UNIVERSITY-WIDE. The University of Gothenburg’s appointments procedure has now been revised following a decision by the University Board. The revision entails changes in professional titles for postdoctoral research fellow, associate lecturer and senior professor. The changes become effective on April 1.
At its first meeting in 2018, the University Board decided on a revised appointments procedure. The background is mainly the change in the Swedish Higher Education Ordinance that will provide clearer employments and career paths for young researchers.
For the University of Gothenburg, the change in the appointments procedure means that fixed-term employment as postdoctoral research fellow disappears. At the same time employment as an associate lecturer is regulated differently than in the past. In particular this involves the following changes. An associate senior professor may be employed until further notice – however, for no less than four years and for no more than six years. The degree of doctor normally is to be completed in no more than five years before the period of application’s expiration. After application, an associate senior professor shall be promoted to an appointment until further notice if he/she is qualified for such employment.
The provisions of the revised appointments procedure must be put into practice beginning on April 1, 2018.
In addition to the changes arising from amendments to the Higher Education Ordinance, there are a couple of additional changes in the revised appointments procedure. The professional designation of post retirement professor is eliminated. The reason is that there is no support for such a designation in the current Higher Education Act. In its place the professional designation of senior researcher is introduced. Another change is that the possibility of promotion from researcher to professor or senior lecturer is eliminated.
“In the case of post retirement professor, it’s important to emphasize that it is a professional designation that is disappearing,” Eva Wiberg says. “In the future it will continue to be possible for retired professors to be employed in their subject areas and at their former departments. In addition, all professors are entitled after retirement to call themselves professor emeritus or professor emerita.”
TEXT: ELIN LINDSTRÖM CLAESSEN / ANN-CHARLOTTE SCHÛTZER
PHOTO: JOHAN WINGBORG
