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Rights and support

Options for extending the period of study


Section 8 of Chapter 8 of the Higher Education Ordinance states that a period of study may be extended if there are special reasons for doing so, such as illness, national service, elected posts in trade unions or student organizations, or parental leave. The formulation “such as" means that other reasons besides those specified in the ordinance may constitute special reasons for granting an extension of a study period.

No longer than 50 per-cent of full-time study


The requirement that doctoral studies must be completed in the equivalent of four years' full-time study (including — at the request of a PhD student — part-time studies at not less than 50 per cent of the full-time rate) is based on the assumption that no serious obstacles will arise during the period. But research activity always involves risks, as it is impossible to anticipate everything that may happen. Such problems as inadequate supervision, unexpected problems with experimental equipment or empirical material that proves impossible to obtain, may all slow a programme of research training.

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Withdrawal of resources


Doctoral students who are unable to carry out studies as set out in their individual study-plans must discuss the matter with their supervisor. This step in itself may suffice to bring about a change in the study plan so that it becomes more realistic.
If the studies begin to go really badly, however, the faculty board is empowered to decide that doctoral students who substantially violate the obligations set out in their individual study-plans may have their entitlement to supervision withdrawn together with other resources.

Very unusual


The faculty board has no authority to delegate this task to any other body or person. Resources may not, however, be withdrawn in the case of students who have doctoral studentships or receive study grants while an agreement is in force (normally for no longer than one or two years). If such a decision is taken, the resources will be withdrawn as soon as the period specified in the original agreement is over.

The right to speak


Before a decision is taken, the doctoral student and the supervisor have the right to state their views. An assessment is to be made on the basis of the doctoral student's and the supervisor's accounts and other information available to the faculty board. The assessment must also take into consideration how the faculty board itself has fulfilled its obligations as stated in the individual study-plan. The decision must be in writing and must also specify the reasons justifying it.

Appeals Board for Higher Education, ÖNH


Appeal may be made against a faculty board's decision to withdraw resources for a doctoral student's programme to the Appeals Board for Higher Education (ÖNH), according to Section 2.7 of Chapter 12 of the Higher Education Ordinance. The decision of the Appeals Board is final, however.

Address:
Överklagandenämnden för högskolan
Box 7249
103 89 Stockholm

Withdrawn resources can be restored


Even after a decision by the faculty board to withdraw resources, the doctoral student continues to be enrolled, and may regain the right to supervision after applying to the faculty board if the board considers that the student has been able to show study results “of adequate quality and extent", or if the doctoral student is able to demonstrate in some other way a likelihood of being able to fulfil the study obligations involved. The student may also continue to study independently and may subsequently apply to submit the dissertation when it is ready.

It is possible to appeal against the rejection of a request to have resources reinstated.

BEAR IN MIND
The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education's report, Antagning till forskarutbildning, report 1999:15, only in Swedish, [Admission to doctoral programmes], 1999:15 R  points out that certain departments have withdrawn resources from doctoral students without using the relevant clauses in the Higher Education Ordinance. This was because they wished to protect the student from the public exposure such a procedure would involve. However, such a course of action entails that the student loses any right of appeal against a withdrawal of resources!
In addition, it is possible for a research student with a doctoral studentship to be given notice due to lack of funds. You can find out more details about this in the Employment Protection Act, 1982:80, LAS, only in Swedish, and in the collective agreement that applies to all government employees, Allmänt löne- och förmånsavtal (General Agreement on Salaries and Benefits), ALFA (only in Swedish).

Fortunately this rarely happens, as most departments and faculties take their responsibility for ensuring that doctoral students will be able to complete their training. The period of notice is determined by the length of employment, but is at least one month.

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Suspension


It is extremely unusual for a doctoral student to be suspended from a programme. According to the Higher Education Act 4.6 such a measure is only permissible in cases in which a student is suffering from a mental disorder, abuses alcohol or drugs, or is guilty of a serious misdemeanour. But even in such cases this is only if there is a tangible risk that the student will cause injury to another person or to valuable property.

Higher Education Suspensions Board, HAN


Cases of suspension are assessed by Högskolans avskiljandenämnd (HAN) [the Higher Education Suspensions Board]. Decisions taken by the Board may be appealed against to the public administrative courts (the County Administrative Court in Stockholm County).
Like the secretariat of the Appeals Board (ÖNH), the Board's secretariat is located at the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education at Luntmakargatan 13, in Stockholm.

Address:
Högskolans avskiljandenämnd
Box 7249
103 89 Stockholm

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The Act on Equal Treatment


An act on Equal Treatment of Students (Lag om likabehandling av studenter i högskolan,(SFS 2001:1286), only in Swedish, came into force on 1 March 2002. The act applies to applicants, students and doctoral students. For doctoral students employed by their place of study provisions relating to labour legislation have priority.

Higher education institutions are required to take action


The act prohibits an institution of higher education from discriminating on the grounds of functional disability, sex, ethnic origin or sexual orientation. Further it constrains institutions of higher education to take responsibility for preventing, investigating and resolving cases of harassment on these same grounds. The new law makes it compulsory for institutions of higher education to take active steps to ensure that the intended purpose of the law is realized. The various ombudsmen then assume responsibility for the observation of the law.

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Discrimination and harassment


Sexual harassment is defined in the Higher Education Ordinance as unwelcome behaviour of a sexual nature or other unwelcome behaviour based on gender that violates the integrity of a student in his or her university studies. Examples of sexual harassment can be comments, allusions, touching (groping) and suggestions or demands for sexual services. It is the liability and responsibility of the universities to prevent instances of sexual harassment.

Responsibility of the higher education institutions


The higher education institutions are responsible for preventing instances of sexual harassment.

Anyone subject to sexual harassment should, in addition to making it clear that the attention is not welcome, report to their immediate superior or to the university's gender equality officer. The student health services, the student union, the trade union or the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman can give support and advice.

Report it to the police


The incident can be reported to the police in serious cases covered by the criminal code, but such cases usually involve grave offences rather than the more subtle behaviour that sexual harassment normally entails.

In doctoral studies, there are instances where doctoral students feel that they have been sexually harassed by their supervisor or someone else in the department. When such a case arises, it is often women who are in a position of dependence on a male superior who are most affected, and they naturally feel extremely vulnerable and violated. (You can read more in the section entitled What studies entail under the heading the Supervisor is very important).

Preventive measures


In the Higher Education Act and the Higher Education Ordinance, it is stipulated that the university should always observe and promote equality between men and women. In the Higher Education Ordinance it is also stated that universities are to take measures to guard against and prevent any student from being subject to sexual harassment. There is also a definition of sexual harassment, which corresponds to the one given in the Act Concerning Equality between Men and Women, jämställdhetslagen, 1991:433.

Included in the Higher Education Ordinance is a provision that disciplinary measures can be taken against a student that sexually harasses a student or teacher. For people with appointments as doctoral students, provisions in the Act also apply, which means among other things that doctoral students with an appointment enjoy the more extensive protection against sexual harassment and sex discrimination that the laws provide. If a teacher subjects a student to sexual harassment, it can lead to measures stipulated in labour laws.

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Gender equality


Over the last few years, the share of women doctoral students has increased from a quarter to about 50 per cent. Thus, despite the fact that women over 30 have been in the majority among students in first and second-cycle programmes since the end of the 1970s, a larger share of the men go on to third-cycle studies. In the report Men and women in higher education, 2008:20 R, summary in English, the authors write:

'It is from the third cycle that women begin to become a minority. In third-cycle programmes the gender balance is more or less even but the higher up one goes in the hierarchy, the fewer women one finds. Among the highest echelons in academic careers, among the professors, only 18 per cent are women.'

Gender impact on choice of discipline


Subject orientation is also affected by gender. It is more common for women doctoral students to be active in the humanities and medicine than in the technological sciences, for instance.  It can also be observed that the proportion of doctoral students from abroad who are women is 40 per cent and the proportion of men 60 per cent, in other words there were more women than men among students with Swedish backgrounds admitted to third-cycle studies.

Few women become professors


It is clear that an equal gender distribution at the base does not automatically lead to more women in high academic positions. The National Agency's report Postgraduate study and research careers - the significance of gender and social origin (2006:2 R), summary in English, reveals that twice as many of the men awarded PhDs are  likely to become professors as the women. (lite lång mening — förkorta den eller gör gärna flera meningar) Special measures are needed to achieve an even gender distribution among professors.  

Recruitment targets


The government has formulated special recruitment objectives for the share of newly recruited professors that have to be women.

The targets vary considerably


However, the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education has noted that the importance attached to these objectives varies considerably between higher education institutions. While some work strategically and with a long-term view to recruit more women, there are others that appear to attach scant priority to achieving the objectives.  
 
In a submission to the Government Angående rekryteringsmål för kvinnliga professorer, reg. nr. 843-4875-06, only in Swedish (On recruitment targets for women professors)  the Swedish National Agency states: 'Effective measures in connection with reviews would enhance the possibility of the recruitment targets achieving any substantial change.'

The report entitled Men and women in higher education also describes how the structural inequality is not being eroded by the increasing numbers of women with advanced educational qualifications: 'Men earn more than women irrespective of educational attainment.'

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A Mirror for Doctoral Students


In 2003 the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education conducted a survey of doctoral students in Sweden, "A Mirror for Postgraduate Students 2003" (summary in English), Doktorandspegeln, 2003:28 R. This is how it was summarised in the editorial columns of Dagens Nyheter, one of Sweden's largest national newspapers, on 16 September 2003:

Women taking doctoral programmes are governed by men


Doctoral studies in Sweden are organised by men for men. Even though almost half of their students are now women, eight out of ten supervisors are still men. Many women report that they are dependent on their supervisor and that this feels disturbing. Women also consider that they are not accepted as members of the research collective to the same extent as men. This is a deplorable result."

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New Survey of doctoral students 2008


In 2008 anew major questionnaire survey was made of Sweden's doctoral students, Doktorandhandboken, report 2008:23 R, Survey of doctoral students, 2008:23 R (summary in English).

Women less content


In every discipline induction is less successful for women than for men. Women experience the environments in which they study less positively than men but what is most serious is that the dialogue between student and supervisors is less effective for women than for men. Nearly one in five of the women compared to just over one man in ten say that they have found their dependence on their supervisor a matter of concern.

In all 25 per cent of the women and six per cent of the men experienced discriminatory treatment because of their gender. Nine per cent of the women and two per cent of the men reported that at some time during their studies they had suffered sexual harassment.
If different disciplines and higher education institution are studied more closely, some remarkable figures emerge.

At the Stockholm School of Economics 64 per cent of the women doctoral students reported some degree of discrimination. In jurisprudence and law 60 per cent of the women doctoral students state that they have been discriminated because of gender.

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Diversity


Issues concerning diversity in university recruitment as well as in university operations have attracted growing attention in recent years.

At the national political level, attempts have been made to counteract socially and ethnically unrepresentative recruitment in particular by building institutions of higher education throughout the country, which makes higher education more accessible - at least geographically speaking. The location of Södertörns University College is an example.

Not many from working-class backgrounds


The social mix among doctoral students in Sweden differs from the population at large. Individuals with working-class backgrounds are substantially underrepresented. The proportion of those with backgrounds from abroad but who form part of the Swedish population  is also lower than for the Swedish population as a whole. (You can find out more in the section Doctoral studies under the heading Who chooses to study for a PhD?).

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Interview with Mohammad Fazlhashemi,


Mohammad Fazlhashemi comes from Iran; he is a doctoral student in the history of ideas at Umeå University, where he also has the job of assisting the vice chancellor with advice and information about ethnic issues in connection with the university's quality assurance work.

“Today in Sweden, 18-20 per cent of the population have another ethnic background, but we have no ready figures on how they are represented at the university. In Umeå, it is clear to the naked eye that there are few such people on the teaching staff and in the university's decision-making bodies, but it's now time for us to find out exactly where things stand. One of my duties is to carry out an in-depth survey on this." “The university world has not noticed that people are left out. When you aren't confronted with people from another ethnic background, it's easy to forget them. By making the problem visible, you can generate interest."

When Mohammad Fazlhashemi came to Umeå as a visiting student in 1977, he was one of the few foreign students there. He tells how he has always been well received in Umeå. “I've had good support and extra help. When the department couldn't give me adequate supervision - I wrote my dissertation on a Persian philosopher who lived in the 12th century
- instead I got extra financing to pay for travel and remuneration for an assistant supervisor at another university in Sweden and then also to check the language in my dissertation."

“I think it's different today - especially for people born and raised here; they may not have such positive experiences in terms of how they are treated by society. Their ethnic background and different cultural heritage are often viewed as a burden, which contributes to their sense of isolation."

“These young people also see that immigrants with an academic education haven't found work in Sweden, that their knowledge isn't put to use. The young people then conclude that it's safer to pursue a shorter vocational education programme."

“Many students with an immigrant background need remedial instruction in Swedish, but there isn't anything like that when you've been admitted to university. Language difficulties are critical - they create a sense of isolation and the feeling that students are at a disadvantage."

Mohammad Fazlhashemi participates in the university's training programme for supervisors. He follows issues related to supervision and ethnicity, and he thinks that the supervisory committee can be a good form of support, where new experiences are continually collected.
“Ethnic diversity means many different things, there are so many aspects and perspectives to experiment with. But if people are prepared, if teachers are aware of how different groups can react, the culture clash will be softer. Knowledge about this must be included in the development of pedagogical skills."

Mohammad talks about a professor in Lund who is just as happy each year when new doctoral students come who have their roots in other countries. He is glad that they can take in source material in other languages and thus expand the research front in Sweden!

But when I ask Mohammad Fazlhashemi whether he has any advice for students with a foreign background, he answers: “If I were to begin my doctoral studies today, I would choose a ‘normal' subject, one that's established in Sweden." “I really want to be an optimist, but if your field of expertise is too odd, there may be no positions in a Swedish university that are suitable for you. It's easy to be left out - not because of your origin - but because your research field doesn't fit into what's considered to be mainstream studies. Some subjects, especially the history of ideas, are based on a Eurocentric perspective."

“If there are no experts who can assess your skills, you aren't given consideration! I have my own experience of this: on two occasions when I applied for a position, the expert panel wrote that they didn't have the expertise to assess me. Yet they still ranked me third and as a result I didn't get the position."

“The fact that the expert panel admit that their knowledge is limited isn't so surprising in and of itself, but in the end, it's the applicant with a different ethnic background and a non-traditional field of research who suffers."

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Student unions


All students at universities and university colleges are required to be members of a student union; therefore this also applies to doctoral students.

Union fees


No tuition fees may be charged for higher education in Sweden, but a student union, for instance, can charge its members fees. Doctoral students who are active as students for 10 per cent or more of full-time studies during a semester must pay a union fee. Many student unions offer a reduced fee for students if they are registered to study for less than 50 per cent of full-time studies.

Prior to a public defence, all semester fees (student union fees) must be paid; otherwise the award of Licentiate or PhD degree may be withheld.

What do student unions do for doctoral students?


At most institutions of higher education that have doctoral programmes there are different types of organisations for doctoral students in the student unions. In these associations, elected student representatives have the task of safeguarding the interests of the doctoral students at that institution. Many of these doctoral associations have information available on the Internet.

Student unions and information for third-cycle students

Blekinge Institute of Technology
www.bth.se/forskning

Chalmers University of Technology  
www.chalmers.se/sections/utbildning/forskarutbildning

University of Gothenburg  
www.gu.se/forskning/forskarutbildning/

Stockholm School of Economics  
http://www.hhs.se/PhD/default.htm

Jönköping University Foundation
www.hj.se/doc/19

Kalmar University College
www.dok.hik.se/ www.hik.se/forskning/

Karlstad University
www.kau.se/forskning/forskarutbildning/doktorandsektionen

Karolinska Institute
edu.ki.se/research/index_se.html

Royal Institute of Technology  
www.nada.kth.se/dr-sektionen www.kth.se/forskning

Linköping University
http://www.liu.se/forskning/forskarutbildning

Luleå University of Technology
www.luth.se/org/dok-sekt´

Lund University
www.tlth.lth.se/~dokt www.ldk.lu.se

Malmö University College
www.mah.se/Forskning/Utbildning-pa-forskarniva

Mid-Sweden University
www.miun.se/mhtemplates/MHPage____257.asp

Mälardalen University College
http://www.mdh.se/forskning/forskarutbildning

Stockholm University
www.sus.su.se/doktorand/ombud.php www.su.se/pub/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=158

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences  
doktorandrad.adm.slu.se www.slu.se/?ID=3

Umeå University
www.ntk.umu.se www.umu.se/umu/forskarutbildning/index.html

Uppsala University
www.student.uu.se/us/doktorand www.uu.se/doktorand/

Växjö University
www.vxu.se/forskning/

Örebro University
www.oru.se/templates/oruExtNormal.aspx?id=6730

Doctoral student representatives (Doktorandombudsmän)


In the student unions of larger institutions, there is often also a doctoral student representative. They are employed by the student union and have the job of providing information and advice to students.

Mediation, support and help


The doctoral student representative can provide guidance through the jungle of rules, ordinances and customs that apply in doctoral studies. They can also be consulted if students have problems or have been badly or wrongly treated in their studies. The representatives can also function as intermediaries in conflicts between students and their supervisor/department. (You Can Read More In The Section What studies entail, Interview With Johan Modée, Doctoral Student Representative, Lund University).

Two national umbrella organisations


There are two national co-operative organisations for doctoral students who are active in the student unions, the SFS Committee for Doctoral Students (SFS-doktorandkommitté) and Sweden's Doctoral Students (Sveriges doktorander). These organisations enable students from different institutions to meet and exchange experiences. They are also responsible for the national monitoring of education and disseminate information to politicians and decision-makers, for instance, by commenting on proposals from the government.

SFS-doktorandkommitté (SFS-DK), consists of representatives of doctoral students from the student unions belonging to SFS. SFS - the National Union of Students - is an association of the student unions in higher education in Sweden. Affiliation is voluntary for the student unions. Altogether 240,000 of Sweden's 320,000 students are members of SFS. SFS has a doctoral student representative working full-time with issues relating to doctoral programmes on a national basis. Information about SFS-DK, only in Swedish.

Sveriges doktorander (SDok) SDok (information only in Swedish, is a national network for doctoral students with representatives from all the higher education institutions in Sweden that offer doctoral programmes.

Trade unions that represent doctoral students


Here are some examples of trade unions that take up cases on behalf of doctoral students. Contact them for more information.

On the web-sites of most unions you will find information, for instance,on:

  • Salary figures
  • Working conditions, and
  • special information for doctoral students

SACO
SACO includes many different unions for professions that require graduate qualifications. Here are some examples:

TCO

One of the unions affiliated to TCO, Fackförbundet ST has an active section working in higher education called ST-ATF.
TCO also published a magazine called Studentliv (only in Swedish).

Lärarförbundet

the Swedish Teachers' Union, Lärarförbundet, has information on its web-site for all categories of teachers. It has also summarised information on its web-site that may be of specific interest for doctoral students.

SAC-Syndikalisterna

SAC-Syndikalisterna also organises doctoral students.

Unemployment benefit funds
If you are employed on a doctoral studentship you can opt to become a member of an unemployment benefit fund that can offer benefits if you become unemployed.

When students join a trade union, they also sign up for an unemployment benefit fund. It is however possible to sign up only for an unemployment benefit fund.

The largest unemployment benefit fund for academics is AEA, which is Saco's unemployment benefit fund. Their homepage has a clear, thorough description of the rules for doctoral students about membership and compensation.

TCO has no central unemployment benefit fund but each union has its own.

Last updated: 2009-12-21
Contact person: Anna Hallenbom, 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