Salary setting at state universities and colleges

Salary setting at state universities and colleges in Sweden differs in certain respects from the process in the private sector and in municipalities and regions, but it is also based fundamentally on local and individual salary setting – with certain important exceptions, such as for doctoral candidates.

How pay is set

For most employees, (e.g. teachers, researchers and administrative staff), the following applies:

• Individual and differentiated pay: salary is determined on the basis of responsibilities, duties, skills, performance and the needs of the organisation.
• Salary-setting dialogues: employees and their line managers discuss performance, targets and salary development.
• Salary review: this normally takes place once a year, at which point the salary may be adjusted.
• Local salary setting: salaries are set locally at each higher education institution, not centrally.

The process can take place either through salary-setting dialogues between the manager and the employee or through traditional negotiations between the employer and the trade unions.

Special provisions for doctoral candidates

Doctoral candidates are not usually covered by the individual pay setting process; instead, their salaries are typically regulated through local collective agreements with doctoral pay scales, (predetermined salary development over time or related to progression in the person’s studies).

Central collective agreements

State universities and colleges are covered by collective agreements between the employers’ organisation, the Swedish Agency for Government Employers, and the trade unions within Saco-S, OFR/S, P, O and SEKO.

The most important agreements are:

• RALS-T 2010
  This is the central salary agreement. It sets out the framework and principles for salary setting, but does not specify pay levels. The focus is on local salary setting and individual pay.
• Villkorsavtal-T
  This regulates general terms and conditions of employment, such as working time, annual leave, sick pay and leave of absence.
• Local collective agreements
  Each higher education institution signs its own agreements that set out the specifics of the pay process, for example:
  • salary review procedures,
  • salary criteria,
  • doctoral candidate salaries (doctoral pay scales).

Key features

• No centrally set salaries – salaries are set locally at each higher education institution.
• Strong focus on dialogue – salary-setting dialogues are the norm.
• Flexibility – scope to adjust salaries according to the needs of the organisation and competition for talent.
• Exception for doctoral candidates – salaries are usually regulated by local agreements rather than on an individual basis.

In summary, salary setting at state higher education institutions is characterised by a decentralised model, where central collective agreements set out principles while the actual setting of salaries takes place locally through dialogue between managers and staff, with separate rules for doctoral candidates.

For university teachers and researchers, (and in some cases also doctoral candidates when newly appointed), there are often specific salary criteria in addition to the general ones:

Teaching-related factors:

• Pedagogical training and competence
• Development of teaching methods and teaching materials
• Ability to maintain high standards in teaching
• Student evaluations
• A qualifications portfolio is recommended to document and highlight these achievements. (Higher education institutions often have their own guidelines on what this should look like)

Research-related factors:

• Publication of academic papers
• Ability to attract external research funding
• Leadership in research
• Supervision of doctoral candidates
• Participation in research collaborations
• Assignments as an expert or referee
• A qualifications portfolio is recommended to document and highlight these achievements. (Higher education institutions often have their own guidelines on what this should look like)

For professional groups other than teachers and researchers, the general pay criteria apply. These are usually set out in more detail in the employer’s pay policy. However, there may be more specific salary criteria. To find out which criteria apply at your higher education institution, you should contact your local Saco-S association.