Quality culture in the doctoral education- a look inside the ”black box” EAIR Forum in Vilnius, Lithuania August 2009 Uppsala University Quality and Evaluation Unit Maria Björnermark & Maria Wolters

Quality Work Program at Uppsala University The university’s quality work is based on a quality culture to which established academic values and academically founded means of ensuring quality are central. Concrete manifestations of this culture are regular seminars and critical review of publications. The program also stresses that systematic evalu- ations should be carried out to form a basis for further development and constant change.

Questionnaire for doctoral students at Uppsala University Aim: To identify doctoral student’s views of their education. A secondary aim was to determine the relative importance to different factors with regard to the doctoral students overall satisfaction with their education.

About the questionnaire Web-based questionnaire -08 Selection: All PhD students at Uppsala university (with a degree of activity of at least 20%) 943 of 1674 answered, 56% response rate Results reported on university-, faculty- and department level Summarizing report (being prepared)

What happens with the results? The documentation of the quality work is to be integrated in the university’s existing annual routines for operational planning and follow-up (Quality Work Program at Uppsala University) In their plan for 2010 the faculty boards are to take into account the results of the doctoral study

Areas of questions Research and work environment Supervision and dissertation work Seminars Coursework in the doctoral program Teaching and documenting teaching qualifications After the dissertation Suggestions for improvements of the doctoral education

The results often varies largely between different faculties and departments…

Department level

Factors influencing the overall satisfaction with the doctoral education Thorough follow-up of the study plan in discussions between the supervisor and the PhD student The supervisors ability to inspire scientific reasoning and critical thinking Supervisory contact of a minimum of 3 times per semester Receiving the main part of the supervision from the main supervisor Having access to regular seminars Junior- and newly graduated PhD students were most satisfied with their education

Suggestions from the PhD-students for improvements of the doctoral education Structural issues –Explicit guidelines for supervision and better follow-up –Increased clarity on the rights and responsibilities of doctoral students –Bigger selection of research courses –Improved terms of employment Cultural issues –Improve the psychosocial work environment; “See” and encourage the doctoral students!

One quotation… “Create an environment in which people feel they belong. […] Practice what you preach and solve conflicts at the senior level. These weigh heavily on the younger staff. Embrace diversity. It just doesn’t work to have as your goal a homogenous department, and for those students like me who did not grow up in the department form the beginning, it’s actually impossible.”

It is possible to change the quality culture!

Thank you for your attention!