The SULF Doctoral Candidate Association

The labour conditions of PhD candidates play a crucial role in shaping our academic journey and overall well-being. At SULF-DCA, we are dedicated to advocating for significant improvements in these conditions to foster a thriving academic environment. Our focus includes pushing for equitable and fair salary structures, ensuring a supportive and inclusive work environment, promoting work-life balance, and securing comprehensive benefits for all PhD candidates in Sweden. By addressing these core issues, we aim to empower PhD students to excel not only in their academic and professional endeavours but also in their personal lives. This working group is actively engaged in identifying and addressing the current challenges faced by PhD students regarding their labour conditions. We work in close collaboration with universities, governmental bodies, and other stakeholders to develop and implement solutions that will enhance the quality of life and work for PhD students across Sweden.

Contact: dca@sulf.se

International PhD candidates in Sweden are facing increasingly challenging conditions due to restrictive migration policies. These policies not only threaten our research progress and limit access to educational and professional development opportunities, but also negatively impact our overall quality of life and future career prospects. Moreover, uncertainties in residency status make early-career researchers more vulnerable to workplace discrimination and exploitation. SULF-DCA is committed to advocating for more equitable and transparent migration policies that better support non-EU/EEA PhD students. We are also pushing for Swedish universities to take a more active role in providing robust support systems to help these students navigate complex immigration-related matters. By doing so, we aim to mitigate the adverse effects of current migration policies on their academic and professional lives. Our ongoing efforts include thorough investigations into how these policies impact international PhD candidates, and we are eager to gather personal experiences related to challenges in applying for residency extensions, permanent residence, and long-term residence permits.

Contact: dca@sulf.se

Authorship and research ethics are fundamental aspects of academic integrity, especially for PhD candidates, who are often at the forefront of research projects. Navigating these issues can be complex due to the existing power dynamics within higher education institutions. PhD candidates may face pressures to include co-authors who have contributed minimally to the research, or experience the appropriation of their intellectual property by senior researchers. At SULF-DCA, we recognize the need for clearer guidelines and stronger regulations regarding research and publication ethics, particularly in relation to claims of co-authorship. Our working group is dedicated to investigating these multifaceted issues, with the goal of establishing clear criteria for co-authorship and ensuring the protection of intellectual property rights within doctoral research. We aim to provide PhD candidates with the necessary resources and support to challenge unjust practices and entrenched power structures that could undermine their contributions to academic research.

Contact: dca@sulf.se

PhD candidates in Sweden have the right to access courses that enhance their research and academic skills. However, there have been instances where universities have inappropriately charged course fees to PhD candidates, which is not aligned with the principles of academic accessibility and fairness. The PhD Courses working group is focused on raising awareness about the availability of fee waivers for PhD courses at other institutions and advocating against any malpractice related to the charging of course fees to PhD candidates. We encourage PhD students to report any such issues so that we can work towards ensuring that all candidates have equal access to the educational resources they need to succeed in their research.

Contact: dca@sulf.se