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Rights, obligations, and representation as a PhD student

Elizaveta Yakovleva elizaveta.yakovleva@angstrom.uu.se

Vice Chair of TNDR 2023/24

PhD Student Council of the Faculty of Science and Technology

(Teknisk-Naturventenskapliga doktorandrådet, TNDR)

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Outline

  • What is TNDR?
  • What does TNDR do?
    • Representation
    • Rights and regulations
    • Who to contact
    • Social activities
  • Upcoming social activities
  • Useful links and tips

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What is TNDR?

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What does TNDR stand for?

“Teknisk-Naturventenskapliga Doktorandrådet”

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Translated to English:

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“PhD Student Council of the Faculty of Science and Technology (TEKNAT)”

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There are 14 departments at TEKNAT¹

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(1 See the departments here: https://www.teknat.uu.se/about-us/contact/sections-departments-collective-units/)

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TekNat Departments

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What does TNDR do?

  1. Represents all PhD students at the Faculty of Science and Technology

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  • Elects representatives which represent our PhD students’ interest in different boards of the faculty and the university

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  • Monitors and pursues any issues regarding the rights and concerns of the PhD students of the faculty

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  • Organizes different social events where you can meet and hang out with other PhD students

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What does TNDR do?

  1. TNDR represents all PhD students at the Faculty of Science and Technology

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  • Elect representatives which represents our PhD student's interest in different boards of the faculty and the university

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  • Monitor and pursue any issues regarding the rights and concerns of the PhD students of the faculty

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  • We are organizing different social events where you can meet and hang out with other PhD students

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Representation

  • There is (usually) a PhD council at each department containing PhD Students who represent you in different questions.
  • There should be PhD department board representatives representing all of the PhD students at your department even when there is no official PhD council.
  • The tasks of PhD student representatives can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ds7mkfv3492x2xtUni8R4gGGjisM_Kjs/view

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You

PhD Student Representatives

TNDR council �meetings

Department

(e.g., department board and TNDR rep)

Department board�meetings

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TNDR/PhD student council

The council organizes the PhD student representatives to the university-level and faculty-level boards and committees, which are the decision-making bodies at the university.

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In between the council meetings, the board takes care of TNDR’s activities

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What does TNDR do?

  1. TNDR represents all PhD students at the Faculty of Science and Technology

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  • Elect representatives which represents our PhD students’ interest in different boards of the faculty and the university

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  • Monitor and pursue any issues regarding the rights and concerns of the PhD students of the faculty

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  • We are organizing different social events where you can meet and hang out with other PhD students

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PhD student representation

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You

TNDR Council

TNDR board

Faculty board (FN)

Graduate education board (FUN)

Doctoral board(DN)

University board

Committees/ boards at university level

Other committees/ boards

PhD student department board/ council

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PhD students representatives

  • Elections in every council meetings
    • TNDR board
    • Faculty board
    • …and 25 other positions� (e.g. UPPMAX)

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  • Contact me if you are interested in any position! Or talk to me after this presentation.

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What does TNDR do?

  1. TNDR represents all PhD students at the Faculty of Science and Technology�
  2. Elect representatives which represents our PhD student's interest in different boards of the faculty and the university�
  3. Monitor and pursue any issues regarding the rights and concerns of the PhD students of the faculty�
  4. We are organizing different social events where you can meet and hang out with other PhD students

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PhD studies - regulations

Student:

  • The Higher Education Act (Högeskolelagen) e.g. ethics course
  • The Higher Education Ordinance (Högskoleförordningen)
  • Swedish Higher Education Authority (Universitetskanslersämbetet –UKÄ)

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Employee:

  • SACO-S (Salaries) and labor unions
  • Local agreements

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Different types of PhD students

The most common types of PhD students are:

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Scholarship PhD students have the same rights as university employed PhD students!

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University employed PhD student

Scholarship PhD student

Industrial PhD student

Supervisor

University

University

University and company

Employment

University

None

Company

Enrolled

University

University

University

Who pays?

University

Scholarship and sometimes university

Company

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Rights for PhD students

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PhD student

PhD student councils

Student unions

Labour unions

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Labor unions – We are employees!

Saco, Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations (www.saco.fackorg.uu.se)

Sulf, Swedish Association of University Teachers (www.sulf.se)

Naturvetarna, Swedish Association of Professional Scientists (www.naturvetarna.se)

Sveriges Ingenjörer, Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers (www.sverigesingejorer.se)

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TCO, Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees

ST, Union of Civil Servants (i.e. in state agencies)

(www.st.org/universitet)

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Student unions – We are students!

UTN - Uppsala union of engineering & science students (www.utn.se)

    • Student representation
    • Activities at TEKNAT
    • Membership is free

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Uppsala student union (www.uppsalastudentkar.se)

    • Student and PhD student representation
    • Membership cost about 55 SEK per semester

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Student nations – We are students!

  • 13 student nations – you can join any of them
  • Pubs, cafés, restaurants and nightclubs (membership mandatory, but you can visit all of them)
  • Social, arts and sports activities
  • Travel grants (Smålands or Norrlands, for example)
  • Housing (V-Dala or Göteborgs, for example)
  • Some nations provide quick, small, loans to students
  • Registration: If frist time, you need to bring a certificate from your department or Studentportalen showing that you are a PhD student
  • From 250-300 SEK per term

https://uppsalastudent.com or www.nationsguiden.se

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Important rights and rules

  • All PhD students must have an individual study plan

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  • You have the right to change supervisor

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  • Maximum department duty: 20% of total time

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  • Funding must be guaranteed for the entire period of post-graduate studies (48 month + department duty)

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Individual study plan (ISP)

  • One of your most important documents

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  • Legally binding document

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  • Revised every year

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  • You are responsible for updating this document

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Department duty (max 20%)

  • Examples of department duty:
    • Teaching
    • System administration
    • Department librarian
    • Swedish language course (advanced level)

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  • You have the right to get training in pedagogy
    • Academic Teacher Training Course

or

    • Högskolepadagogisk grundkurs

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Salary ladder

  • 50%: normally 24 month (flexible)
  • 80%: normally 36 month
  • After PhD-degree: 80%
  • 50%/80% excluding time spent on department duty
  • 1000-6000 SEK extra may be added by department
  • Inflation adjusted

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Step

Salary�(SEK/month)

Salary after tax in Uppsala (SEK/month)

year 1

30 700

~24 142

year 2

31 300

~24 575

year 3

32 200

~25 252

50%

32 700

~25 585

80%

35 500

~27 604

December 2023

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Terms of employment

  • Insurance
    • depends on type of employment (scholarship or employee)

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  • Vacation
    • depends on age (28-35 days per year)
    • should not depend on employment
    • Normally blocksemester

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  • Benefits (https://www.uu.se/en/about-uu/join-us/working-conditions/)
    • depend on type of employment
    • subsidies – gym, sports & wellness (2000 SEK/ year)
    • medicine, medical treatment etc.

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Unemployment security

  • Register for A-kassa (https://www.uu.se/en/about-uu/join-us/unemployment-insurance/) + SULF
  • To be eligible for unemployment insurance, you must have been working for at least 50% of fulltime for at least 6 months during the last 12 months. 
  • Join at least one year before your contract ends!

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Foreign students

  • Same rules as for Swedish citizens

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For non-Swedish students:

  • If something happens (sick, injuries, parental leave etc.) Swedish Social Insurance Agency (‘Försäkringskassan’)
  • After three years you may vote in your municipality (earlier for EU citizens)
  • Attention to Residence permits and sick leave

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Want to know more about the regulations?

Read the PhD handbook! (22 pages)

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https://uudoctoralboard.se/

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(‘Rules and rights’)

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Want to know more about the regulations?

  • FAQ on TNDR’s homepage (https://tndr.se/new/faq/)
  • If you have any question, you can send it to us, and we try to find the answer!

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Who to Contact

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In case of problems

Contact or talk to:

  • Supervisors
  • Colleagues/other PhD students
  • Ombudsperson at the department or at the student union (utb-f@utn.se , Student liaison officer Head of Academic affairs, Filip Bodlund Trostén)
  • Head of department/Director postgraduate studies at the department
  • International office
  • UU Personnel Administration Office/Human Resources
  • Graduate Education Board (FUN)
  • TNDR
  • Corporate health care: Previa (https://www.uu.se/en/staff)
  • Labor union/ Saco

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Whom is responsible for what?

  • Supervisor
  • Director of post graduate studies (FUS)
  • FUAP (and Co-FUAPs)
  • Head of department
  • FUN

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Supervisor

  • 1 Main supervisor and at least 1 co-supervisor
  • Main supervisor has taken the university course in supervision
  • Main supervisor is responsible for all parts of post graduate education as it is written in the ISP
  • Together with co-supervisors and FUAP the main supervisor decides when your thesis is ready for defense
  • More information about the responsibility of supervisors: https://www.uu.se/en/staff/disciplinary-domain/medicine-and-pharmacy/education-and-teaching/doctoral-studies/supervisor

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To be supervisor: https://www.teknat.uu.se/utbildning/forskarniva/vara-handledare/

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Director of postgraduate studies

Studierektor för utbildning på forskarnivå (FUS)

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  • On the department level
  • Together with the head of the department takes care of post graduate studies
  • For example: yearly discussion of the ISP
  • Introduction for postgraduate studies (may get this delegated from the head of department)
  • Coordination of PhD courses at the department
  • Can organize meetings for supervisors and PhD students
  • Mediator in conflicts regarding post graduate studies

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Professor responsible for postgraduate studies

Forskarutbildningsansvarig professor (FUAP)

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  • Secure quality and development of post graduate studies�(for example the language quality of the thesis)
  • Some delegate tasks to other professors (usually if there are many PhD students in one program)
  • First ISP
  • ISP follow up
  • Coordinate between supervisors within the program
  • Together with section dean: decide examinators and opponent for the defense

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Head of department

Prefekt

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  • Employ PhD students that are financed by the university
  • Supervisor, ISP
  • Introduction for post graduate studies (may delegate this to director of post graduate studies)
  • Appoint examinators for PhD courses

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Head of department

Prefekt

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  • Employ PhD students that are financed by the university
  • Supervisor, ISP
  • Introduction for post graduate studies (may delegate this to director of post graduate studies)
  • Appoint examinators for PhD courses

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Graduate Education Board

Forskarutbildningsnämnden (FUN)

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  • Work with the ISP
  • Decide about common PhD courses organized by the faculty
  • Inform FUAP
  • Make sure that supervisors have gone through a course in supervision
  • Cooperate with director of post graduate studies at the departments
  • We have two PhD student representatives!

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What does TNDR do?

  1. TNDR represents all PhD students at the Faculty of Science and Technology

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  • Monitor and pursue any issues regarding the rights and concerns of the PhD students of the faculty

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  • Elect representatives which represents our PhD student's interest in different boards of the faculty and the university

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  • We organize different social events where you can meet and hang out with other PhD students

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Upcoming Activities

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TNDR raft building in Valborg, the last week in April

March 14th

April 18th

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Social events organized by TNDR

  • Board game afternoons/nights
  • Murder Mystery Game
  • Christmas party
  • Minigolf and barbeque
  • Gasque
  • Trivia nights
  • Valborg boat!

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  • Social events connected to the TNDR grant

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Look out for information on TNDR’s and DN’s Facebook pages or via E-mail!

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PhD Day

  • May 6
  • Ångström, room 101195 Heinz-Otto Kreiss
  • A day for inspiration, career information, general advice

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Dates to remember

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  • Next TNDR council meeting:
    • In June, annual meeting, election
  • PhD inspiration day:
    • May 6

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Contact information

Homepage: https://tndr.se/new/

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Facebook: Teknisk-naturventenskapliga doktorandrådet [TNDR]

www.facebook.com/teknatdr

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We send emails to all PhD students at TekNat!

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Thank You, and Good Luck!

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Elizaveta Yakovleva

Vice Chair of TNDR 2023/24

Elizaveta.Yakovleva@angstrom.uu.se

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Useful links

  • “Medarbetarportalen”

https://www.uu.se/en/staff

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  • Salary ladder at Uppsala university

https://www.saco.fackorg.uu.se/for-doktorander/doktorandstegen/

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  • TNDR: electable positions

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  • Doctoral board https://uudoctoralboard.se/

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  • 1177 Vårdguiden: all health related things�https://www.1177.se

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Benefits

  • Bonuses – Mecenat card, STUK, Student Beans – transport +services
  • Sick leave – 1 week (including weekend and holidays) just by notifying PI, �7+ days – with doctor’s certificate (get through 1177). �14+ days – paid sick leave through Försäkringskassan (separate registration)�Receive prolongation for sick days, include in activity report.
  • Doctor’s appointment – reimbursement through Primula – save receipts. Pay for visits and medical treatments up to 1400 SEK, then Frikort valid throughout Sweden. High cost protection on medicine with referrals. Different rules for dental care and private practice.
  • Housing – through Housing Research office. Join the queue in UppsalaBostad (305 SEK/year) and real estate agency (mostly free)
  • Insurance – European card (through Försäkringskassan) and business card (ask your HR)
  • Falck – employment health care. Stress management courses, and free, anonymous psychologist's appointments (2 per year)
  • Exercise and keep-fit subsidy of 2000 SEK per year (depends on type of contract)

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