| dc.description.abstract | Mid-Sweden University has been given faculty rights for a larger natural science field as from 2001-01-01. Up to that date, no formal examination and education of doctoral students has been possible, and thus no tutorial programme has been needed nor implemented. Mid-Sweden University still lacks faculty rights for the so-called area (cf. Faculty) of Human Sciences for PhD examination. However, much of the tutoring for PhD students, financed by and employed by Mid-Sweden University, takes place locally. Some of our supervisors have been trained at other universities, where they have been active or working permanently. Facing the prospects of full university status, time has come to create a tutorial programme for supervisors of PhD students of our own, inter-faculty and inter-disciplinary, according to the lines of decision-making. The government bill 2000/2001:3 (p.164) states that "PhD education should focus on the tutoring and the role and function of the supervisor. The education should include elements of communication knowledge, management of conflicts and research ethical questions. Moreover, the education should also comprise equality and gender issues." Dr. Monica Bellgran at Mid-Sweden University has, together with a working group, formed a tutorial programme for PhD supervisors, which has been approved by the Council for Higher Education at The Swedish Agency for Higher Education. The programme consists of three distinct parts, i.e.: · TutorialEducation · TutorialSupport · InstrumentsSupport Within the first bloc, two Tutorial Courses have been held as part of the programme, 30-31 August and 6-7 December 2001, with PhD, docent, Jitka Lindén as main lecturer. She has had about fifty courses in Sweden since 1987. This year, 2002, a third course is planned. These three courses represent a totally new concept at Mid-Sweden University since they are the very first of this kind at a new faculty. Almost 50 persons will have completed the course within the frames of this programme. The aim is also to create a permanent tutorial network between all those that have taken part in the course. Another aim is to make this course obligatory for all those that are seeking the position of internal Docent (Reader/Senior Lecturer) at Mid-Sweden University. The tutorial support function comprises a model for continuous improvement of the tutorial process, and focuses on seminars with internal and external lecturers. Moreover, travels for supervisors, aiming at new networks with other universities, nationally and with the partner universities of Mid-Sweden University, are part of this structural element of the programme. Apprentice and mentor-programmes for new supervisors completes the picture when new disciplines are ready to start their own PhD programmes, and new staff, mainly professors and senior lecturers, are continuously being appointed at Mid-Sweden University. The perspective of the doctoral students is an important feature of this module, and will be provided for during common seminars where both supervisors and doctoral students in a double perspective seek to develop the tutorial process. Instruments and support within the tutorial programme include principally the shaping and maintenance of a Web page, and a Web-based bulletin board, with links to other universities, (including the Agency for Higher Education, Academic Teachers' Union (SULF), etc.). Other important instruments consist of links to articles and reports on PhD education and tutoring, creation of tools for evaluation, which in turn are synchronised with the quality plan of Mid-Sweden University. A reference group, with different areas of competence, as for example pedagogy, psychology, leadership, will function as a support group for supervisors at various levels, and can furthermore be used as troubleshooter when problems or conflicts between supervisors and doctoral students occur. Another aim is to produce a doctoral handbook as tool of support and as a quality document both for supervisors and doctoral students. | swe |
