IEG and Equal Opportunities

The Department of Ecology and Genetics (IEG) is committed to fostering a working and learning environment in which members of the community are protected from all forms of discrimination and harassment.

• Prevention of harassment and discrimination

  Uppsala University does not discriminate in admission, recruitment or administration of its activities and operations on the basis of sex, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation, or age (Action Plan for Equal Opportunities (UFV 2014/455). Furthermore, and in accordance with the Swedish Discrimination Act (SFS2008:567), it prohibits all forms of harassment against any of its employees or students (Plan of Action for the prevention of gender-based violation (sexual harassment) (UFV 2004/1516)). Gender-based violations include sexual harassment and violence as well as more subtle forms of behavior such as ostracizing, ridiculing or ignoring a person because of their gender, performing acts of vengeance motivated by rejected sexual advances, or making unwelcome comments about people’s appearances and their private lives.

• Equal opportunities funding for parental leave (faculty)

  Associate Senior Lecturers (biträdande universitetslektor) and Postdoctoral Research Fellows (forskarsassistent) on parental leave can apply for funding up to 100,000 SEK to be freely used in the way deemed best to maintain/continue their research during/after their period of leave. Only one application is allowed for the same parent and child. Applications can be made at the earliest 6 months before and at the latest 1 month after the start of a period of parental leave. More information here (employees only).

• Contract extension for doctoral students and postdocs ('Postdoctoral Appointments' only) on parental or sick leave

  Doctoral students and postdocs employed by Uppsala University are entitled to contract extensions when on sick or parental leave (regardless of gender). [Note: Other rules may apply if a postdoctoral position is financed through a scholarship or similar.]

• Mentorship program

  The Faculty of Science and Technology (TekNat) offers a mentorship program for young researchers in the beginning of their career (postdocs, assistant professors, and associate senior lecturers). The aim of the program is to increase the number of senior lecturers and professors of the underrepresented gender at the faculty by having more qualified applicants for these positions. More information here (employees only).

• Disability access and compliance

  Uppsala University works actively to improve accessibility for students, employees and visitors. To this effect, it has put forward an action plan that describes what the university must do to increase accessibility to the university's premises, information and activities. More information here (employees only; Swedish version only).

• Guidelines for student working conditions

  At Uppsala University there are guidelines on working conditions for undergraduate and Master’s students that outline the requirements on such matters as physical and psychosocial work environment, student influence and quality enhancement, course planning and timetabling, tuition and educational material, examination, and independent projects.

• The IEG equal opportunities action plan

  Survey and evaluation of equal opportunities at IEG is carried out annually. It reviews ongoing efforts at the department level regarding equal opportunities, identifies areas where more work is required, and contains an action plan for the next two years. The 2020-2022 IEG Equal Opportunities Action Plan can be found here (employees only).

More information about working conditions and employment benefits at Uppsala University can be found here (general public) and here (employees only*).

The latest diversity report, which compiles information on the background by birth of employees, students and doctoral students at Uppsala University, can be found here.

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At Uppsala University, we strive to create a study and working environment free from discrimination, harassment, and victimization. However, if you feel that you have been the victim of discrimination, harassment or victimization, it is important that you know that there are different kinds of support available to you. Guidelines for dealing with cases of harassment are provided here (if you are a victim of harassment) and here (if you are an employee and were contacted by a victim of harassment). Guidelines on how to act in case of victimization are available here (Swedish version only). The names and contact information of EO specialists who can help you are provided below.

Undergraduate and Master’s students: if you have been subjected to harassment or reprisals in connection with your education, please see specific information on how to file a complaint here.

Reporting serious irregularities (whistleblowing): follow this link.

If immediate action is required (imminent threat to health, life, or safety), call the Swedish national emergency number: (00) 112

In the event of a serious incident, or when in immediate need of a security officer, call the University emergency number (open 24h): 018-471-25-00.

Sweden’s National Women’s Helpline offers support to those subjected to violence and threats (open 24h; multilingual): 020-50-50-50

For acute psychiatric help, contact the Psychiatric Emergency Clinic at the Uppsala University Hospital (hotline and front desk open 24h; multilingual): 018-611-25-00. Address: Akademiska sjukhuset, ingång 12.

The Student Health Service at Uppsala University offers support and counseling on mental health and stress management issues. For contact and opening hours, go here.

If you need to see someone to talk about harassment or equal opportunities issues

Uppsala University guidelines recommend that anyone seeking help or advice concerning harassment or discrimination issues at the workplace should start by contacting the department's equal opportunities officer, your immediate superior/supervisor, the department's equal opportunities HR representative, the working environment representative for your program, or the head of department. However, if you feel more comfortable speaking with someone outside the department, you can contact any of the EO representatives at the Faculty of Science and Technology (TekNat).

Equal opportunities officer at IEG:
Dolly Kothawala, dolly.kothawala@ebc.uu.se, 018-471 2719

Equal opportunities HR representative at IEG:
Sandra Gustafsson, sandra.gustafsson@ebc.uu.se, 018-471-2655

Head of department, IEG:
Anna Rosling, anna.rosling@ebc.uu.se, 018-471 6444

Deputy chair of the equal opportunities committee at TekNat:
Karin Stensjö, karin.stensjo@kemi.uu.se

Equal opportunities specialist, TekNat:
Nina Almgren, nina.almgren@uadm.uu.se

Union representative at the TekNat’s equal opportunities committee:
Robert Malmgren, robert.malmgren@ibg.uu.se

HR specialist in healthy working life, support for the University Administration and TekNat:
Frida Hedlund, frida.hedlund@uadm.uu.se

Previa - Uppsala University’s Occupational Health Service:
To booking (employees only)

The IEG Equal Opportunities Group is involved in the following activities:

• carrying out periodic surveys aimed at reporting instances of harassment and discrimination and/or identifying structural barriers to the attainment of effective equality within the department;
• annual evaluation of the active measures planned for in the IEG Equal Opportunities Action Plan (employees only);
• identifying equal opportunities related problems at the department and seeking solutions to them;
• providing support to all employees in equal opportunities related questions.
   

The current members of the IEG equal opportunities group are:

• Dolly Kothawala (Chair, Limnology): dolly.kothawala@ebc.uu.se
• Ingrid Ahnesjö (Animal ecology): ingrid.ahnesjo@ebc.uu.se
• Sebastian Sobek (Limnology), sebastian.sobek@ebc.uu.se

Image credits: pexels/Brett Sayles.