DEBATE, the article was published in Universitetsläraren 12 / 11-2020. Read the article at universitetsläraren.se here
When the corona pandemic hit Sweden at the end of March this year, all higher education institutions were affected. Education was changed to distance and researchers and students needed to work from home. This also applied to us doctoral students. It has now been seven months since the pandemic started and we do not know how long this will last. We see our research projects canceled or postponed and lagging behind in our education. When we ask higher education institutions how this should be handled, we get the answer that we must plan based on the situation. An answer that sounds hollow when reasonable conditions are lacking.
We now demand that the higher education institutions take the doctoral programs seriously and give doctoral students a real opportunity to complete their programs.
We want to:
- all doctoral students who were enrolled in March 2020 and still have an ongoing education must have the opportunity for extension due to the consequences of corona. The proposal is an extension of two months, in addition to which individual assessments for further extension should be made.
- extension is administered centrally at each higher education institution to avoid differences between institutions resulting in unequal treatment.
Since the corona pandemic began, our educations have in several cases had compulsory elements such as courses and international research stays canceled. The restrictions have also made it impossible for many to assimilate the resources and materials required for one's research. This may involve study visits, data collection, access to archives and the opportunity to carry out experiments and interviews. A direct consequence will be that essential parts of the research elements must be postponed to the future. At the same time, the date for one's degree remains, which means that several doctoral students cannot complete their projects on time, or alternatively cannot complete them at all and thus not complete their education. A great stress many doctoral students are dealing with at the moment.
Many of us today work from home, on the advice of our universities, in an often deficient work environment. We want and should follow the restrictions, but then the higher education institutions also need to ensure that each doctoral student has the opportunity to assimilate a work environment that is both physically and mentally sustainable. That is not the case today. A great value of the doctoral program is also to be part of a research context, to have scientific discussions with other researchers and to interact with their supervisor. This community is not to be underestimated and has largely been lost or weakened since the start of the corona pandemic.
Doctoral students are already a group that suffers greatly from stress and mental illness. This has become relevant during the pandemic as a large part of the teaching has taken place at a distance, which has made it even more time-consuming. During the spring, surveys were conducted by SFS's doctoral student committee, several doctoral student councils and a doctoral student union to map the consequences of the corona pandemic. Mental illness is stated as a problem in almost all respondents. This is serious and changes are required for doctoral studies to be conducted in a way that provides a sustainable study situation for the doctoral student.
Due to their position as researchers, students and often also teachers, doctoral students become a vulnerable group within the academy. This is not only devastating for the individual but also costly for higher education institutions if doctoral students do not finish or need to postpone their doctoral degree. The doctoral students' research is a significant part of the academy's continued development and new knowledge will benefit society. At the same time, many higher education institutions also depend on doctoral students' research to maintain their relevance and profile in their fields.
Today, it is very difficult to get an extension due to the consequences of the corona pandemic. The possibility of extension also varies depending on the department and subject area as it is affected by the financial opportunities of the departments and higher education institutions. As a result, the assessment varies from case to case and there are no clear guidelines. To overcome this, central guidelines and transparent procedures for extension are required at each higher education institution.
The problem is becoming more and more acute and needs to be addressed immediately. The consequences of the corona pandemic need to be a valid basis for an extension of at least two months for all doctoral students, and a central organization at each higher education institution is required to implement and administer extensions. In this way, we increase the possibility that doctoral students are able to complete their educations. It is crucial for the individual, each university and Sweden as a nation of knowledge.
Pil Maria Saugmann, Chairman of the SFS doctoral student committee
Sara Gunnarsson, Vice Chair of SFS's doctoral student committee
Juanita Velez Olivera, Vice President of SULF's doctoral student association
Erik Bergenholtz, Chairman of SULF's doctoral student association