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Higher Education System

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The governance of higher education


Educational policy is determined by the Riksdag and the Government. The Ministry of Education, headed by the Minister of Education, lays down the framework and certain objectives for higher education and these are submitted to the Riksdag in Government Bills — which can also be amended or rejected.

The Riksdag decides which government-funded higher education institutions are to exist, but the institutions then have a great deal of freedom in deciding what programmes to offer and what form of organisation to adopt. There are, however, certain stipulations about the governance of the institutions:

The Board, chaired by a government appointee, must also comprise the Vice-Chancellor and no more than 13 additional members. The students are entitled to be represented by three members.

The Vice-Chancellor (Rektor) directs the day-to-day administration of the institution. The Vice-Chancellor is appointed by the government on the recommendation of the Board.

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Prorektor) is the Vice-Chancellor's deputy. Additional Pro-Vice-Chancellors may be responsible for various aspects of the institution's activities.

Faculty Boards (Fakultetsnämnd) are responsible for third-cycle and postgraduate programmes (and in some cases first and second-cycle programmes as well). The chairperson of a faculty board is known as the Dean (dekanus).

The following categories of teaching staff are appointed: Professor (professor), senior lecturer (lektor), lecturer (adjunkt), with visiting appointments possible in all three categories, postdoctoral fellow (forskarassistent), associate senior lecturer (biträdande lektor), part-time fixed-term lecturer (timlärare) and visiting lecturer (gästlärare). The higher education institutions themselves determine what posts are to be created and who to appoint - and this also applies to professorships. Normally a PhD (awarded in Sweden or abroad) or the equivalent is required for appointment to a professorship, senior lectureship or postdoctoral fellowship.

The title of visiting professor, visiting senior lecturer or visiting lecturer means a teacher is employed mainly outside the higher education institution but devotes some of her or his time to teaching (a maximum of 50 per cent but most frequently around 20 per cent) at the institution. Posts for visiting teachers are intended among other things to encourage cooperation between the higher education institutions and the surrounding community.

Responsibility for third-cycle programmes


Responsibility for third-cycle programmes rests with a faculty board. A great deal of this responsibility is delegated, however, to the chairs of the departments. Sometimes there is also a director of studies who is in closer contact with the students and whose task is to monitor the general syllabuses and individual study-plans. They also provide support if friction arises between supervisors and doctoral students and are responsible for information (internal information for students and members of the staff as well as external information for recruiting new students and improving collaboration with the surrounding community).
The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education has noted in a number of report that there are shortcomings in the safeguards of the legal rights of third-cycle students and is working to remedy this situation. In a report entitled The faculty boards' supervision of third cycle (doctoral) programmes from the perspective of legal rights, 2008:05 R the National Agency lays stress on the fact that a faculty board can never delegate decisions on the right to supervision nor, of course, the overall responsibility for the programmes and their superintendence.

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Pure and applied research


Pure research or curiosity-driven research involves seeking systematically and methodically for knowledge without having any particular application in mind. A difference is often made between pure basic research and focused basic research, where the second can be viewed as providing a platform for applications. Pure research is not necessarily economically profitable in itself but may offer conditions for future innovations and scientific breakthroughs.

Applied research


Applied research involves the systematic and methodical search for knowledge with a specific application in mind.

Development work


In development work research findings are used to create a new product.

Sectorial research


Sectorial research includes all the concepts described above restricted to a specific social sector.

Two more two terms are used in Sweden as well: contract research and research with individual responsibility (forskning på eget programansvar).

Contract research


In contract research the focus of the project, its extent and the level of ambition is determined by whoever commissions it.

Research with individual responsibility


Research with individual responsibility can be funded either by a research council or through the budget of a higher education institution and refers to research that is justified on sectorial or industrial grounds in which the aim is long-term development of knowledge. The researchers themselves initiate this research and are responsible for its results.

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Economic resources


Sweden is the OECD country that devotes the largest share of its GDP, more than four per cent, to research and development. Sweden takes second place among the OECD countries after Israel.

Sweden is also at the top of the league in terms of the share of the population that has completed third-cycle studies. However, the number of new third-cycle students is now decreasing.

The total resources devoted to R & D in Sweden, including commercial investment, amounts to about SEK 100 billion. 75 per cent comes from the commercial sector. More information is given in  Swedish Universities & University colleges Short Version of Annual Report 2007, 2007:33 R
 

The commercial sector accounts for the lion's share


The higher education sector accounts for about one-fifth of Sweden's R&D. Most research takes place in the commercial sector. However, commercial funding goes mainly to applied research and product development. In Sweden most publicly funded research is undertaken in the higher education institutions and not by research institutes, which is common in other countries.

Many different sources of funding


The revenues of the higher education institutions for research and third-cycle programmes amount to just under SEK 27 billion. The funding for research in higher education comes from many different sources, most of them public. A large proportion of government funding is allocated directly to the higher education institutions by the Riksdag. The government also allocates other funds for research which are allocated to the higher education institutions through various state agencies, among them the research councils — this is to ensure that an increasing proportion of state funding for research is allocated on a competitive basis. Further information is provided in a statistical analysis from the National Agency, Forskningsanslagen har inte ökat sen 2004 (only in Swedish), [Research funding has not risen since 2004], Analys no.2008/8.

Revenues have risen


During the 1990s increased resources were allocated to research as new sources of funding appeared, for example the EU and the research foundations created in connection with the reorganisation of the pension funding system, and at the same time there was an expansion of commissioned research at the higher education institutions. Between 1997 and 2002 the revenues of the higher education institutions for research and third-cycle programmes increased by just over 20 per cent.

Medicine and technology receive most


90 per cent of the resources for research go to the older universities. More than half of the R&D resources at the higher education institutions are allocated to the disciplines of medicine and technology. Next in size are the natural sciences with 19 per cent, the social sciences with 11 per cent and the humanities and theology with 7 per cent.
OECD studies show that Sweden has large proportion of graduates in the public sector and the private service sector but too small a proportion in other commercial sectors, such as industry, for instance.

Quality indicators steer allocations


In 2009 a new model for the allocation of funding for research and third-cycle programmes was introduced. Two 'quality indicators' are used: external funding and scholarly production and citations. You can read more about this in the government bill: Ett lyft för forskning och innovation (only in Swedish), [A stimulus for research and innovation], Govt. Bill 2008/09:50

Extern finance


The balance between direct government funding and external funding plays an important role for the higher education institutions as it is mainly direct funding that can be used for their own strategic investments. But a growing proportion of the research and third-cycle programmes at the higher education institutions receive external funding. At the beginning of the 1990s, two-thirds of this expenditure came from funds allocated directly by the state: today this proportion has declined to about half. The bulk of the external finance comes, however, from the public purse, for instance from the Research Councils and Vinnova. In 2007 public funding accounted for over 80 per cent of the R&D revenues of the higher education institutions.

The influence of external finance on third-cycle teaching


Cooperation with external financers is important in opening up higher education to the surrounding community. Contacts of this kind enable companies and organisations to keep in touch with the research going on in higher education and at the same time, of course, it is equally important for higher education to keep track of the research and development taking place in the community.

Greater risks


Naturally, increased external financing may also create some risk that control of research could end up outside the higher education institutions.

The issue of the influence of external finance on third-cycle programmes is discussed in the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education's report Antagning till forskarutbildning (only in Swedish), [Admission to doctoral programmes], 1999:15 R.

All of the faculties and departments polled responded negatively when asked by the Agency whether external financers were able to demand influence over third-cycle programmes, for instance by determining who to enrol or affecting the thesis subjects chosen by individual students. On the other hand, external financers do exercise some influence by allocating funds for research in one particular subject or specialisation within a subject.

There are, however, instances of external financers attempting to acquire influence over enrolment and the formulation of problems. It is mainly in technological disciplines and certain aspects of the natural sciences that discussions of this kind have taken place with external financers.

It was made clear in the report that it is more difficult for departments to control who was to influence the formulation of problems etc. for industrial third-cycle students and students at some of the "competence centres". These students often decide on their choice of thesis subject in dialogue with the company.

The concession that faculties and departments can envisage making to comply with the demands of external financers is to delay publication of a research report to restrict the availability of results for a limited period.

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Evaluating third-cycle programmes


Since 2001 the National Agency has been evaluating all programmes in higher education, including third-cycle programmes. These evaluations (only in Swedish) can be found on the web-site studera.nu.

Here you can see if your third-cycle programme has been evaluated or when it will be. If an evaluation has been made, you can read a presentation of the findings.

Programmes must be evaluated every sixth year.

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Changes in doctoral programmes


The reform of third-cycle training in 1969 introduced a four-year programme of study leading to a PhD. The aim was to introduce an individually planned programme of education with a high standard of teaching and individual supervision. This goal was attained in many faculties, above all those with laboratory or clinical orientations, while the reform succeeded less well in the humanities and the social sciences. Over the years these faculties admitted a large number of students even though they did not have the resources to offer either supervision or funding. In certain cases this led to unreasonably long periods of study, and many doctoral students were compelled to abandon their studies because they lacked funding.

Only five per cent awarded degrees


Statistics from 1997 indicate that only five per cent of PhD students in the humanities or social sciences who lacked funding for their studies had taken their degree after 20 years of postgraduate training. The government considered this to be an unacceptable situation and included a declaration in the 1998 Budget Bill that those who choose to enter on a research career should know from the outset that they have the support necessary from their department for successful completion of their studies.

More stringent regulations


To make postgraduate training more effective, considerably clearer and stricter rules were introduced regarding postgraduate training on 1 April 1998 (se En reformerad forskarutbildning [A reform of postgraduate training], Budget Bill, 1997/98, Uo 16). Everyone admitted as a third-cycle student must have an individual study plan and be able to complete their programme of training after four years of full-time study or after no more than eight years of part-time study.

Greater responsibility


Institutions of higher education have to take greater responsibility for their third-cycle students, and must therefore only admit as many students as they are capable of providing with an acceptably high standard of supervision and study conditions. Third-cycle students must also have assured funding for their studies. Third-cycle students with study grants must have been offered doctoral studentships when no more than two years remain before completion of their studies (Section 3 of Chapter 9 of the 3 § Higher Education Ordinance.)

Compulsory admission procedures
During the 2000s further changes have made to the regulations. Since 2001 admission procedures for third-cycle programmes have been required (Government Bill 1999/2000:1) and the higher education institutions that offer third-cycle programmes must also organise training for supervisors (Government Bill 2000/01:3). From May 1, 2002, the possibility was provided of part-time employment on doctoral studentships and of enrolling third-cycle students aiming for the award of a licentiate degree. The intention was to enhance the role of third-cycle studies in lifelong learning (Government Bill 2001/02:15). Since July 1, 2003 third-cycle students teaching undergraduate courses must have undergone basic training in teaching methodology for higher education. On July 1st. 2007 a number of new regulations came into force
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You will find more information about the development of higher education and research in Sweden in the National Agency's report Higher education and research 1945-2005 - a survey, 2006:03 R (summary in English).

New organisation for programmes and qualifications


The Bologna Process, which aims to increase cooperation and mobility in higher education and research in Europe (you can read more about it under the heading Bologna Process below) has led to fundamental changes in the system of higher education in Sweden. On July 1st, 2007 a new organisation was introduced for programmes and qualifications. Read more in the Government Bill Ny värld — ny högskola (only in Swedish), [New world — new higher education], 2004/05:162.

Three cycles


Higher education has been divided into three cycles: first, second and third cycle. The licentiate degree and the PhD will be retained in this new system. However higher education credits acquired in certain second-cycle studies can be included. On the other hand it is not possible to offer preferential enrolment to students because they are expected to be able gain credit for previous courses or vocational experience and so shorten the time needed to complete their third-cycle programmes.

Transitional regulations


The requirements for admission to third-cycle studies are the completion of studies for at least 240 higher education credits of which at least 60 higher education credits must be from second-cycle study, or a second-cycle qualification, or completion of a corresponding programme in some other country or equivalent qualifications.

Students who fulfilled the previous basic entry requirements before 1 July 2007, in other words who had higher education courses for at least 120 credits or corresponding qualifications will meet the basic entry requirements until the end of 2015.
 

The Bologna process - European Higher Education Area


The Bologna Declaration made in 1999 aims to continue the development of European cooperation in higher education. Up to now 46 European countries have signed the declaration.

Enhancing student mobility


One of the objectives of the Bologna process is to stimulate mobility between the European educational systems and labour markets. Mobility is to be facilitated for instance by increasing the transparency and comparability of the various European educational systems. At the same time the diversity that exists in higher education in Europe is to be sustained. The declaration lays down a number of objectives for the creation of "The European Higher Education Area" (EHEA) by 2010.

On 1 July 2007 a new structure for programmes and qualifications was introduced in Sweden as one stage of adaptation to the Bologna process (you will find more information in Doctoral studies under the heading the Highest academic degree.

At a Council of Ministers in Berlin in 2003 a communiqué was adopted that integrates third-cycle studies into the Bologna Process. Third-cycle programmes are, among other things, to provide important links between the EHEA and research in Europe. Here too greater mobility among third-cycle and post-docs is encouraged and also increased cooperation between the institutions that offer PhD programmes and post-doctoral positions.

The most recent communiqué adopted at Bergen in 2005, included an agreement by the Ministers of Education that third-cycle studies should offer preparation for professional activity not only in the education and research sectors but also outside them. It also pointed out that third-cycle programmes in most countries correspond to between three and four years of full-time study and expressed the opinion that the principles for third-cycle study should be developed further within the Bologna Process during the coming years.

European Research Area


In the Lisbon Declaration in 2000, the heads of state and heads of government affirmed that the European countries would together constitute the most dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010. It was pointed out that research was an extremely important component if this goal was to be attained and the ERA - European Research Area would be an important instrument. One of the objectives laid down is to train 700,000 new researchers.

Sweden comes third


Another important objective is for three per cent of the GDP in the EU to be devoted to R&D. In allocating just under four per cent Sweden has been attaining this objective for some time. However Sweden no longer attains the goal of allocating one per cent of government funding to R&D. In spite of this Sweden is placed third, after Finland and France.

Mobility centres


Here again stress is placed on mobility so that researchers in Europe can enhance their knowledge and hone their skills in the best possible surroundings. Plans include the creation of mobility centres in every country. These would be able to answer researchers' questions about visas, taxation, health and medical care, labour permits, accommodation and child care.

Mobility between the academic world and the rest of the labour market in the various countries also needs to increase. Greater credit should therefore be given for mobility, which requires the acceptance of qualifications acquired in other countries or other sectors and that "non-linear" careers are not considered a disqualification.

If ERA is to be implemented, increased investment is required in third-cycle education and various forms of post-doctoral programmes. In EU collaboration greater attention is therefore being paid to third-cycle education and the periods immediately after the award of PhDs.

EU Green Paper


Fragmentation in the field of research in Europe creates national and institutional barriers that obstruct the development of ERA. This has led to the publication of the European Commission's Green paper: "European Research Area: New Perspectives. the green paper deals with the questions of how research activities in Europe can be enhanced and extended in order to contribute more effectively to the Lisbon strategy. Important aims are mobility between institutions, disciplines, sectors and countries, better research infrastructure, high quality research institutions and more effective ways of circulating expertise.

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Legislation related to third-cycle studies

Higher Education Act (1992:1434)


The Swedish Higher Education Act

  • Chapter 1 introductory provisions
  • Chapter 2 Organisation of public-sector higher education institutions
  • Chapter 4 Students

Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100)


The Higher Education Ordinance
The following chapters in the ordinance concern third-cycle studies:
  • Chapter 1 Section 4: Definition of third-cycle students
  • Chapter 1 Section 7-16: Student influence, gender equality, equal treatment, no fees, health care, insurance issues, teaching premises, investigations of misconduct, etc.
  • Chapter 5: Appointments to doctoral studentships, etc.
  • Chapter 6 Sections 1-12: Provisions on all courses and study programmes
  • Chapter 6 Sections 28-49: Third-cycle courses and study programmes
  • Chapter 9: Admission to third-cycle courses and study programmes
  • Chapter 12 Section 2:1, 2:6, 2:8 and 2:9: Appeals, entry into force and transitional provisions

 


Statutes issued by the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education


Register över HSVFS (only in Swedish)

Other statutory provisions

  • Förordning (1996:650) med instruktion för Forskningsrådsnämnden;
  • Förordning (1996:648) med instruktion för forskningsråden;
  • Förordning (1995:938) om utbildningsbidrag för doktorander;
  • Förordning (1993:221) för Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
  • Förordning (1993:1153) om redovisning av studier m.m.;
  • Förordning (1986:364) om anställningar vid forskningsråd;
  • Förordning (1983:18) om studerandekårer.

Act concerning Equality between Men and Women

(1991:433)


Employment Protection Act (1982:80) Section 5 fixed-term employment; New Student Aid Act (1999:1395) valid from 1 July 2001.

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The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education


The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education is the central government authority for higher education. The agency's works involves monitoring and evaluating, quality assurance issues as well as the application of laws, student information and international issues in higher education.

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Research councils


A new research council-organisation was established on 1 January, 2001 and consists of Vetenskapsrådet (the Swedish Research Council),
Forskningsrådet för arbetsliv och socialvetenskap (the Research Council for Working Life and Social Research), Forskningsrådet för miljö, areella näringar och samhällsbyggande (the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning) and Vinnova (the Board for Research and Innovation for Sustainable Growth).

The Swedish Research Council


The Swedish Research Council, Vetenskapsrådet , is the major authority for basic research. The Swedish Research Council scientific councils for three disciplinary areas: for medicine, for the natural sciences and engineering sciences and for the humanities and social sciences. The majority of the council's funding for research will be awarded through applications from researchers.

FAS


The Research Council for Working Life and Social Research (FAS) is responsible for research into issues that affect working life, the way the labour market works and people's social and economic situation.

FORMAS


The most important area of responsibility for the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning (FORMAS) is research in the agricultural sciences, in the environment and for ecologically sustainable development. The council's activities should also help to increase knowledge about areas such as social planning, building and administrative issues and housing.

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Forskning.se - about Swedish research


Forskning.se is a national web-site with research information in which material about research is assembled and classified.

All the material presented there is based on research findings and scientifically grounded knowledge. Initially, forskning.se will give priority to research which is at least partly government-funded. Important target groups include education, the media, the business sector and those of the general public with an interest in research.

Accessible information


Forskning.se is intended for everyone who wants to learn about research. Particular priority is given to students at upper-secondary schools, teachers, university students, journalists and knowledge-intensive companies. For this reason the information is presented as far as possible in ways that are easy to understand.

Forskning.se is owned and developed by ten public agencies and foundations that fund research. The editorial staff are located at the Research Council.

Expert answers


News items on forskning.se may come from the higher education institutions, research funds, agencies that conduct research, research institutes and academies. The items are submitted by the various organisations via Expertsvar. Research-based factual links are also submitted by museums, for example, or science centres, popular science periodicals and public service companies.

If a third-cycle student wants to attract attention to something new the most effective method is to write a press release that can be sent to Forskning.se via ExpertSvar. You will find more information in the Examen section, under the heading Press releases. The editorial staff of Forskning.se can be contacted by e-mail: red@forskning.se

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Research foundations


The research foundations are:

In connection with the formation of the research foundations, the Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, made a donation to research in cultural studies.

Rarely can individual PhD students apply for funding or appointments from the foundations; the funds are instead granted to larger research projects.

Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research, SSF


SSF is one of the largest sources of funding for research and third-cycle programmes.SSF supports research and third-cycle programmes in the natural sciences, technology and medicine. The foundation has given priority to major programmes, often multi-disciplinary and organised as national networks in which a number of higher education institutions collaborate.

The Knowledge Foundation, KK-stiftelsen


The Knowledge Foundation has a particular responsibility for the development of research activities and sound research environments at university colleges and the new universities. The foundation plays an important role in developing new methods for cooperation between higher education and the commercial sector.

The foundation also funds about 150 doctoral studentships within the framework of 12 different commercial graduate schools. One aim is to improve and increase access to teachers with research qualifications in IT, particularly informatics and computer science, at the university colleges and new universities.

The Swedish Foundation for International Co-operation in Research and Higher Education, STINT


STINT's task is to stimulate the internationalisation of higher education and research in Sweden. The measures taken by the foundation are to lead to new patterns of international contact and renewal of research and higher education in Sweden. The foundation also has the task of meeting identified needs of internationalisation.

The Vardal Foundation, Vårdal


Vårdal's task is to further research and third-cycle courses and study programmes in the field of care and also research and third-cycle courses and study programmes that concentrate on allergies and other forms of hypersensitivity.

The Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research, Mistra


Mistra's mandate is to support environmental research with a long-term perspective that focuses on the solution of important environmental problems.
Last updated: 2009-12-21
Contact person: Torkel Holmström, e-mail: forename.surname@hsv.se
Swedish National Agency for Higher Education www.hsv.se, Luntmakargatan 13  Box 7851, SE-103 99 Stockholm
Phone: +46 8 563 085 00, Fax: +46 8 563 085 50,  Mail: doktorand@hsv.se