During the autumn, the university's research quality system has been studied and new proposals for further development have been written. This has all been included in the self-assessment submitted to the Swedish Higher Education Authority, or UKÄ for its Swedish name,  Universitetskanslerämbetet, on 19 December. The self-assessment is part of the Swedish Higher Education Authority's review of the quality system for research, as we have described in previous news items. 

Read the Self-Assessment (Swedish only) "Universitetskanslerämbetets granskning av lärosätenas kvalitetssäkringsarbete avseende forskning", dnr166-19

At the university-wide lecture, GEM, on 26 November, parts of the final proposal for further development of the quality system were presented, which the Vice-Chancellor has now formally established.

The GEM was filmed and is available on HB Play

The university’s quality system will thus continue to develop over the coming years.  A cornerstone is an internal review and development process that will take place once a year. The key in the evaluation is that each research group will review and continue to develop their research processes. This is to be done on the basis of a research plan, which some research groups already have in place today.

"The research plan should be based on what the group has achieved in recent years. The information in the plans will be used in the Faculties’ annual reports, which are then reviewed and discussed at level of the board and the Vice-Chancellor, with feedback then sent back to the Faculties,” says Pro-Vice-Chancellor Kim Bolton. 

External review every six years

In addition to the annual review, the university will use an external assessor group to help develop our research quality. These external review groups will be selected on the basis of our six profile research areas and are to take place once every six years. Now there is to be a focus on spreading knowledge about and implementing new parts of the system. Here, managers and research group leaders have an important role, according to Kim Bolton. As part of the Swedish Higher Education Authority’s review of the university's quality system, two site visits are planned for spring 2020. 

"When UKÄ arrives in May, they will want to meet with employees to ask how our research quality development system works and to see whether employees know how to develop it further," says Kim Bolton. 

Read more

Read the news article How research quality is to be improved, 2 October 2019

Read the news article The university pilot in reviewing quality systems for research, 23 August 2019

Watch the 26 November GEM (Swedish only)

Read the Self-Assessment (Swedish only) "Universitetskanslerämbetets granskning av lärosätenas kvalitetssäkringsarbete avseende forskning", dnr166-19

Text: Lina Färm
Photo: Anna Sigge

Translation: Eva Medin