana (literature about the history of Chalmers), digitized Chalmers Cortège Programme booklets available from 1921, Stig Ekelöf's library on electricity, and other unique historical collections. The university library overall holds approximately 240,000 volumes and serves some 10,700 students.

Access and Usage

University archives and special collections can be accessed at Chalmers' Johanneberg campus. The Chalmers Library's special collections page provides guidance on availability and access arrangements. General inquiries can be directed to the university's registrar at registrator@chalmers.se.