Strömholm is an internationally recognised lawyer and honorary doctor of law and philosophy at six European universities. He served as Vice-Chancellor of Uppsala University between 1989–1997. Strömholm has authored a range of jurisprudential journals, novels and essay collections. He received the Seraphim Medal in 2012.
The Swedish Academy’s Grand Prize was established by king Gustav III in 1786. At that time it consisted of two gold medals that were first prize in the Academy’s annual oratory and poetry competitions. The competitions ended, but the gold medal remained. Nowadays it is awarded as a recognition for particularly outstanding efforts in one of the Academy’s areas of interest. Previous recipients include Selma Lagerlöf, Astrid Lindgren, Evert Taube and Ingmar Bergman. It was most recently awarded to Lennart Hellsing in 2014.