The University's responsibility
Umeå University should be a workplace and study environment characterized by job satisfaction, security, development, participation, trust and respect for the equal value of all people. There is zero tolerance towards discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and victimisation, also known as "bullying".
Both as an employer and as an education provider, the university must work to counteract discrimination and work for everyone's equal rights and opportunities.
The university's work with equal opportunities is strategic, long-term and ongoing. This means, among other things, that we work with active measures to prevent discrimination and promote equal rights and opportunities, regardless of gender, gender identity or gender expression, ethnicity, religion or other belief, functionality, sexual orientation or age, as prescribed by the Discrimination Act.
The concept of equal opportunities also includes working with gender mainstreaming.
Umeå University has a Policy for working environment and equal opportunities that describes general guidelines and important values to be taken into account. In the parts that apply to equal opportunities, the university's policy is based on the Discrimination Act.
Work environment and equal opportunities policy
Discrimination Act (do.se)
How you can contribute, or get support
As an employee, you have a responsibility to treat colleagues and students with respect and to act in such a way that you contribute to building a safe and open-minded work and study environment. If you feel that you or someone else is being treated differently because of, for example, gender, ethnicity or something else, contact your manager. If an employee or student has been subjected to harassment at work, the university has an obligation to investigate the incident and take action. You will find more information on the pages If something happens.
Gender mainstreaming
The Swedish Government has assigned all universities with the task to implement gender mainstreaming in their organisations. Each higher education institution must base their work on an institution-specific plan that in turn is based on needs for development, describes objectives and activities that the University intends to perform, and outlines in which way gender equality is to be integrated into the University's processes and activities. In order to strengthen the University's work with gender equality, we have drawn up an action plan for gender mainstreaming 2022–2025.
Active measures
The Active measures pages of the HR guide provides more information on how this work should be carried out, including practical guides with suggestions for activities to carry out at the workplace.
Active measures (only in Swedish for the moment)
The work environment and equal opportunities organisation
In order to keep Umeå University's vision and policy for working environment and equal opportunities alive and to support the chancellor, deans, heads of department and managers in the responsibility of conducting work environment and equal opportunities work at the University, there is a working environment and equal opportunities committee at the university-wide level and two coordination groups, sustainable study life and sustainable working life.
As support in the work, there are also work environment and equal opportunities coordinators at university-wide level, management support at faculty-wide level or equivalent, and management support for equal opportunities at department or unit level.
If you want to know more, you can read the university's rule on organisation of the work environment and equal opportunities (currently only in Swedish, translation is underway).