2017-10-13

Timeline and goal of the new rules Major changes point-by-point Reasoning behind and perspective Questions and discussion

Trygghet och Attraktivitet- En forskarkarriär för framtiden Timeline for the new ordinance March 2016 Report published November 2016 Bill (proposition) published, where in the report is summarized June 2015 Deadline for Consultation responses July 2017 New ordinance SFS 2017:844 published June 2015 Start of inquiry Trygghet och Attraktivitet- En forskarkarriär för framtiden Goal: “To investigate..... how the meriting positions in the ordinance of higher education can be changed to create a more attractive research career, and how the use of several consecutive fixed term contracts can be counteracted…” “Se över…hur meriteringsanställningen i högskoleförordningen kan förändras i syfte att skapa en attraktiv forskarkarriär och hur användningen av på varandra följande tidsbegränsande anställningar under lång tid kan motverkas…”

1. Unified terminology across Sweden The meriting position Assistant Professor, previously named Forskarassistent or “FoAss” in Swedish will cease to exist. Instead, a meriting position called Biträdande Lektor (Bitr.Lekt.) will take its place. The English equivalent will be Assistant Professor The subsequent career step will be called Lektor or Associate Professor

2. Fixed time position with a regulated start and end The Bitr.Lekt. can be employed for a minimum time of 4 years and maximum of 6 years with a possibility for promotion if defined criteria are met. In practice this means no more 1+1+1+1 year contracts, which is a positive change Loophole to this rule? (“får anställas tills vidare”) Tillsvidare = until further notice The government wants thereby to give all Bitr.Lekt. a chance to fully merit, and want to limit the previous use of shorter FoAss. contracts as a way to extend long in-group postdoctoral periods

3. Lowering the merits needed for Biträdande Lektor Primarily persons that have earned their PhD within 5 years or less from the time of application will be eligible to apply for Bitr.Lekt. This is thus a reduction from today’s 7 year eligibility window. This 5 year time can be prolonged under special circumstances such as sickness, parental leave or equivalent.

Reasoning behind the new 5 year rule: By decreasing the time between PhD and Ass.Prof. the governement wants to make the road to academia more straight foreword, short and attractive The inquiry also sees a gap between (postdoctoral) contracts that are available for young researchers and the current 7-year rule, and therefore think these fixed term contracts can be avoided by shortening the time postdoctoral time The inquiry proposed to increase the number of teachers and teacher positions and provide a career road both for teachers and researchers “This road should NOT be reserved for the elite”, and the number of positions should increase with 50% over the next 5 year period They also mention that becoming a Biträdande Lektor should not require having the competence of a professor

Borrowed from KIPA website (http://kipostdocassociation

3. Lowering the merits needed for Biträdande Lektor Primarily persons that have earned their PhD within 5 years or less from the time of application will be eligible to apply for Bitr.Lekt. This is thus a reduction from today’s 7 year eligibility window. This 5 year time can be prolonged under special circumstances such as sickness, parental leave or equivalent. Worded with “Främst” = Foremost. However so was the old law, and this most likely refers to the above listed exemptions (parental leave etc.) Note that clinical practice is not specifically mentioned as grounds to adjust this deadline. This might however be possible to circumvent by the Universities

New ordinance text: Främst bör den komma i fråga som har avlagt doktorsexamen eller har nått motsvarande kompetens högst fem år innan tiden för ansökan av anställningen som biträdande lektor har gått ut. Även den som har avlagt doktorsexamen eller har uppnått motsvarande kompetens tidigare kan dock komma i fråga om det finns särskilda skäl. Med särskilda skäl avses ledighet på grund av sjukdom, föräldraledighet eller andra liknande omständigheter. Old ordinance text: Behörig att anställas enligt första stycket är den som har avlagt doktorsexamen eller har uppnått motsvarande vetenskaplig kompetens. Främst bör den komma i fråga som har avlagt doktorsexamen eller har nått motsvarande kompetens högst sju år före ansökningstidens utgång.

4. First unified Swedish Tenure Track System The Bitr.Lekt should be promoted to Lektor if he/she is eligible and is assessed to fulfil the requirements for Lektor that were set together with the University. Each University will itself decide on the criterion for the Bitr.Lekt. At the time of employment, the University must specify the specific criteria they will use for promotion to Lektor. Such promotion to Lektor entails permanent employment.

90% of Assistant professors in Sweden

5. Some additional points Researchers employed according to the old rules will continue to follow the old rules. These new legislation came into place staring on October 1st 2017, and will have to be followed for employments that are announced after April 1st 2018. It has not yet been definitively decided how KI will implement the new rules. In practice this means that KI has the possibility to announce Academic Career positions as Assistant Professor according to the old rules one more time, and that the next announcement in early 2018 will be the last time to apply for every body that defended their thesis in 2011, 2012 and 2013!

Questions: How will KI implement the new rules? How will KI work to minimize the harm for postdocs caught between the two rules (PhD in 2012 & 2013)? How can we assure that 6 years can be offered to all Bitr.Lektors from the start even if funding usually covers only 4 years? What type of contract and title will be offered to people +5years from their PhD that have gotten full founding from external sources such as Wallenberg, Söderberg or ERC but cannot be Bitr.Lektor? How can we improve the situation for clinically active researchers that cannot deduct clinical time? How can KI recruit Swedish and foreign successful postdocs that have done longer postdocs then 5 years abroad? Can postdocs jump directly to Lektor if they are funded? What academic employment possibilities are open to those that do not get a Assistant Professor meriting position? Senior researcher? How will this impact the gender balance as women often need more time to merit due to family and other engagements?

Thank you for coming! Note by: next Junior Faculty career event discussing these issues (and other) will be organized on November 30th 2017