A crucial part of Domfil’s work is making sure that the thoughts and opinions of the PhD students we represent are heard. To do this, we have PhD representative positions in deciding boards. This is a way to ensure that we are involved and kept up-to-date on important matters that affects PhD-students. A short description of the organisation of LiU and the function of the different boards can be found in this document: Organisation LiU (in Swedish).
Boost your academic CV and be the voice of PhD students by signing-up to any of the positions in this form (not binding) or by emailing educationalsupervisor@domfil.consensus.liu.se
Currently, we have the following vacancies:
● BKV Institution Board (1 vacancy): The BKV board makes decisions regarding everything from the budget to the daily work at the institution. The work as a PhD representative means that you attend the meetings and read up on the issues to be discussed during the meeting. This can be carried out by supporting a proposal that has been presented or arguing for the proposal that you think will benefit the PhD-students. The amount of material for meetings varies but normally takes about an hour to go through. Meetings are held once a month during working hours and takes about 3-5 hours. Only in Swedish
● HMV Institution Board (2 vacancies): The board is the highest strategic and management committee within HMV and makes decisions regarding everything from the budget to the daily work at the institution. The work as a representative means that you attend the meetings and read up on the issues to be discussed at the meeting. Depending on the issue discussed you can be more or less active, when it comes to questions regarding PhD-students or students in general you should support the decisions that will benefit the students the most. This can be carried out by supporting a proposal that has been presented or arguing for the proposal that you think will benefit the PhD-students. The amount of material for meetings varies but normally takes about an hour to go through. Meetings are held once a month during working hours and are normally 2-3 hours. As a representative you will voice the opinions of the PhD students at the faculty and to report important decisions made in the board back to DOMFIL. Only in Swedish
● KEF, Core facility (1 vacancy): Core facility takes care of the common research resources which are financed by both the Faculty and the Count council of Östergötland. The different units that belong to Core Facility are Cellkärnan, LARC, KEF, Flow cytometry unit, Mass spectrometry, Microscopy unit and the Biobank facility. The steering committee has representatives from the different units. The steering committee decides on joint ALF funding and other issues regarding instruments and other resources. Meetings are held twice per semester and takes about 2 hours.
● Board of Children Welfare (“Barnafrid”) (1 vacancy): Barnafrid is the Swedish national competence centre of violence and abuse to children. It is affiliated to BKV, and have some financial support from the institution to hold positions for PhD student(s) and their supervision. But the major part of finances come from government allocation and specific project funds. Thus, as a national centre, it has a more independent role than other departments and operates on a mission formulated directly from the Swedish government. The core mission is to collect and disseminate scientific knowledge about violence and abuse to children to professionals that meet children in their daily duty, such as healthcare, social services, the legal chain, and schools. Research is one, but not the only mission for Barnafrid. The board has a wide span of representatives from the university management, the attorney authority, the national board of health services, Children´s welfare foundation, the East Sweden region, the Norwegian centre for violence and traumatic stress, and a former state secretary. The former head of BKV is the head of the board. As a PhD representative you monitor the PhD students affiliated with Barnafrid, you take part in discussions about child protection research, budget, operational plans and the progress of the work carried out. You do not need to be an expert in child abuse matters, but you are expected to share the urge to shape, develop and disseminate knowledge of prevention, routines and remedies for children subject to abuse. Language is Swedish and the board meets typically twice every semester.
Please note that due to Swedish law surrounding public institutions some of the top level board meetings must be conducted in Swedish and all associated records are required to be in Swedish. These boards therefore require extensive experience with the language. This applies to the following boards: BKV, HMV and Children Welfare. Other boards will make exceptions for English speakers but some documents may still only exist in Swedish.
If you want to know more about the positions or possible compensation, please contact educationalsupervisor@domfil.consensus.liu.se
Current representatives:
● BKV Admission committee for PhDs: The mission of the Admissions Committee at HMV is to ensure that the candidate for the PhD position is qualified, prepared to begin a PhD program, and has the required support to successfully carry out the research program. The committee consists of the Postgraduate degree vice chancellor (Forskarutbildnings-studierektor, FUS) (chairman), two teaching staff representatives (docents or professors) and one PhD student representative. Seminars/meetings take place at two half-days per month (up to four admissions seminars per session), meaning that you are participating two to three half-days per semester as one of three to four PhD student representatives. Prior to each seminar, you will be sent all the documents to be able to read through and gain insight into the research field as well as prepare questions and comments to the PhD student about the planned projects and the individual study plan. The same applies to the selection meetings, when the Admissions Committee together with the supervisor discusses the selection and ranking of applicants for the PhD position. The Admissions Committee then submits documents regarding the decision on admission to the head of the department.
● HMV Admission committee for PhDs: The mission of the Admissions Committee at HMV is to ensure that the candidate for the PhD position is qualified, prepared to begin a PhD program, and has the required support to successfully carry out the research program. The admissions committee consists of the Postgraduate degree vice chancellor (Forskarutbildnings-studierektor, FUS) (chairman), two teaching staff representatives (docents or professors) and one PhD student representative. Admission seminars take place over two mornings every other week throughout the term, and each last one hour. With several PhD representatives, it is likly that you will be assigned 4-5 meeting instances. However, not every potential seminar time is occupied given the low number of students applying to start their PhD studies. Therefore you are likly to sit on 2-3 meetings per term. Prior to each admission seminar you will be sent the documents to be able to read through and gain insight into the research field as well as prepare questions and comments to the PhD student and supervisors about the planned projects and the individual study plan.
● The Employment Board: On behalf of the faculty board, the hiring committee should process and propose a decision regarding the hiring of professors, associate professors, university lector, junior lector and associate university lector. The amount of material for the meetings varies but normally takes a few hours to go through. Meetings are held once a month during working hours and takes about 3-5 hours. Only in Swedish
● The Faculty Board: Discusses matters, such as budget and vision, topics important for the whole Medical Faculty. The committee also decides matters of ethical research malpractice, appoints honorary doctors, and some matters of individual student´s in need of exceptions from educational routines such as extra practice placements. As a PhD representative you are responsible to voice the opinions of the PhD students at the faculty. Only in Swedish
● Science and Education fund (FUN): FUN is a committee at the Faculty of Medicine at Linköping University which works with questions regarding research at the faculty and PhD studies. FUN discusses and decides what PhD courses are going to be financed and given by the faculty, both general and subject specific. FUN reviews and approves applications for dissertation regarding the opponent, the structure of the examination board as well as the activity level of the PhD student. FUN also discusses strategic questions regarding research and the PhD program, e.g. how to get undergraduates interested in research. As a PhD student and FUN representative you have a large impact on the different discussion and decisions. FUN meets once a month and before every meeting you receive all the documents to be read in advance to prepare you for the discussions and decisions made during the meeting.