Summary of the information seminar about Biträdandelektororganized by Junior Faculty on the 2017-10-13
Event: Biträdandelektor- What you need to know about the new rules
Speakers from Junior faculty:Carolina Hagberg (CH), Emma Andersson (EA)
HR representatives present:Sylvie Garnbeck (SG), Karin Kylberg (KK), Peter Gustafsson (PG)
Terminology: FoAss- Forskarassistent, Bitr.Lek.- Biträdande Lektor, Lek.- Lektor. Ass.Prof- Assistant Professor, Assoc.Prof.
- Emma Andersson, Chair of JF steering group, gave an introduction to JF.
- CarolinaHagberg, coordinator of the Career Focus Group, gave apresentation. First an introduction to the agenda of the meeting:
-Timeline and goal of the new rules
-Major changes
-Reasoning behind and perspective
-Questions and discussion
CH stated that this is only info on the new rules of Bitr.Lek.,more detailed information on its implementation at KI will follow later.
- Time line and goal of the new rules
-Planning started in June 2015
-March 2016 report published
-June 2016 deadline for consultation responses
-November 2016 Bill (proposition) published – report summarized
-July 2017 – new ordinance (Högskoleförordningen) published
-Valid from October 1st 2017, 6 months leniency period until April 1st after which the rules have to be followed.
- Major Goals of the new rules:
-More attractive research career
-Less short fixed term contracts
- First big change: Unified terminology across Sweden
-This implies new Swedish names for the Assistant Professor stage (BiträdandeLektor) and for the Associate Professor stage (Lektor), but otherwise no large changes to KI’s policy. FoAss cannot be used anymore after April 1st.
-Bigger change to other Universities in Sweden
- Second new change: The Bitr.Lekt. will be a 4-6 years fixed time position with a regulated start and end
-Renewals not allowed! Very important to remember that you should demand a 6 year contract from the start and not settle for a 4-year one.
-In essence the new rules in their present form does not allow for 4+2 years of Ass.Prof., it is either 4, 5 or 6 that is decided from the start.
-Goal is to limit short 1 year contracts as Ass.Prof.
-Questions that arose around this topic:
Question: Dept. of MEB has ongoing announcements for Bitr. Lek. For 2+2 years, is this ok?
Answer: Dept. of MEB is currently announcing positions as Assistant Professor (Forskarassistent, not biträdandelektor). After April 1st 2018 (if the proposed date of entry into force is formally decided) both the position (as Bitrlektor) and the rules haveto be followed.
Question:When will the final deadline be for announcing positions asFoAssbe?
Answer: FoAss end of March. After April 1st 2018 no more FoAss, only BitrLektor. This is if the proposed date of entry into force is formally decided.
Question: CH: Is there a loophole in the bill: “BiträdandeLektorfåranställas tills vidare”?
Answer: It is not a loophole, it isa common writing in this area, for example, in the Employment Protection Act : “BiträdandeLektorfåranställas tills vidare, dock minst 4 år…”
Question: Current contract will hold, but current Postdoc/FoAsswho only have 3 months/1 year contracts, can they get extended according to original plans after April 1st 2018?
Answer: If you have a FoAss contract you will have the possibilityfor extension for up to a maximum of 4 years.
Postdoc contracts are not part of these new regulations.
Seminar continues:
- Third new change: Lowering the merits needed for Bitr. Lek.
-Changing the application time from 7 years post-PhD to 5 years
-Reasoning is that more positions should become available earlier in the career, also to teachers (“not reserved for the Elite”) – but this does not make sense when as the selection criteriaare publication and grants for these positions at KI.
-Only exemptions to the 5-year rule are maternity leave and long term illness
Question: Is clinical time counted to extend the 5-year rule?
Answer: No
CH: JF wants to make an editorial when we have gathered all the things we think are not good for medical research, the point of no exemption for clinical research is one of them.The new rules are made for all areas of study. Faculties differ in Sweden, KI is special with only a medical faculty, we are a minority!
Central HRwants to make clear that KI stated that it wanted to keep the 7 years when they got the initial proposition. Because that was not adhered towenow need to implement the new rules.
Questions: For 5+ and 6 + Year Postdocs, is there any loophole? Will there be more announcements or will these postdocs get lower requirements when applying?
Question 2 on same topic:How can a 5ypostdoc compete with a 7y postdoc?? Would it be possible to announce for two types of BitrLekt for 5y and 7y?
Answer: EA and PG: Announced positions have so far mostly been given to 5+ and even shorter!
Answer:SG and PG: All announcements have to be made similarly and with the same requirements for all: Regarding the question if there will there be more announcements of FoAss-positions, this is a question for KI:s departments and the Board of Research. Comment byEA: There will be a national JF meeting next week, and as mentioned we plan to write an editorial on extending the 5 years for medical faculty. Editorials are usually sent to SvD and Helene HellmarkKnutsson (Minister of Higher Education and Research). A social media campaign is needed!
Comment from the audience: KIPA has also planned an editorial in international journals to inform international Postdocs and future applicants for the Bitr.Lek. positions about the new rules in Sweden.
Question: Who decides if more Postdocs/FoAss can be hired before April 1st2018?
Answer:This is a question for KI:s departments and the Board of Research.
Question: KIPA have looked at average success rate for the Faculty Funded Career positions, 200 applications for 8 positions, giving a success rate of 4%. How will it be next year with 3x the applicants?
Answer: Impossible to say now.
Question: Can a 5y Postdoc jump over the Bitr.Lek.step and directly go to Lek.? – You can (theoretically) become a docent when you are a Postdoc.
Answer: Yes. Everyone can apply for announced positions and no single position has a formal qualification requirement of holding a previous position. However, most positions in KI require a doctorate.
Answer 2: PG: Cancerfonden, Wallenberg and others still announcesFoAsspositions for 7 year after PhD.We do not know how these grants can be implemented into the new rules as they cannot (as we understand it now) be employed as Bitr. Lekt.!
Question: Will other funding agencies adapt to the 5 years?
Answer: Not known today!
Question:Who will finance4-6 years of Bitr. Lek. if you only have funding for 2 years at the start, which is usually the case??5+ years of funding is very rear….
Question 2 on same topic: Can one get a 6-year contract with only 2-3 year funding, but with the condition that the contract can only be completed if enough funding is secured to finance the whole period?
Answer: HR is looking into these questions
CH: 4 years is too short to set up your group, today not set if it will be 4 or 6 years.
Question: If you get FoAss for 2 years now can it be extended?
Answer:SG: Yes. CH: if you have the money!
Back to the presentation:
CH Slide: New ordinance text “främst” = “Foremost” is used in old law in conjunction to the 5-year rule. There has been speculation that this would be a loop hole. Unfortunately it has been determined that this is “Law language”. In old law no specific reasons were given to prolong the period, now it is only parental leave, sick leave or similar (e.g. taking care of sick parent abroad) which is valid.
Comment: Definition of Parental leave in most cases: exact months you took leave and only valid for children born after PhD.
ERC has their own rules (1 child gives 1.5 years independent on how the mother worked during that time).
Question: EA: Can KI have their own rules to extend the parental leave?
Answer: PG: HR will bring the questions with them!
Question: Does Parental leave while on stipend count as well?
Answer: Yes!
Back to presentation:
- Fourth new change: First unified Swedish Tenure Track System
-A very good thing, used abroad and at other universities but not previously at KI
-The requirements for promotion should be defined at the beginning of the Bitr. Lek. and will be quite stringent.
-The universities can specify their respective criteria.
-All Bitr- Lekt. Will have the right to be assessed if they meet these requirements
-If they are met a Bitr. Lek. will be promoted to Lektor, which is a permanent position
-At the same time, Lektor is also the next step in the career ladder and non-promotion spots will be announced for open competion
-It is a long-term fixed position thought to be a position you can keep until the end of your career
Question: Should KI qualifications portfolio be used for Biträdandelektor?
Answer: KI portfoliois not used for the Faculty Funded Career positions.
Question: Specific criteria – Which are they?
Answer: PG: Not decided yet, should not be individual criteria for departments etc. Most probably they willbe the same.You will be able to appeal if you’re not satisfied with the decision.
Question: For current FoAss, what is the route?
Answer: SG: same as always, e.g. senior researcher. You won’t have a right to become aLektor or to get assessed for promotion.
Question: will positions as Lektorbe announced? How will FoAss become Lektor?
Answer: If you have a FoAss you do not have a right for promotion, unlike bitrlektor. FoAss can, of course, apply to announced positions as lektor etc.
Question: Will senior researcher exist after FoAss?
Answer: Under investigation.
Question: What does “The guarantee to be assessed” mean?
Answer:A rightto be promoted if you pass the criteria set by KI. The position as Lektoris only opened to youif you pass the criteria, no competition!!
Question:Will they announce other Lektorat?
Answer: Yes!
Question:Is there money coming from government for a Lektor?
Answer: NO
Professors don’t get their funding from the departments either.
EA: Docent criteria arebeing discussed. Not known yet if or how the current practice will be changed.
Question: Canastatisticianwith a PhD who won’t be a Bitrlektapply for Lektor?
Answer: YES! Anybody can apply.
CH: Save the date for: 30 November, half day seminar about how career decisions are made at KI!
Question: What are the intentions from the government?
Answer: CH: good intentions, but they are looking at a wider perspective and all universities and subject in Sweden, medical faculty is a minority. There is no one-size-fits all in this case.
Question: Have any riskcalculations been done of people who will fall out of the system?
Answer: Not known.
At the protocol
Andrea Carmine Belin