The number of supervision hours is a maximum of 480 clock hours for the entire period of study, i.e. the equivalent of four years of full-time study, of which 320 clock hours are for the principal supervisor and 160 clock hours are for the other supervisor(s). These hours can be allocated between the supervisors according to your needs; they include the supervisors’ meeting and administration time. If you have been admitted to another higher education institution, you follow its supervision rules.

The hours must be spread out that there will be supervision time left for any extension to your doctoral studentship, i.e. they must last until the public defence of your thesis. A reasonable standard planning for these hours could therefore be 480 clock hours spread over five years for full-time study, when departmental duties are performed and lead to the extension that is the fifth year. This means a maximum of 96 hours of supervision per year, e.g. 64 hours for the principal supervisor and 32 hours for the assistant supervisor(s).

Contact your head of department or director of studies if you want to know which principle is used to allocate hours in your subject. The supervision hours agreed by you and your supervisor must be entered in your individual study plan, by your supervisor, as clock hours.

What should you do if you are thinking about changing supervisor?

Read the information about supervision in the university’s Guidelines for supervision in third-cycle education carefully, as well as your subject’s guidance on doctoral supervisors’ and doctoral students’ work and responsibilities, if such a document exists. Then consult a suitable person about a potential solution – see the proposed procedure below. Do not wait too long to take your own initiative on the issue – you risk losing valuable time, both in your studies and your employment.

Procedure for changing supervisor – what happens in practice?

1. First and foremost, you – the doctoral student – consult your supervisor(s) about whether a change is possible; either with only the one that is affected or with both your supervisors at a joint meeting. If this cannot be done, contact your…
2. …director of studies. Discuss the issue and jointly draw up a plan for continued work. If the director of studies is also your supervisor, or if there if another reason for not discussing the issue with them, you can contact your line manager, i.e. your… ...
3. head of department. Discuss the issue and jointly draw up a plan for continued work. If the head of department is also your supervisor, or if there if another reason for not discussing the issue with them, you can contact…
4. …someone in the doctoral supervision collegium that you trust, or the chair of the steering committee. Discuss the issue and jointly draw up a plan for continued work.
5. If, after consultation with one or more of the above persons, you - the doctoral student – believe that a change is the best solution, you write a message to the chair of the steering committee for your research area to request a change of supervisor. You do not need to provide a reason.
6. The chair of the steering committee receives your request to change supervisor and the document is registered by the secretary of the steering committee. A copy is sent to the director of studies.
7. The chair of the steering committee contacts the doctoral supervision collegium who suggest a new supervisor without delay. You must be consulted before the director of studies sends the proposal to the chair and secretary of the steering committee for the research area so the case can be put on the agenda for the next meeting. University guidelines for supervision must be followed when a new supervisor is appointed.
8. The chair of the steering committee adds the case to the agenda for the next meeting and checks that the regulatory requirements are fulfilled, so a new supervisor can be appointed at the meeting. The director of studies presents the case.
9. The steering committee appoints a new supervisor and the secretary sends out information about the supervisor’s name and start date to all relevant parties, including the head of department. To speed up the process, this item can be checked in the minutes immediately. If the former or new supervisor is a member of the steering committee, they register a conflict of interest and do not participate in the presentation or discussion of the case.

What are the supervisor’s tasks?

The work of a supervisor includes

• providing advice and guidance and, in consultation with the doctoral student, regularly following up work on the thesis
• encouraging the doctoral student to achieve the programme’s qualitative targets/outcomes in the general syllabus
• possessing good knowledge of the national and local regulations for third-cycle education
• having a good understanding of and insight into the work of the doctoral student, as regards
• educational and funding issues
• participating in the subject’s supervisory collegium at the university.

The supervisor’s tasks are described in more detail the university’s guidelines.

Do I need to give a reason why I want to change supervisor?

No, you never have to give a reason why you want to change your supervisor.

Must I have multiple supervisors?

Yes. Under Chapter 6, Section 28 of the Swedish Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100), at least two supervisors must be appointed for each doctoral student. One of them must be nominated as the principal supervisor. The supervisors often have different tasks and the purpose of having several supervisors is to provide you with good support throughout your education and its various parts.