Special Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs (1979–1981). State Secretary Foreign Affairs (1981–1982). Director-General of the Swedish Energy Agency (1983–1985). Director-General of Sida (Swedish Agency for International Assistance) (1985–1994). Minister of Education and Science (1994–1998). Secretary-General of the Olof Palme International Center (1999–2002).Fellow Bellagio, Rockefeller Foundation Fall (1993). Member of various Swedish Public Commissions in the field of Education, Arts, Economic conditions of artists, Development Assistance, Defence, Energy. Member of various international (UN and World Bank) special tasks and groups. Was co-chairman (together with Richard Goldstone) for the Independent International Commission on Kosovo (2000). Currently Sweden’s Ambassador to Germany.

Publications include: The New-Old Left (1967, 1969), The Universities in the Knowledge Society (1971), The conditions of welfare (1971), The equality that disappeared (1973), The Turn of the Tide (1994).