STUDENTS. The pilot project “An Easy Way In” at Sahlgrenska Academy provides support for students who feel they have been harassed or treated abusively. A report now proposes that the initiative be expanded to include all faculties at the University and simultaneously become more long-term. Under the proposal, the initiative would be called “Safe Studies.”
Sahlgrenska Academy started the project “An Easy Way In” at the end of 2017 in collaboration with Sahlgrenska Academy’s SAKS student union and the University of Gothenburg’s GUS student unions. Under the project, undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students at Sahlgrenska Academy who want to tell someone about discrimination or abusive behavior can meet with an ombudsman on site. The ombudsman will also provide information on how they can report an incident or follow up on their experiences.
“I mainly offer support and explain different processes and alternatives. Not everyone is interested in pursuing their case further, for example by submitting a report to the responsible head of department. Often what is most important is for students to feel they have been heard. Sometimes a conversation in which you can talk to someone outside the University and have your experience validated is sufficient,” says Haruna Ohldin, who has been acting as an ombudsman for “An Easy Way In” for a few months now.
“As with the other permanent ombudsman activities, I am outside the University of Gothenburg, and my position is covered by confidentiality so that people feel a bit more at ease in turning to us.”
Requires long-term approach
“It takes time to create awareness, so this type of project needs to be long-term. There are always new students, and this work requires continuity. We also believe that the name of the project, ‘An Easy Way In,’ has been a bit unclear for the students, so we suggest changing the name to ‘Safe Studies’.”
The proposal was published in April 2021 and has been shared with people in various management positions within the University. The report summarizes the experiences from the pilot project and proposes continued efforts to support students who have experienced discrimination, abusive behavior or harassment in expanded forms at the University. The proposal calls for including the new project in the University’s Operational Plan for 2022, and it is to be discussed at the vice-chancellor’s University Management Council and elsewhere.
“My impression is that both the deans and University Management are taking this issue very seriously,” says Julia Nyberg, vice-chair of the GUS student unions and author of the proposal. “They have shown interest in how the project is going and what we have done, and now detailed discussions are under way about what measures are needed and how they are to be implemented.”
Next steps discussed
The GUS student unions already have two student and doctoral ombudsmen who meet with students from all faculties. They help students who have encountered various problems during their studies and provide support for those brought before the University Disciplinary Board at Gothenburg and those who have experienced abuse and harassment.
“As we see it, ombudsman activities that exist at GUS need to be expanded and developed. We have a holistic approach to student rights, but we want to reach more people. We would like to see faculties and institutes included in the discussion to maximize collaboration.”
Treating everyone equally is everyone’s responsibility
A survey among Sahlgrenska Academy’s students indicates that about half know that the project exists. As awareness of the project has increased, more people have also contacted ombudsmen for support, according to the report.
“Since increased awareness has resulted in responses from more students, we believe that there are significantly more students within the University who need this support, but who do not yet know it exists.”
Promoting equal treatment is not someone else’s responsibility, we are all responsible, she points out. We should not wait for someone else to support or intervene if we see the need for this.
“All of us, based on our own position, can try to call attention to these issues at the local level. None of us should stand on the sidelines. We all are to actively contribute to a culture that does not accept abuse or harassment.”
- The proposal from the “An Easy Way In” project is available here (note that the examples mentioned in the report are taken from the entire University to avoid specifically pointing out students at Sahlgrenska Academy):https://studentportal.gu.se/digitalAssets/1788/1788230_f–rslagsrapport-fr–n-en-enkel-v–g-in.pdf
- Read more about the “An Easy Way In” project: https://studentportal.gu.se/minastudier/sahlgrenska/enenkelvag
- Read more about GUS Undergraduate, Master’s and Doctoral Student Ombudsmen: https://gus.gu.se/studentombud
BY: ELIN LINDSTRÖM
