On July 10, the government announced new rules to improve the conditions for young researchers.
From 1 October 2017, a new type of fixed-term employment, assistant professor, of 4 to 6 years will be introduced. During these years, the researcher must be given the opportunity to merit in research and teaching in order to be able to meet the requirements at the end of the employment in order to be employed as a senior lecturer for the time being.
The new merit service will mean reduced opportunities to stack fixed-term employment on fixed-term employment.
The Swedish National Union of Students is pleased that the government is paying attention to the insecurity of newly graduated researchers.
The conditions for newly graduated researchers have long been characterized by precarious employment. According to the Doctoral Student Mirror produced by the University Chancellor's Office, a third of doctoral students were worried about unemployment after a dissertation and almost half were unsure whether they had support from their educational institution for a continued research career. The fact that such a large proportion of Sweden's doctoral students feel anxiety and doubt about their opportunities to continue within the academy weakens Sweden as a nation of knowledge.
Choosing an academic career has for many people meant coming to terms with temporary and precarious employment. Like the government, the Swedish National Union of Students does not believe that this insecurity provides the conditions for good research and good pedagogy.
The new rules for assistant professors will probably create greater security in the academic labor market for young researchers. Nevertheless, the road to a permanent job is still long within the academy.