All doctoral students at Umeå University are asked to fill out a doctoral student survey before they publicly defend their doctoral dissertations. The survey asks questions on how the students have experienced their doctoral studies and of the quality of the doctoral education, but also of their future prospects after the dissertation defence. The results for 2016 have now been presented.
To begin with, the response rate has dropped remarkably compared to last year, from close to 80 per cent to 66 per cent. Out of the 122 doctoral students who answered the survey, 100 had taken their Bachelor's level qualification at a Swedish higher education institution, and 22 had one from an institution abroad.
A majority, 76 per cent, agreed with the claim that they would recommend a research education at Umeå University to others. Regarding the scientific environment, the impression was considerable positive, and at large comparable with previous years' doctoral student surveys. 73 per cent of doctoral students agreed or agreed fully that the education had given the relevant knowledge for a continued career. 61 per cent agreed or agreed fully that the demands set on doctoral students were reasonable.
74 per cent considered supervision to have been satisfactory. 20 per cent of the respondents stated that they had changed supervisor during their education, which is a considerably higher rate than in 2015. The reason for change was that the supervision was not relevant or was not given to a sufficient extent. In other cases, the supervisor had changed appointment, or the doctoral student had changed research teams.
61 per cent of the respondents experienced the work and study environment as good. Compared to 2015, that number has dropped by 8 percentage points. An issue of work environment that urges particular attention is that of violations of rights and harassments. 20 per cent of the respondents had experienced such treatment during their doctoral studies, which is an increase in comparison to previous years.
However, none of the students who filled in the survey had reported such maltreatment, which is a hindrance in trying to deal with the problem. "It is pressing that doctoral students are made aware that such treatment should be reported, and that they are offered guidance through the university's Code of rules and procedures for discrimination, violation of rights and harassments," the Planning Office report on the doctoral student survey states. A pilot study has been initiated to map out the prerequisites for a developing programme aimed at the work environment for doctoral students – for instance focusing on issues of violations of rights and harassments.