Admission arrangements relating to graduate level education at ...

DECISION118-12-2006I G 9 6251/2004Board of GovernorsAdmission arrangements relating to graduate level education at LundUniversity 1Approved by the Board of Governors on 18-12-2006, on the basis of Ch. 2 section 2HF [Higher Education Ordinance] (1993:100) to be applied on admission toeducation at graduate level as, of the end of June 2007, and in the event of subsequentemployment as doctoral student. It thus replaces the decision with doc. no. I G2193312/2001 (incl. amendment 020927).Every Faculty Board shall approve an ordinance for how the admission to education atgraduate level shall take place. In this context the directions shown below shall beobserved.InformationGood, clear and complete information on the education and admission process shallbe easily accessible e.g. on the respective area’s homepage.Each Faculty Board shall provide information about how admission to doctoral studiestakes place, the principal content and organisation, the applicable eligibilityregulations, areas that are considered in selection, how decisions on admission aretaken, forms of funding for doctoral studies as well as the date for the application todoctoral studies. Relevant and necessary information on the university as well as theformalities and the regulatory framework for education at graduate level shall likewisebe accessible.The information shall also be available in English.General study planA general study plan shall be approved by the Faculty Board for each subject withinwhich education at graduate level is offered. In the general study plan the principalcontent and arrangement of the education shall be described as well as regulationsrelating to special eligibility and the principles that apply on selection, Ch. 6 section35 HF.1This document is referring to students applying to studies at doctoral/research levelPostal address Box 117, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden. Visiting address Paradisgatan 2, Lund, Sweden. Direct tel: 046-222 3032Telephone switchboard: 046-222 00 00 Fax: 046-222 40 40 E-mail Cecilia.Gagne@plan.lu.se

Giving notice of a place on a programmeA vacant place on a programme shall be advertised as a basic principle. This appliesregardless of source of financing for study allowances. It is, however, not necessary tocarry out advertising of the place on a programme where the doctoral student shallundergo education within the framework of an employment with another employerthan Lund University, where the doctoral student has previously initiated his/hereducation at graduate level at another educational institution or if there are similarspecial reasons, Ch. 7 section 37 HF.2Advertising a place on a programme/study allowances shall be carried out so that thenotice achieves appropriate national and international dissemination, e.g. on theuniversity’s homepage.The advertising intensity and the advertising dates that shall apply are determined bythe Faculty Board. Advertising shall take place at least three weeks prior to the expiryof the application period.In the case of active recruitment and selection of students for education at graduatelevel, the principles of diversity and an equal gender distribution shall always beobserved in accordance with the gender equality policy, equal treatment policy and thediversity plan of Lund University.ApplicationApplication for admission shall be made on a special form that is stipulated by therespective Faculty Board.In connection with the application, applicants shall be given the opportunity ofguidance and orientation concerning the education, e.g. discussions on the educationwith the prospective supervisor or other person responsible for the education atgraduate level (e.g. director of studies), Ch. 6 section 3 HF.EligibilityIn order to secure admission to studies at graduate level it is necessary that theapplicant has, on the one hand, basic eligibility for research education and, on theother, the special eligibility that the Faculty Board may prescribe for each individualsubject and also is judged to have such capacity otherwise required in order to profitby the education in question, Ch. 7 section 35 HF.Basic eligibility for studies at graduate level is held by those who have taken a degree atadvanced level, have completed course requirements of at least 240 credits of which atleast 60 credits at advanced level, or in other manner, within or outside Sweden, haveacquired in substance corresponding knowledge, Ch. 7 section 39 HF. 2Demands for necessary qualification and other terms and conditions over and abovebasic eligibility that apply to being accepted for education (special eligibility) shall bestipulated by the Faculty Board through being specified in the general study plan foreach individual graduate education subject, Ch. 6 section 35 Article 3 HF.2See interim regulations, SFS 2006 :1053: Those who meet the demands for basic eligibilityfor admission to doctoral studies prior to 1st July 2007 shall also subsequently be deemed tohave acquired basic eligibility for entry to graduate level education, however only until the endof June 2015 at the latest.

3Financing of studiesAdmission to education at graduate level is open to those employed as doctoralstudents or who are granted special education assistance for doctoral students, Ch. 7section 36 HF.At Lund University doctoral student employments are striven for, in the first place, as asource of financing for students at graduate level. Special education assistance mayhowever be established as study financing in accordance with the ordinance on specialeducational assistance, SFS 1995:938.The Faculty Board is responsible for ensuring that the study funding during the entireintended study period up to the intended qualification (licentiate or doctorate) issecured for students who are admitted to graduate level education throughemployment as doctoral student or special education assistance. This, however, doesnot apply in the event of withdrawal of resources in accordance with Ch. 6 section 37HF.Students may also be admitted to graduate level education with so-called other studyfunding, Ch. 7 section 36 HF. This normally means that another employer isresponsible for the study funding. On admission to the education at graduate levelwith so-called other funding the Faculty Board is responsible for ensuring that acareful testing of the study funding is undertaken. Admission through so-called otherfinancing may not take place where supervisory and other resources are deemed to benecessary for other doctoral students or those with better qualifications.In order to facilitate quality assessment, admission under so-called other financingshall, as far as possible, take place at the same time as advertising of the place andadmission with student aid after information on available places.Where financing of studies for a doctoral student takes place via an employer otherthan Lund University the contract with the employer shall normally exist to secure thefinancial conditions up to the intended exam (licentiate degree or doctorate).Contracts relating to the entire planned educational period shall be aimed for. Shouldthe doctoral student’s funding in such a case be discontinued during the study periodthe Faculty Board shall carry out all justified efforts to find alternative funding for thedoctoral student. This does not apply however in the event of a decision onwithdrawal of resources in accordance with Ch. 6 section 37 HF.Should, however, the financing for a doctoral student who is accepted with so-calledother financing and not including employment with another employer than LundUniversity, despite careful testing of the study funding on admission, be discontinuedduring the study period, the Faculty in the last resort has a responsibility to assuremaintenance during the entire study period. This does not apply however in the caseof a decision on withdrawal of resources under Ch. 6 section 37 HF.At the university there is a restrictive policy towards admission with so-called otherfinancing in the form of support from another person or own assets.At the university scholarships for funding of studies may not be established withindoctoral studies.The scope of financing of studies shall correspond to the lowest educational allowancelevel regardless of form. In the case of financing of studies in the form of externalscholarships the same level of social security that special educational assistance offers isaimed at, in respect of e.g. illness and parental leave.

4SelectionSince the number of eligible applicants exceeds the number of vacant educationalplaces a selection shall take place based on an assessment of the applicants’ capacity totake advantage of the education.The Faculty Boards determine which grounds of assessment shall be applied on thetesting of the capacity to take advantage of the education, Ch. 6 section 35, clause 4HF (general study plan), Ch. 7 section 41 HF (selection).Solely the circumstance that an applicant is adjudged to be able to get previouseducation or professional experience credited for the education may not on selectiongive the applicant preference before other applicants, Ch. 7 section 41 last paragraphHF.Under-represented genders shall be given preference in the event of otherwiseequivalent preconditions for the education in question at graduate level, unless specialreasons speak against this.AdmissionThe decision making process for admissions to graduate level shall take placecollectively and be open and clear.The person conducting doctoral studies shall be admitted to education at graduatelevel. Education preparatory to research education shall be assigned to education atbasic or advanced level.The Faculty Board stipulates in which subjects the doctoral studies are organised andin which cases admission to doctoral studies relates to education that leads to alicentiate degree.The Faculty Board decides on admission to education at graduate level and isresponsible for deliberation and decision. Any delegation should take place to theboard of the department or other specially instituted body, e.g. the postgraduatestudies board where tutors with supervisory competence and appointed representativesare included.Preparation of decisions on admission to doctoral studiesPrior to a decision being taken on admission, guidance data for a decision includingproposal for admission and reasons for this are drawn up and are notified to theapplicants. This should normally occur at least two weeks before a decision is taken onadmission. Applicants that desire to lodge an objection to the proposal shall do this tothe Faculty Board or to the body to which the Board has delegated the decision onadmission, at the latest within the period that the Faculty Board notifies. Theapplicants shall be informed about the possibility of making an objection againstadmission proposals.At least one student representative appointed by the students’ union has the right toparticipate during the deliberation stage of the case on admission to doctoral studies.Decision on admission to education at graduate levelPrior to decision on admission there shall be a plan for study financing. Only thenumber of doctoral students may be admitted to education at doctoral level that canbe given supervision and otherwise acceptable study conditions, Ch. 7 section 34 HF.

Decisions on admission are taken by the Faculty Board or by the individual to whomthe board delegated the decision on admission.5All applicants shall have been notified of the contents of the decision seven days, at thelatest, after the decision on admission. In connection with the decision on admissionto education at graduate level an individual study plan is drawn up. The Faculty Boardis responsible for ensuring that an individual study plan is established in eachindividual case. The individual study plan shall be signed by the doctoral student, arepresentative of the faculty and by the supervisor.Crediting between advanced level and education at graduate levelA student who has successfully completed higher education at advanced level has theright to be credited with this in education at graduate level, if the faculty, afterchecking, adjudges that the previous education is acceptable for crediting purposes.The crediting shall be tested at the student’s request in each individual case.Departmental employmentIn connection with the advertising, it shall be announced if departmental work mayarise within the position as doctoral student.In the event of work in the department the educational period/study financing isextended correspondingly.