Work environment

As a doctoral student, you are entitled to a well-functioning work environment. This page includes information about the university’s activities on work environment issues and where to turn if you experience work environment problems.

Work environment and equality

Sometimes, for doctoral students, being both a student and an employee with all the rights and obligations this involves, can be confusing. In some contexts, you may feel that your role and your position are unclear. Never hesitate to ask for help, from your supervisor, director of studies, line manager (i.e. head of department), or the administrators.

More information about systematic work environment management, risk assessment, the work environment plan, equal opportunities, occupational injuries and incidents, routines in cases of victimisation, discrimination, harassment or reprisals, the alcohol and drugs policy, etc., is available on the page for Work environment and equality.

Who should I contact about problems with the work environment?

There are various people to contact if you want to raise a work environment problem or have questions about the work environment.

• You can contact the local health and safety representative at your academic school or the university’s health and safety representative. Their contact details are on the page for Work environment and equality.
• You can contact your line manager, the head of department. If you are experiencing psychosocial work environment problems associated with doctoral studies, you can also talk to your director of studies.
• You can contact the students’ union, SöderS External link, opens in new window.. One of their most important tasks is working on how education at the university functions and guiding and support students who experience discrimination by teachers or students, or who feel their education to be unfair or incorrect.
• You can contact your union. Three union associations are represented at the university: Saco-S, ST and SEKO. Saco-S, ST and SEKO. You can read more about them on the page for Union associations.

Externally employed doctoral students are not employed by the university, but follow the employment terms and conditions of their employer. However, they may raise work environment issues related to education to the director of doctoral studies.

Doctoral student survey

Every three years, the university conducts a survey to find out what doctoral students think about their education and their work environment. Its results can provide a foundation for ways in which each doctoral programme area works with work environment issues, so it is important that as many doctoral students as possible respond to the survey. The summary and report based on the last survey can be found below.