Other education staff or staff working in higher education

At higher education institutions teachers are professors, senior lecturers, lecturers, research assistants, part-time teachers or guest teachers. The institutions for higher education decide to what extent the teachers at the institution shall be responsible for education, research or artistic development and administrative duties. The higher education institutions should strive towards that all categories of teachers teach in undergraduate programmes, except for research assistants who primarily undertake research.

The Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket)

Ordinance for higher education (Högskoleförordningen, SFS 1993:100)

Staff involved in monitoring educational quality

There are no specific inspectors of higher education institutions, each institution decides how to carry out monitoring and evaluation. The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education (Skolverket) is responsible for evaluation at national level, as well as for follow-up and analysis of activities at higher education institutions. The authority has the task of ensuring that the higher education institutions comply with relevant legislation and regulation, and the agency also follows up the plans for equality between the sexes set up by the institutions. Other important areas are the application of national admission criteria, the use of information technology and student participation. The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education is responsible for reviewing the quality of higher education, and evaluates all subjects and programmes in undergraduate, advanced and post-graduate education in a 6 year evaluation cycle.

The national quality assurance system of higher education institutions is to be changed.

Educational staff responsible for support and guidance

The larger institutions for higher education often have a special student office for this purpose. There is a three year university education for career and guidance counselors.

At higher education institutions högskolor there are student counselors (studievägledare) who provide students with educational guidance including individual guidance regarding their choice of studies and general information on educational programmes, careers and the job market, at central and institutional level. Student counselors often have an appropriate university education of at least 3 years with a guidance counsellor degree (studie- och yrkesvägledarexamen). They are recruited by the institution concerned on the basis of an open recruitment procedure and are appointed by the school head rektor or by somebody appointed to fulfill that task. In state universities and university colleges counselors are employed by the state on a permanent contract.