Deficiencies in the work environment
Almost 1000 research students have answered questions about everything from work and supervision to sleep problems and whether you dare to criticize your workplace. It becomes clear in the report that there are major shortcomings in the doctoral students' work environment.
Doctoral students today work under tough working conditions. Many people work when they are ill, have sleep problems and do not think they have time to take their vacation. More than 45 percent answered that they had difficulty thinking of something other than their dissertation work daily or several times a week. This was especially true of women, young people and Swedish doctoral students.
"What emerges from the report is remarkable and requires action. Unfortunately, it has become far too common for these types of statistics to be rejected because we have become accustomed to an unsustainable situation. This is not enough and will in the long run create major problems for both the individual doctoral students and the PhD supply of skills to the university and other sectors of society. Especially during the pandemic, we at SFS have seen that the doctoral students had a particularly challenging situation and the report strengthens the image that doctoral students are a vulnerable group that needs more support than what exists today. ”
Says Simon Edström, chairman of the Swedish National Union of Students
Read a short interview with the report author at st.org here
Summary in English
In a new survey ”Hur mår doktoranden”, conducted by SFS and Fackförbundet ST, a 1000 doctoral students across Sweden answered questions about their working and studying conditions, and the result is worrisome. The report will be presented on a webinar Thursday 25/3. The report is in Swedish, but there is an english summary of the report.