Guidelines for Study and Career Guidance at Uppsala University

Introduction

The freedom of students to choose their education, coupled with the rich variety of educational offerings that is a feature of Swedish higher education institutions, demands good access to study guidance. The changes that are taking place in the wider world and on the labour market, as well as the ongoing process of internationalisation, are all contributing to increasing challenges and increasing demands for a high standard of academic study and career guidance.

According to the Swedish Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 6, Section 3, “Students shall be provided with study and career guidance. Higher education institutions shall ensure that those intending to begin a course or study programme have access to the information about it that is required”.

Uppsala University has established a number of goals for its courses and study programmes. The provision of well-organised and high-quality study and career guidance is essential to attain these goals. The University’s “Goals and Strategies” document sets out a strategy for attaining these goals, which is to

• “actively follow up study results and offer students personal study guidance and relevant information about working life”.

The study and career guidance provided at Uppsala University is addressed to presumptive students and to students at first- and second-cycle level, both Swedish and international students.

The Guidelines Regarding Student Working Conditions and the Teaching and Learning Programme at Uppsala University, both adopted by the University Board, provide the basis for collaboration between advisers, teachers, other staff and students.

Purpose:

The purpose of this document is to establish the framework for the work done by Uppsala University in the sphere of study and career guidance within the organisation.

The guidelines shall:

• foster and secure the provision of professional study and career guidance for all the University’s students, regardless of background
• clarify the remit for study and career guidance for the University’s study and career advisers, students, other staff and management
• provide support to individual advisers and departments in their day-to-day work
• make students clearly aware of what support, information and service they can expect to receive in contact with the University’s study and career guidance services.

In this document, an adviser is defined as someone who is either employed as a study adviser, as a study and career adviser, or to carry out other tasks related to study guidance at Uppsala University.

Goals:

Uppsala University’s study and career guidance service shall be accessible to all the University’s students and shall create the best possible conditions for all students to receive professional study and career guidance over the course of their entire student career.

Organisation and responsibilities

At Uppsala University, study and career guidance shall be provided at both central and local level (programme level, subject level at departments or faculties). At central and local level, contact with study and career advisers shall be offered to students in the form of appointments for personal visits, drop-in visits, advising sessions, telephone advising, e-mail and other forms of contact, for example via computer or social media. Close collaboration between central and local levels is important in order to attain the University’s goals.

The Study and Career Guidance Office (Enheten för studie- och karriärvägledning) at the Student Affairs and Academic Registry Division (Studentavdelningen) is responsible for study and career guidance at central level. The person responsible for the services and for ensuring compliance with the guidelines is the Head of the Student Affairs and Academic Registry Division.

The respective disciplinary domain boards/faculty boards are responsible for compliance with the guidelines at local level and for ensuring that every student has a designated adviser to turn to for advice and support within the respective study programmes or subjects.

The study and career guidance service at central level shall be primarily responsible for:

• general study and career guidance to students and presumptive students, both Swedish and international
• guidance and information about courses and study programmes at Uppsala University and at an overarching level at other higher education institutions
• information about career paths, future prospects and the labour market
• seminars/lectures and other career guidance activities, e.g. providing guidance and assisting students to write CVs and application letters
• collaboration with the wider community, e.g. schools and the employment service
• exchange of experience and continued education for study and career advisers at Uppsala University
• organising an annual introductory course for newly appointed study and career advisers at Uppsala University.

Study and career advisers at local level shall be primarily responsible for:

• programme- and subject-specific study and career guidance and information to students and presumptive students, both Swedish and international
• providing support and guidance in the study situation
• programme- and subject-specific information about career paths, future prospects and the labour market
• programme- and subject-specific follow-up of students’ study results.

The organisation and responsibility for guidance shall be made clear so that the students, irrespective of whether they are taking a programme or course, are already aware at the start of the semester of where and how study and career guidance is available. The times when advisers are available for personal visits shall be clearly advertised or the details be made available as to when and how they can be reached in other ways.

Study and career advisers’ profession and ethics

Study and career guidance must be based on a professional and ethical attitude and provide opportunities for students and presumptive students to make independent, well-considered and wellinformed choices with respect to their studies and future careers. Guidance is based on a combination of science and practical experience and cannot be replaced by information. Guidance involves providing such information and help that enables the student to make her or his own personal decisions.

For the student, study and career guidance shall contribute to

• the student acquiring self-insight about her/his own interests, competences and skills, as well as the possibilities to enable her/him to make well-founded decisions about study and career choices
• the student acquiring a knowledge of laws, ordinances, regulations and goals which regulate and govern the sphere of education
• fostering a sense of intellectual curiosity in the student with regard to her/his studies and a positive belief that her/his goals are attainable
• furthering the student’s freedom to make study and career choices on the basis of equal opportunities

The study and career adviser shall work to ensure the student is treated fairly and openly, and guarantee an equitable process regardless of the individual’s background. The student is always personally responsible for decisions that concern her/his own choices.

• The adviser shall also have knowledge of and comply with the current regulations governing confidentiality and secrecy (Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act, Chapter 23 Section 5) and deal respectfully with personal information concerning the student.
• The adviser shall strive to have a good degree of self-knowledge and an awareness of the limits of her/his own competence and if required refer the student to the appropriate instance.
• The adviser is responsible for updating and developing her/his knowledge about her/his own particular educational field as well as monitoring developments in the wider world.
• An adviser’s key skills are to be able to focus on the individual student and her/his needs, to treat the student with respect and empathy, to be free of special interests, and to endeavour to be impartial and neutral.

In all other respects, the adviser shall comply with the Swedish Association of Guidance Counsellors’ “Declaration of Ethics and Ethical Guidelines” (Sveriges vägledarförenings “Etisk deklaration och etiska riktlinjer för studie- och yrkesvägledning”).

Study and career advisers’ competence and competence development

Students at Uppsala University shall be offered study and career guidance of high quality and equal quality for all. This makes demands of the adviser’s skills and competence and also requires the time and resources to be made available for guidance.

An adviser’s remit shall be made sufficiently broad for her/him to be able to provide professional academic guidance. Within the framework of the job, time and scope must also be provided for the adviser to pursue continued education and continuing professional development. To facilitate compliance with these guidelines, an adviser’s post should comprise at least 50% of a full-time position.

Anyone who has a remit to provide guidance as part of their job or is employed in that capacity, shall undergo the University’s introductory course for new advisers. To maintain her/his professional competence, the adviser shall participate in the continuing education resources organised for Uppsala University’s advisers whenever it is deemed relevant. In addition, the adviser shall participate in courses in practical counselling methodology and be offered supervision, either individually or in groups.

The adviser shall have a good knowledge of the areas relating to interaction and interpersonal relations, as well as knowledge of the laws, ordinances, regulations and goals which regulate and affect the guidance work. All advisers shall have knowledge of advising and counselling methodology and a good knowledge of the theories and methods of advising.

The adviser is personally responsible for developing her/his own professional knowledge and skills by keeping up-to-date and informed about the developments taking place in her/his area, both inside and outside the University, both domestically and internationally. The adviser shall furthermore work to develop collaboration with her/his fellow advisers, both locally and centrally, and also take an active part in other relevant networks, both inside and outside the University. Through the exchange of experience and insight into fellow advisers’ knowledge and skills, the competence of all the University’s advisers can grow and benefit students.

Advisers at local level shall keep themselves informed about their areas of study and education by participating in or observing the work done by programme committees, programme boards or similar forums. The adviser’s knowledge and experience shall be employed in pedagogical development and evaluation work.

This document shall be revised no later than 2017-06-30.