Study Guide 2015/2016 Biology Education Centre Uppsala University Klubban Biological Station

Study guide 2015/2016 Biology Education Centre Uppsala University Klubban Biological Station – 100 years

The students of 1918 did not have any waders but had to roll up their skirts and trouser legs when studying the organisms in the bay. The photo is taken in Kilviken by “Rosén”. In the student photo album the image caption is “small waders (Kilviken)”.

Production: IBG, July 2015. Front page photo: Klubban Biological Station, photo by Elisabeth Långström Editors: Elisabeth Långström, Kerstin Westberg, Per Enström Welcome to Biology Education Centre at Uppsala University! I want to congratulate you on your choice of studies; this is the perfect time to study biology! Never before has Life Science development been so exciting and you can be part of it all! Our department, Biology Education Centre (IBG), is the central administrative organisation for undergraduate and graduate level biology education at Uppsala University. Here, we offer a wide spectrum of courses within biology, bioinformatics and biotechnology. We pride ourselves in offering courses and programmes closely linked to the excellent biology research that takes place at Uppsala University. You will meet these researchers as your teachers! This study guide aims to give you the necessary information that you need for your studies with us. Uppsala University also offers information that is general for all students at Uppsala University. Please use the Uppsala University International Student guide for general information from the University. You will also find our website www.ibg.uu.se useful during your studies with us. As an international student you are probably one of the following; a master student, an exchange student or a free-mover. Please note that some of the information in this guide may not apply to all of you. Some information may also differ if you visit us from a country within the European Union (EU) or if you are a non-EU citizen. In any case, my colleges and I are most excited that you chose to come to study Biology Uppsala University. We will do our very best to provide you with the biology education that will enable you to start your career as a successful biologist or biotechnologist. Margareta Krabbe Head Biology Education Centre, Uppsala University

3 Contents Organisation...... 8 Biology Education at Uppsala University...... 8 Defining international students...... 8 Master students...... 8 Formal exchange students...... 9 Free-movers...... 9 The Swedish study system...... 9 Academic year and credits...... 9 Academic calendar 2015/2016...... 10 Autumn term 2015...... 10 Spring term 2016...... 10 All courses within the master programmes in Biology and Ap- plied Biotechnology: ...... 10 Master programmes...... 10 Master Programme in Applied Biotechnology 120 credits ...... 11 Master Programme in Bioinformatics 120 credits ...... 11 Master Programme in Biology 120 credits...... 12 Master Programme in Molecular Biotechnology 120 credits.....14 Requirements for a master degree...... 15 Study programmes in Swedish...... 15 Courses in English...... 16 Courses in Swedish...... 16 Summer courses...... 16 Individual advanced level courses for master students at the IBG (Research training/Internship)...... 16 Application to courses for international students...... 17 Formal exchange students...... 17 Master students...... 17 Application dates...... 17 Single-subject courses...... 18 Studying biology at Uppsala University...... 18 Course information and schedules...... 18 Course syllabi...... 18 Course literature...... 19

4 Course start ...... 19 Workload and teaching...... 19 Absence from compulsory course items...... 20 DiaNa – communication training...... 20 How to write...... 21 The Language Workshop...... 21 Plagiarism and cheating...... 21 Examination ...... 22 Examination questions...... 22 Re-examinations...... 23 Grading criteria...... 23 Not satisfied with your grading?...... 24 Course evaluation...... 24 Course representatives...... 24 Transcript of records...... 25 Study outside Sweden...... 25 Degree project...... 26 Finding a degree project...... 27 Before starting your degree project...... 28 Midterm report...... 28 Final report...... 28 More information...... 29 Graduation...... 29 Diploma...... 29 Ceremony...... 30 Post-graduate studies/Doctoral studies...... 30 General...... 30 Admission...... 31 Financing post-graduate studies...... 31 Research in Uppsala...... 33 Uppsala Biomedical Centre (BMC)...... 33 Evolutionary Biology Centre (EBC)...... 33 Swedish Agricultural University (SLU)...... 34

5 Practical matters...... 34 Study premises and Access card...... 34 Computer account...... 35 Campus computers at IBG...... 35 E-mail...... 35 File area...... 35 WLAN – wireless Internet...... 36 Copying, printing and scanning...... 36 Telephone...... 36 Lab coats...... 37 Library services ...... 37 Costs for transportation during courses...... 37 Costs for copied course material...... 38 Leave of absence...... 38 If you have a disability...... 38 If you should fall ill...... 38 Student organisations...... 39 Student nations...... 40 Social issues...... 41 Civic registration number...... 41 T- and R-numbers...... 41 Bank account...... 42 ID card...... 42 Visa...... 42 Accommodation...... 42 If you change address...... 43 Earning money during your studies...... 43 Swedish language courses...... 44 Student Nation cards...... 44 Student Exercise and Sports...... 44 Find an address/a map...... 45

6 Insurances...... 45 Uppsala University insurance policy...... 45 Medical insurance and accident insurance...... 45 Dental care...... 47 Property insurance...... 47 Travel insurance...... 47 Contact...... 48 Directors of the Master Programmes ...... 50 Maps...... 51 EBC – The Evolutionary Biology Centre...... 51 BMC – The Uppsala Biomedical Centre...... 52 Polacksbacken – Ångström Laboratory and ITC...... 53

7 Organisation Uppsala University is divided into three Disciplinary Domains and nine Faculties. The scientific subjects within Biology and the Biology Educa- tion Centre (IBG) are a part of the Faculty of Science and Technology (TekNat). The Biology Education Centre (IBG) is located both at the Evolution- ary Biology Centre (EBC) and at the Biomedical Centre (BMC) and is the central administrative organisation for undergraduate and graduate level education in biology, bioinformatics and biotechnology. The teachers are mainly professors, researchers and PhD students from the research departments of the biology section. The Department of Ecology and Genetics (IEG) is located at the Evo- lutionary Biology Centre (EBC) and comprises four sub-departments: Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Limnology and Plant Ecology and Evolution. For more information, see www.ebc.uu.se/Research/IEG. The Department of Organismal Biology (IOB) is located at the Evo- lutionary Biology Centre (EBC) and comprises five sub departments: Evolution and Development, Environmental Toxicology, Systematic Biology, Comparative Physiology, and Physiological Botany. For more information, see www.ebc.uu.se/Research/IOB. The Department of Cell and Molecular Biology (ICM) is located at the Uppsala Biomedical Centre (BMC) and comprises six sub departments: Computational and Systems Biology, Chemical Biology, Microbiology, Molecular Biophysics, Molecular Evolution and Structural and Molecu- lar Biology. For more information, see www.icm.uu.se. Biology Education at Uppsala University Defining international students As an international student at Uppsala University, you probably belong to one of the following categories: Master students, Formal exchange students or Free-movers (as defined below).

Master students Master students are students that are admitted to one of the inter national master programmes. These programmes are taught in English

8 and can be attended by students who fulfil the admission requirements. Information about current master programmes within biology, bio informatics and biotechnology can be found at www.ibg.uu.se. If you have any questions about fees for non EU/EEA-students, please see www.uu.se/en/admissions/master.

Formal exchange students If your home university has a student exchange agreement with Upp sala University, you can apply through the bilateral agreement to the courses at Uppsala University that are taught in English. Uppsala Uni- versity has over 430 exchange programmes with universities in about 50 countries around the world. In addition to that, the Biology Educa- tion Centre (IBG) has international exchange agreements of its own with several universities, mainly in Europe. Formal exchange students are normally in Uppsala for one or two terms.

Free-movers Free-movers are international students that take single-subject courses without reference to a bilateral agreement between universities.

The Swedish study system Higher education in Sweden is divided into undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate education, leading to a Bachelor degree after three years of education at the first level, to a Master degree after studies for two years at the second level, and to a PhD degree after four years of full-time studies at the third level (doctorate level). There is also a possibility to take a one year master.

Academic year and credits The Swedish academic year is divided into two terms: an autumn term and a spring term, each 20 weeks long. The autumn term begins in end of August or early September and ends mid-January. The spring term begins around January 19, and continues until the beginning of June. A two week break for individual studies occurs around Christmas and there is a long summer break from the beginning of June until end of August. A few summer courses in various fields are offered during the summer.

9 A course may run over a whole term, for 10 weeks (half a term), or for 5 weeks (a quarter of a term). One week of full-time studies at a Swed- ish university equals 1.5 credits, one term equals 30 credits, and one academic year equals 60 credits. Most courses require full-time studies (100%), but there are also some part-time courses. For instance, a 10-credit evening course may stretch over an entire term and thus accounts for 33% of full time studies.

Academic calendar 2015/2016

Autumn term 2015 Period 1: Monday, August 31 – Sunday, October 25 Period 2: Monday, October 26 – Sunday, January 17

Spring term 2016 Period 3: Monday, January 18 – Sunday, March 27 Period 4: Monday, March 28 – Sunday, June 5

All courses within the master programmes in Biology and Applied Biotechnology: No scheduled classes Wednesday afternoons: 16 Sep, 14 Oct, 11 Nov, 2 Dec, 3 Feb, 2 Mars, 13 April and 11 May. No scheduled classes: 7 Oct (from 13:00, Science Conference), 21 Dec–6 Jan (Christmas Holidays), 25 Mars (Good Friday), 28 Mars (Easter Monday), 30 April (Walpurgis night), 1 May (Labour day), 5 May (Ascension Day) and 6 May.

Master programmes Four international master programmes are offered at the Biology Edu- cation Centre (IBG). Students in any of these programmes will be eligible for an international master degree.

10 Master Programme in Applied Biotechnology 120 credits This is a multidisciplinary master programme with the main aim to educate students within the field of Applied biotechnology. Students in the programme will gain theoretical and practical competence within the broad field of Applied Biotechnology. Furthermore, you will get basic knowledge in project management via courses that are run in col- laboration with the School of Entrepreneurship at Uppsala University. After an introductory course called ‘Trends in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology’, all students admitted to the program study the same courses during the first year. These include both in-depth studies of ‘Structure and Function of Macromolecules’ and industry related courses such as ‘Innovation Management, Entrepreneurship and IPR’. The first year ends with a ‘Biotechnology project’ during which the theory learnt during the first year can be put into practice. During the second year, the program offers a broad spectrum of optional courses within the area Molecular Medicine/Molecular Biology and the year ends by conducting a master degree project of 30 or 45 credits. Before your master degree project you can do a research training course in the lab where you are planning to do your degree project. The programme has connection to the biotech industry. Students will get a good preparation for future work in both academia and industry in Sweden or in an international setting. Depending on specialisation, students will get the opportunity to work in research and development with e.g. protein-based drugs, diagnostic tools, databases and medical engineering/informatics. You can do your degree project in the industry, university or at a governmental institution.

Master Programme in Bioinformatics 120 credits Enormous amounts of data are generated in today’s research in medicine and biology, and bioinformatic tools are urgently needed to analyse and organise this data. In our Master Programme in Bioinformatics you will obtain both theoretical and practical skills in molecular biology, information handling and programming and you will learn how to inter- pret and analyse complex biological data. The first year of the programme encompass courses in advanced bioinformatics, such as “Knowledge-based systems in bioinformatics” and “Genome bioinformatics”. During the second year you either study courses such as “Applied bioinformatics” or “Population genetics

11 analysis” or you can do an individual research project at a department of your choice. Your teachers are the researchers that develop tomorrow’s methods in bioinformatics. The bioinformatic research at Uppsala Uni- versity has obtained high ratings in international evaluations. With a degree from Uppsala University you are ready for qualified research and development in academic laboratories, and at software- and biotech companies.

Master Programme in Biology 120 credits The Master of Science programme in Biology is characterised by close connections to the frontline of research within the area. The teachers are all active researchers at different research departments within the Biology section, and as a student here you will come into close contact with researchers at the frontline of international science. In all our courses, a major aim is to encourage analytical thinking and the ability to solve problems using new knowledge. The Master programme offers many alternative course combinations, and there are a number of specialisations preparing for research or pro- fessions outside the academy. Each specialisation has a set of profile courses, with possibilities to add other courses aiming at different pro- fessional careers. The programme is completed by a 30 or 45 credits degree project. Before your degree project you can do a research training course in the lab where you are planning to do your degree project. By combining suitable courses in your MSc with a relevant degree project you will be well prepared for a job career e.g. in the industry, at companies, national agencies or non-governmental organisations as well as with research and development. You will also have an excellent basis for pursuing academic research through PhD studies. The nine specialisations in the Master Programme in Biology are:

Cell and Molecular Biology This specialisation provides you with an in-depth understanding from molecular systems to interactions within complex systems and within cells and organelles. This course is suitable for pharmaceutical research and other biotechnical applications, as well as basic scientific research in cell and molecular biology. The student may also turn towards microbiology or structural biology.

12 Ecology and Conservation Within this specialisation, you may choose among theoretical courses dealing with plants, animals and micro-organisms and their interactions, or alternatively, vocational courses aiming at a future career in nature conservation within industry, the public sector or other organisations.

Environmental Toxicology This specialisation covers the entire chain of the impact of chemicals on nature, from biochemical effects in living cells, via physiological effects on cells, organs and individuals to consequences at population and eco- system levels. The programme has substantial applied aspects within fields such as risk assessment, environmental impact descriptions and testing of chemicals.

Erasmus Mundus Master Programme in Evolutionary Biology (MEME) This specialisation is also an individual research-oriented international evolutionary biology programme linked to the EU’s Mundus scholarships. MEME is a joint project between four European universities (University of Groningen, Netherlands; Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Germany; Uppsala University, Sweden; University of Mont- pellier II, France) and Harvard University (USA). Applications for this specialisation are made through www.evobio.eu where you apply for both the programme and the scholarship simultaneously.

Evolutionary Biology This specialisation is characterised by the integration of field, laboratory and theoretical studies, and embraces areas such as evolutionary ecology, genomics, macro-evolution, and developmental biology. Studies may also be turned towards biological diversity and systematics.

Genetic and Molecular Plant Science The growth of plants, their development and interactions with sur- roundings and other organisms (for example, symbioses) are studied in this specialisation. Applications are found within research, plant breeding, genetic engineering and biotechnology. The cooperation with Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Stockholm University further broadens the possibilities for studies in this area of specialisation.

13 Immunology and Infection Biology This specialisation focuses on how the immune system discovers and removes pathogenic bacteria, viruses and parasites. In addition to studies in microbiology, analyses are also made of events at cellular and molecular levels when the immune system overreacts or has insuffi- cient tolerance towards body tissue when, for instance, allergies and autoimmunity arise.

Limnology - Ecology and Environment of Inland Waters Limnology is about freshwater ecology, including physical, chemical and biological interactions in aquatic ecosystems, from microbes to fish. This specialisation can be directed towards a research career, but has also strong coupling to practical management of aquatic ecosystems and water resources.

NABiS - Nordic Master in Biodiversity and Systematics The specialisation Biodiversity and Systematics concerns the multitude of organisms living on our planet and the evolutionary relationships among them. Far from all existing organisms have been discovered and described, and among those organisms science knows of, classification is still ambiguous. In this programme, students are trained to gain the systematic and taxonomic expertise needed in our society to be able to take action against loss of biodiversity. This specialisation is a collabo- ration among universities in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Further information is available at www.nabismaster.org.

Master Programme in Molecular Biotechnology 120 credits The focus of this master programme is on both theoretical and practical experience of methods used in molecular biotechnology. After an introductory course, the programme offers courses such as “Synthetic Biol- ogy” and “Genome Biology”. The second year includes popular courses such as “Protein Engineering” and “Molecular Biotechnology for renew- able energy”, but you can also do an individual research practice in a research group of choice. You may also choose courses in other relevant biotechnology fields such as chemistry or bioinformatics. The programme finishes with a degree project performed at one of our many excellent research departments.

14 Requirements for a master degree A two-year master degree at Uppsala University consists of 120 credits. In total 60 of these credits must be in your main field of study. A degree project of at least 30 credits must be included in the degree. For the master programmes in biology, bioinformatics and molecular biotechnology 90 credits must be courses on advanced level. For the master programme in applied biotechnology all 120 credits must be on advanced level. In order to obtain a master within any of our programmes you must also check the requirements for your degree project, since those may differ between different programmes.

Study programmes in Swedish Admission to The Swedish First Degree programmes (see below) requires written and oral fluency in Swedish. If you are a foreign student you must show that you have sufficient proficiency in the Swedish language to be admitted to a Swedish First Degree programme, such as a pass mark on the language test, TISUS (Test in Swedish for University Studies). The TISUS test is a national Swedish language test and a pass states that you have skills equal to the course Svenska B in high school. Note, this is not a test simply for foreigners. For many courses and programmes even higher requirements for Swedish must be met (corresponding to the course Swedish for Foreign students, 1 term, 30 credits, which starts at the TISUS level). If you have a complete upper secondary education from Denmark (including the Faeroe Islands), Iceland or Norway you can apply to a Swedish university on the same conditions as a Swedish student to all programmes and courses. If you have attended school in Finland you must have Swedish as your native language in your diploma or have studied Swedish at least 3 years (5 courses). The Swedish First Degree programmes offered at the Biology Education Centre (IBG) are: • Bachelor Programme in Biology/Molecular biology (3 years, 180 credits) • Master Programme in Molecular Biotechnology Engineering (5 years, 300 credits) • Bachelor Programme in Environmental Science (3 years, 180 credits; Campus Gotland) 15 The Biology Education Centre is also involved in the Teacher Training Programmes and in several supplementary course packages.

Courses in English For a complete list of biology courses offered in English, please visit www.ibg.uu.se. Courses are normally given in English when two or more foreign students are admitted to the course. The general prerequisites for advanced courses in biology are two years of academic studies including one year of biology courses and one term of chemistry courses. Please note that certain courses may have addi- tional specific admission requirements, e.g. mathematics or genetics.

Courses in Swedish International students may apply for courses that are taught in Swedish if they have sufficient proficiency in the Swedish language, documented by an approved language test, e.g. TISUS.

Summer courses A smaller selection of courses is offered during summer. Application deadline for summer courses is March 15.

Individual advanced level courses for master students at the IBG (Research training/Internship) Students in Biology at IBG have the option to, at advanced level, take individual research courses. The idea of the research training course/ internship is to introduce the student to how research is organised and performed both in theory and in practice, at an academic institute or at a company. A research training period is roughly 7, 10 or 14 weeks of full time studies, corresponding to 10, 15 or 20 credits. During the training the student should take part in the research conducted in a research group, have the possibility to apply different methods and get experience of various techniques and other activities at the department. There are also other individual courses available. For more information about the courses, application procedure, coordinator etc. see www.ibg.uu.se/courses/individual.

16 Application to courses for international students The standard routines for application to courses vary between different categories of students:

A) Formal exchange students All courses given in English are normally open to exchange students with adequate qualifications, provided that the course is not full, but a number of places are always reserved for exchange students. Application to a formal exchange programme is done through your home university. After you have been accepted to the exchange programme, our international student coordinator, Eva Damm, will help you choose courses within the programme. If you want to change courses or add a new course to your programme, you must contact Eva Damm.

B) Master students The course plan for Master studies may not allow much choice, depending on the programme. Courses included in your programme cannot normally be substituted with a course from outside the programme. However, you can add extra courses like evening courses or summer courses, if you feel that your normal study load allows it. If you are a master student paying a fee, all extra credits added to your 30 credits per term cost extra. Discuss your choices and your study situation with your Programme Director, Brita Svensson (MSc Biology), Suparna Sanyal (MSc Applied Biotechnology and MSc in Molecular biotechnology) or Bengt Persson (MSc Bioinformatics), before applying for extra courses. If you wish to add an extra course, you must apply for it as a single-subject course (see “Single-subject courses”).

Application dates Last application date for courses given during the autumn term is April 15 and for the spring term October 15. Application deadline for summer courses is March 15. Students applying for a single-subject course will get admittance information in mid-July or in mid-December, depending on when the course is given. If you are admitted you need to confirm that you intend to take the course within about a week. If there are any problems, please contact the IBG office or ask the Admissions Office ([email protected]) for help.

17 Single-subject courses Many courses given at Uppsala University are part of formal programmes and a majority of the courses cannot be taken by students that are not studying in those programmes. Other courses are open for any qualified student who wishes to deepen his/her knowledge. These courses are so called single-subject courses. Any international student who meets the qualifications may apply for a single-subject course given in English. This also applies to exchange or master students who want to add a course to their programme. To be admitted to such a course you need to fulfil all formal demands and all the prerequisites for the course. Prerequisites for each course can be found in the course syllabus. As the application form for single-subject courses may be in Swedish, you need to contact the international student coordinator to get the application correct. NB. If you are a fee paying student you have to pay extra for any course you take in addition to the 120 credits in the programme you were admitted to. Studying biology at Uppsala University Course information and schedules You can find all programme and course schedules at the Student Portal, https://studentportalen.uu.se. All programmes and courses have web pages where updated course information can be found: schedule, syllabus, details about excursions, seminar papers, links, pictures, power- point presentations etc. At www.ibg.uu.se you can also find information about term dates, re-examination dates, course overviews, etc.

Course syllabi Each course has a syllabus, a formal course document. It states the study level, main study field, grading system, aim, requirements, learning outcomes, content, instructions and examination of the course. The course syllabus can be found under each course at www.ibg.uu.se/education/courses-programmes/#courses.

18 Course literature The course literature is listed in the course syllabus, but note that some- times it can be changed at a late stage just before the course starts. Check the latest course schedule for updated information. As a student at the course, you are expected to have access to the literature required for the course. Either you can buy it, or borrow it from the library. How- ever, the library only has a few copies of each book, not enough for all students in a course. The biology library also has some reference copies which cannot be borrowed, but can be read in the library. Second-hand books can be found through notice boards in the EBCs corridors. The two largest book shops in Uppsala are Akademibokhandeln (LundeQ) and Studentbokhandeln. IBG has some course literature in laboratory rooms, seminar rooms and field stations, for use during the education. These books cannot be borrowed. Apart from printed literature, the course literature often also includes scientific articles, compendiums and other copied material. Your course leader will provide you with this material, normally for a fee paid at the beginning of the course, alternatively, the material can be downloaded from the course page.

Course start For most courses you have to attend the registration at the first scheduled activity of the course, even if you have pre-registered in the student portal. If you for some reason cannot attend, you must notify the course leader or the IBG course administration ([email protected]) in advance, otherwise another student may be admitted to the course in your place.

Workload and teaching Full-time studies require at least 40 hours of work per week. Biolo- gy courses are often taken one at a time, but some programmes have courses that are studied in parallel. Most courses comprise a mix of lectures, laboratory work, excursions, independent project work and seminars. You are strongly recommended to take part in all course items. Lectures aim to give an overview, to present theories, and supplement the course literature. Participation in lectures is optional, but strongly

19 recommended. Practical parts, i.e. laboratory experiments, seminars and excursions, are normally compulsory. For more information about specific courses please see the course syllabi and detailed course schedules. Do not be afraid to ask questions to the teachers, it is part of their job to help you. The Swedish academic environment may strike international students as being very informal. Professors and staff members interact with students in an informal manner, e.g. using first names instead of titles and last names.

Absence from compulsory course items If you have been ill, or if you for some other reason have missed a compulsory item, please contact the course leader who will inform you about of the next possible occasion to do your item or give you an alternative assignment.

DiaNa – communication training Scientists need to be able to communicate their knowledge, no matter where they work. Both employers and former students have pointed out the need for training in oral as well as written communication. At Uppsala University all biology students get systematic teaching and training in communication throughout their education. Co-operation is also an essential part of this training which is accomplished through a model called DiaNa. Much of the ideas and inspiration to DiaNa comes from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, that has success- fully developed a similar model. Practical communication exercises are integrated as a teaching method into elements of existing courses, in the form of e.g. seminars, report writing, poster presentations and discussions. Feedback is a central point in the training of communicative ability, i.e. to get comments not only on the content but also on how the subject is communicated. The main objective of the feedback is to always emphasise what is positive and good. Moreover, personal suggestions on how to improve are given so that each student continuously gets help to develop further – if you don’t know what to improve you cannot improve. As all students take part and give constructive feedback to their fellow students they also practise in giving advice. As we emphasise what is good, and as we try to obtain a very positive atmosphere during the exercises, many students feel that their self-confidence increases and 20 their nervousness in the communicator role decreases already during the first term. To visualise the progress we use individual self-evaluations where the student sums up his/her improvements and chooses what he/she wants to practise next time. In this way the training is individually adapted and controlled by the student. The self-evaluation is done in a personal communication portfolio in the Student Portal. Only complete DiaNa exercises, with filled out self-evaluations, are included in the certificate of the communication training. You have to apply for a certificate in your communication portfolio in the Student Portal.

How to write At all courses you will be asked to present scientific results in writing. You will need to express yourself clearly and write according to scientific standards, whether the task is to produce scientific and popular articles, posters or reports on laboratory or field experiments. You can find guidelines and advice to help you in an excellent guide called “Pre- senting Science”. This guide can be found as a pdf-file at www.ibg.uu.se.

The Language Workshop If you need help with your writing (structure, language etc.) you can book a meeting with the Language Workshop. The Language Workshop offers help with oral or written presentations, and is available for all students at Uppsala University. You can make an appointment with one of the advisors at the Language Workshop. This appointment is free of charge and help is available in both Swedish and English. Please visit: www.sprakverkstaden.uu.se.

Plagiarism and cheating At Uppsala University we take cheating and plagiarism seriously. For written reports, essays and degree projects we use a software system called Urkund to check against the Internet and publication databases for copied pieces of text etc. Suspicions of cheating are handled by the Disciplinary Board and can result in either a warning or suspension. You can find rules and tips on how to avoid plagiarism on the IBG website, www.ibg.uu.se and in the booklet “How to avoid plagiarism”. It is very important that you take this seriously. A few students are suspended each year due to cheating and plagiarism.

21 Examination All courses contain elements of examination. Commonly there is a written exam covering all or most of the course, and minor tests or project presentations. You can ask your course leader for examples of old exams. These will give you an idea of how the exam will be constructed, and you can use them to test your knowledge. However, the exam is not the single determinant of whether you pass the course or not. You also need to pass laboratory work including writing reports and participating in seminars and field courses etc. For more details, please see the syllabus for each course. Many exams are written anonymously. This means that you must register for examination via Student Portal. When you do this you will receive a code that you write on your exam instead of your name. To be able to participate in an examination you have to identify yourself by showing your passport and the letter from the tax office showing your civic registration number or a Swedish ID-card. The examination starts at the exact time stated in the schedule. If you arrive late, but not more than 30 minutes late, you are still allowed to do the examination. If you arrive later than 30 minutes after the beginning of the examination, you are not allowed to participate. If you start the examination, but after reading the examination questions decide not to take the test, you have to wait 30 minutes before leaving the room. In that case the examination is reported as failed. You can find your examination results as soon as they are reported, if you log on to the Student Portal (https://studentportalen.uu.se).

Examination questions At a university examination in biology in Sweden, you are supposed to show that you have learned facts and models, that you have understood the processes and that you can solve problems using your new knowledge. The most important part is to be able to apply your knowledge and use it to solve problems, using the models and facts that you have learned. When answering the examination questions, make sure to give answers relevant to the questions. You will not get any points if you write an es- say about something that was not asked for. The credit you get for your

22 answer does not reflect how much you have written, but how correct your answer is and if you have covered the whole question. Your teacher or a teacher assistant will visit each examination a while after it has started to see that all the students understand the questions. If you do not understand what the teacher is asking for you may take the opportunity to ask for an explanation.

Re-examinations A student who has failed an examination has the right to try again. There is no limitation of the number of re-examinations you can do. If you have passed an examination, you cannot take it again to improve your grade. Most courses only have re-examination dates twice a year. They are normally given according to this schedule: Courses given in period 1 (autumn): in January and August Courses given in period 2 (autumn): after Easter and in August Courses given in period 3 (spring): in June and August Courses given in period 4 (spring): in August and January For exact dates for each course, please see https://studentportalen.uu.se. You must register for re-examinations at the Student Portal before a specific date. You may also do a re-examination at the next regular examination date. If you wish to do this, you must contact the course leader in advance and ask to be registered on the course.

Grading criteria Most biology courses at Uppsala University are graded with U (fail), 3, 4 and 5. Grades are given based on the level of understanding a student shows for the course content during the examinations. Grades are never relative. This means that there is no limitation to the number of students that can obtain the different grades on a course, nor are the students ranked within a group. Normally, for a written exam, the grade 3 limit is around 50% of the maximum points. Degree projects are graded only with G (pass) or U (fail). Grades of examinations and courses are given by the course leader. Course grades are based not only on the written examinations, but also on compulsory course parts such as seminars, written and oral reports,

23 practical abilities, reasoning abilities etc. The grading criteria should be presented to the students at the course start and be available on the course pages in the Student Portal (found via the courses on the IBG website; www.ibg.uu.se). If you experience problems with the grading, please contact the course leader or the Director of Studies (Katariina Kiviniemi Birgersson).

Not satisfied with your grading? If you feel that you have received the wrong grade or that the examinations or grading has been unfair, first turn to your course leader. If you still are not satisfied after discussing with your course leader, you can turn to the grading ombudsman and discuss the matter further. See www.uu.se/en/students/your_rights/ombudsman-grading-issues.

Course evaluation As a part of the ongoing IBG quality work, all courses are evaluated by both students and teachers at the end of the course. The course evaluation is always completely anonymous and all students are expected to make an evaluation following the instructions from the course leader. The reason for having course evaluations is to improve the quality of our courses, your comments and suggestions are very important to us. By completing the course evaluation you contribute to ensuring the quality of the course. Written course evaluations are generally done at the end of the course. During a course, student representatives will speak for your course at specific meetings twice per course period. There may also be formative evaluations done by the teachers.

Course representatives At the beginning of every course two English-speaking and two Swed- ish-speaking students should be chosen as course representatives. For courses with few students one representative is enough. The representatives act as a link between the students and the course leader, as well as between the students and IBG. The representatives from each course meet two times during the course on a lunch meeting. There they exchange thoughts and remarks concerning the course. This also enables IBG to distribute information via the representatives to the rest of the students. If your course lacks a course representative you can apply to

24 become one to Elisabeth Långström and Lisa Chytraeus at the IBG. You will find the dates for course representative meetings in the calendar on www.ibg.uu.se.

Transcript of records When you have completed a course, the course leader will report the result and the grades to the IBG administration and your results will be registered in the University’s computerised documentation system. You can see your results if you log on to https://studentportalen.uu.se. Here you can also print a copy of your records. You can also print an official transcript of records at the Student Portal. If you need a more specialised transcript, please visit the IBG administration: At the EBC contact Eva Damm or Lisa Chytraeus. At the BMC contact Ylva Adolfs- son. You can also send an e-mail to [email protected] and ask for an official transcript of your records to be sent to you. Remember to write your full name, your civic registration number and your address. Your transcript will be sent to you by mail or e-mail within a few days. Study outside Sweden You may study abroad for a term and add relevant credits to your degree. The IBG has a number of exchange programmes with universities in Europe (Erasmus). These Erasmus exchanges may be used both for courses and for projects. The application date for IBG-Erasmus exchanges is March 15. Please contact Eva Damm for further information. In addition to this, Uppsala University has general exchange programmes with Europe, North America, South America, South Africa, Asia, New Zealand and Australia. In these exchange programmes you are meant to take courses only. Application dates for the worldwide exchange programmes vary. Please contact the International Office for exact dates. If you want to do your degree project or research training outside Swe- den you have to find the department, supervisor and accommodation yourself, but you need to have a coordinator here. This is to make sure that there is a suitable supervisor and a well-designed project with a fea- sible time plan. There is no economical compensation for the supervisor or the laboratory if you do your degree project abroad. Please visit our student exchange coordinator Eva Damm to discuss the practicalities

25 concerning your degree project or research training outside Sweden (insurances etc.). Discuss the scientific matters with your degree project coordinator in case you are doing your degree project abroad. A project work course or a degree project can be done abroad under an exchange agreement. This can be of value if you visit one of the IBG partner universities, as in this case you may get a small supporting Erasmus scholarship. Erasmus also has an “Erasmus Traineeship Project”, where a student may receive quite favourable scholarships. Here you may go to a European university, company or governmental body (but NOT to an EU unit). You may also receive this scholarship right after you have your degree diploma. However, there are a few scholarships. To receive more information on this traineeship, please contact the In- ternational Office. Degree project All master programme curricula contain a degree project, normally car- ried out at the end of the programme. An approved degree project is compulsory for obtaining a degree from Uppsala University. Exchange students can apply for the degree project courses as part of their exchange programme, provided that the formal prerequisites are fulfilled. The aim of the degree project is to provide training in planning, carrying out and reporting independent scientific work, and to provide contact with research and development. The degree project is administratively classified as a course, spanning 10, 20 or 30 weeks (15, 30 or 45 credits). However, the application procedure for the degree project differs from regular courses. For programme students: When you want to start a degree project, the first thing you should do is to contact one of the coordinators at the IBG for help in documenting your academic background, and to see if you fulfil the requirements for doing a degree project. Exchange students should contact: Eva Damm, 018-471 4306, [email protected]. Next, contact the degree project coordinator handling the scientific area where you want to do your degree project. Contact him/her the term, or at the latest a month, before you want to start. Contact information is listed below.

26 Cell biology, genetics, microbiology and molecular biology David van der Spoel, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, 018-471 4205, [email protected] Ecology, conservation and environmental science, limnology, population biology, evolutionary biology and systematics Anna-Kristina Brunberg, Department of Ecology and Genetics, 018-471 2727, [email protected]. Environmental Toxicology Henrik Viberg, Department of Environmental Toxicology, 018-471 7695, [email protected]. Immunology, Physiology, Biology of Organisms, and Toxicology Lage Cerenius, Department of Organismal Biology, 018-471 2804, [email protected]. Master Programme in Applied Biotechnology Tomas Ekeberg, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, 018-471 4642, [email protected] Filipe Maia, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, 018-471 4642, [email protected] Master Programmes in Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Contact your programme coordinator for more information.

Finding a degree project Note that you are responsible for finding a suitable degree project and a supervisor yourself. Contact departments with projects in the field of your interest and talk to potential supervisors. Webpages are good sources of information, especially the IBG project database: www.ibg.uu.se/ibg-student/project-offers. Do not hesitate to contact several departments and several people. Your supervisors and your coordinator can give you suggestions on different subjects. You can also find finished reports for inspiration at www.ibg.uu.se. If you are offered more than one project, remember to formally decline all offers that you are not accepting.

27 Before starting your degree project When you have found a project and a supervisor, you and your supervisor should write a brief project plan describing your proposed project. You must also complete an application form together with your supervisor. Send or hand in the application form and the project plan to your coordinator. When all the paperwork is in order, your coordinator will get you registered, and you can start. Please note that all formalities, including registration, must be completed before you start your degree project. If the period of your degree project extends over more than one term, or over the summer, you may need to be re-registered when the second term starts. You must take care of this yourself, by talking to the course administrators at the IBG.

Midterm report If you do a 30 or 45 credit project you should report on your progress when you are about halfway through the work. A midterm report involves a short written report and/or an oral presentation about the basic data, the methods used and if possible, results already obtained. It should include a plan for the rest of the project period, as well as a timetable for finishing the practical work and writing the report. Your coordinator will give you further instructions regarding the procedure.

Final report At the end of your degree project, you must produce a written report and also do an oral presentation of your project. For detailed instructions, see general guidelines for biology reports in the document “Pre- senting science” at www.ibg.uu.se/ibg-student/guide/handbooks. Your coordinator will also provide further guidelines. The report will be checked for plagiarism using “Urkund” (see Plagiarism and cheating). After your supervisor has approved the scientific content of your report and given feedback, you hand in the report and the popular science summary to your coordinator. The coordinator will give you information about the time for the presentation. Prepare a short presentation (ca. 15–20 minutes). One or two students act as opponents at your final presentation and there will also be an external opponent (a researcher or a postdoc). After you have presented your report there will be a

28 discussion (10-20 minutes) initiated by the opponent(s). You must also act as opponent for one or two other students. Normally you will be asked to revise your report after presenting your project, taking into consideration the comments from your opponents and others in the audience, including your coordinator. The final cor- rected version of the report and the summary should be sent as a file to your coordinator, who makes sure that your grade is reported to the University documentation system. Degree projects are graded according to the Swedish grading system (i.e. not in relation to performances by other students, but in relation to the quality of the work). Only the grades G (pass) and U (fail) are given. The electronic version of the final report will be published on the IBG website, www.ibg.uu.se, when you have published it in DIVA. The popular summaries will be published only on the IBG web. Your coordinator has instructions for how this is done. Printed copies are distributed by the course administrators to the Biology Library and the IBG offices.

More information More information about the rules and conditions for Degree projects, application forms, and detailed instructions for the final report (SOP; standard operating procedure) can be found under the tab for degree projects at www.ibg.uu.se. Read all instructions carefully before you start your degree project. Graduation Diploma After completion of your degree at Uppsala University, you will receive your diploma, both in Swedish and English. You will also receive a Diploma Supplement in English describing the main contents of your degree. You must apply for your diploma at Uppsala University Graduation Office (Examensenheten) at S:t Olofsgatan 10B. Bring your original Bachelor degree diploma, transcripts from your home university, both in original and in translation (English, German or French) and your passport. For more information contact the Graduation Office 018-471 1914, web address: www.uu.se/en/admissions/degrees-and-careers.

29 The Diploma Supplement follows the model developed by the Euro- pean Commission, Council of Europe and UNESCO/CEPES. The diploma will be sent to you by mail so don’t forget to give the Swedish tax office your new address when you have finished your studies and are leaving Sweden. There is a form on their website, www.skatteverket.se.

Ceremony In May or June each year there is a ceremony for all recently (or soon) finished masters. There will be invitations sent out during the first months of the year. Post-graduate studies/Doctoral studies General The two types of degrees awarded for post-graduate or doctoral studies in Sweden are Licentiate degree and Doctoral degree (Doctor of Philosophy, PhD). The former should take around 2 years and the latter around 4 years of full-time studies. The Swedish term for the continued studies is “forskarutbildning”, meaning research education, and the general aim is to give the student knowledge and skills needed to carry on independent research in his/her scientific field. It should also teach the student a general scientific approach, critical analysis and constructive discussions on various issues. The studies include an individual research project, courses, and are usually a mix of theoretical and practical training and research activities. At the end of the period the written thesis, including published scientific papers and manuscripts ready for publication, is publicly defended. In the “Handbook for postgraduate students” (the National Agency for Higher Education, www.doktorandhandboken.nu/english) you can find general as well as detailed information about views and rules concerning post-graduate studies in Sweden. The Student union also has an ombudsman (representative) for postgraduate students (Doktorand ombudsman) available to provide help and guidance in case of conflicts or other matters connected to regulations and social issues.

30 Admission In the Swedish system the admission to PhD studies is fully decentralised and handled by the respective research departments/research groups, which also set up most rules and prerequisites for admission to the different programmes. PhD-positions are advertised as positions that one can apply for; the process has no connection or resemblance to the admission to university graduate courses or programmes. If you are interested in continuing your studies at the post-graduate level, you should make direct contact with the department organising the research of your interest. On page 33 you find a list of departments in Uppsala carrying out research and organising post-graduate positions of interest for students with a degree in biology or biotechnology. Each department presents current research activities on their web pages together with names and addresses of persons to contact if you have questions about post-graduate studies. However, the selection process for a post-graduate position is rather informal, and it may be fruitful to discuss ways into post-graduate studies with other persons. This may be a teacher you have met, a head of department (prefekt), a professor or a scientist conducting research of interest to you. You can also contact us at IBG for more information and names on scientists to contact for such issues. It is important to realise that admission to post-graduate education is highly restricted, so you have to plan for alternative ways into a future profession. You need to be highly motivated for the subject and the studies to be admitted, as well as to finish your PhD studies.

Financing post-graduate studies A financing system specific for post-graduates is regulated by the government, and includes three different types of economic support (besides costs for the research): post-graduate/doctoral studentship (doktorandtjänst), special education assistance (utbildningsbidrag) and scholarships (stipendier). The time for support is strictly limited to a maximum of 4 years full-time studies, independent of the type of support. The resources for financing may come from the university or from external sources (usually as research funding for the supervising

31 scientist). Before starting a post-graduate position the student and the supervisor must arrange an individual study plan, including a research plan as well as a financial plan for the whole study period, that has to be approved by the department board. It is important that you inform yourself about the regulations for post-graduate studies before entering a position. You can get help and information from the student union and their doktorandombudsman. Post-graduate/doctoral studentship (Doktorandtjänst) is by far the best support, since it is best paid and provides all social security benefits connected to “normal” positions in Sweden (pension scheme, social insurances etc.). It is also the most expensive support for the department, since a lot of state tax has to be paid on top of the salary. PhD-students should have a doktorandtjänst at least during the second half of their post-graduate studies. The average salary is around 23 000 SEK per month at the start, on which you have to pay income tax (ca. 30%). If you are not from an EU-country, you need a work permit to apply for a doktorandtjänst. Special education assistance (Utbildningsbidrag) is about 15 500 SEK per month. It does not give full social security, for example there is no pension right. However, if you become sick or become a parent you keep your “utbildningsbidrag” and prolong the total support period corresponding to the normal rules for social security benefits. You have to pay income tax, but you do not need a work permit. Scholarships (Stipendier) do not give any social security benefits, no tax has to be paid, nor do you need a work permit to hold a scholarship. Neither pension scheme nor sick periods or parental leave are covered by a stipend. Some scholarships are paying relatively well (e.g. from the EU, SAREC, the Swedish Institute) and are providing enough money to arrange a health insurance and a pension scheme on your own. Oth- er scholarships are not sufficient to cover all necessary expenses. You should be careful in planning you finances before accepting support from a scholarship, and make sure that the department at least arranges a health insurance for you. As a new PhD student you often start the studies supported by “utbildningsbidrag” or scholarships for the first couple of years, and then get transferred to a “doktorandtjänst” during the last few years of studies. It is quite common for PhD students to be appointed to different kinds

32 of work in the department, usually teaching or routine practices of the laboratory, up to 20% of the time. The study period will be extended accordingly, therefore it often takes more than four years to finish.

Research in Uppsala Uppsala University harbours research from a very broad selection of scientific fields, and in total about 2500 post-graduate students are registered. The biological research fields are organised within the Faculty of Science and Technology, and include basic research in a wide range of disciplines as well as strong elements of applied science, particularly in biotechnology, energy- and environmental research. For a student who graduate from a programme at the IBG the research conducted in other science and technology subjects may also be of interest, e.g. chemistry and technology, as well as research at other faculties, such as Medicine and Pharmacology. Moreover, SLU (the Swedish Agricultural Univer- sity) at Uppsala has many relevant research activities and offers post- graduate programmes that may be of interest. Below you find names of relevant research centers in Uppsala. Study their web pages to find out about on-going research and contact persons.

Uppsala Biomedical Centre (BMC) The research at the Biomedical Centre (BMC) has a focus on chemistry, cell and molecular biology, genetics, pharmacology and medicine, with departments from Uppsala University and the Swedish Agricul- tural University (SLU). It includes world leading research centres for structural biology (Uppsala Structural Biology Consortium), and cancer research (Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research). Beside the research centres the BMC harbours SciLifeLab and a number of research departments of interest to biology students. Links to respective departments’ web page may be found at the common BMC portal at www.bmc.uu.se.

Evolutionary Biology Centre (EBC) The Evolutionary Biology Centre (EBC) is an internationally leading centre for research on evolutionary processes and patterns at all levels; from molecular evolution and the evolution of genomes and gene systems, developmental processes and immune systems, to the evolution of local adaptation and social behaviour in natural populations, speciation processes and systematics. The research includes most organism groups

33 and aims at understanding the genetic, ecological and evolutionary basis of biological diversity. The research groups are organised in two departments, belonging to the Faculty of Science and Technology. You can find links to their web pages in the common web portal www.ebc.uu.se.

Swedish Agricultural University (SLU) The Swedish Agricultural University has several localities in Sweden, each with their own research specialisation. The largest facility is based on their campus in Uppsala. One third of the resources for biological research in Sweden go to the SLU, and many biologists work there. You can find information about research and post-graduate programmes and useful links at the university web page www.slu.se. Practical matters Study premises and Access card The main parts of IBG’s premises are located at the Evolutionary Biol- ogy Centre (EBC) complex, with a smaller part at the Uppsala Bio- medical Centre (BMC). In a few courses some of the teaching is located at the Ångström laboratory or the Mathematical Information Centre (MIC). For maps, see the last pages of this study guide. Computer rooms, seminar rooms, laboratories, lecture halls and kitchens for students are found at all campuses. The kitchens are equipped with refrigerators and microwave ovens. All campuses also have restaurants where you can buy coffee, sandwiches and lunch. The IBG premises are open Mon–Fri 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Entry at other times, including weekends, requires an access card. Visit Jan Ekström at the IBG office at EBC or the BMC reception for an access card. The same card can be used at all campus areas and will be activated automatically in the campus area where you are registered on a course. IBG has access to three field stations for research and education: Klub- ban, a marine biology research station located on the west coast of Swe- den, Norr Malma (Erken), a limnology field station by lake Erken (60 km from Uppsala), and Ar at Campus Gotland. Some of the biology courses include a stay at a field station for some period.

34 Computer account UpUnet-S is Uppsala University’s computer network for students. UpUnet-S provides you with a number of services like e-mail, a personal file area, etc. You also need an account to log on to the IBG computers. Information about how to activate your student computer account is found in the Student Portal.

Campus computers at IBG Computer rooms for biology students are located at both EBC (Evo- lutionary Biology Centre) and BMC (Biomedical Centre). All com puters are connected to the Internet and printers. The computers may be booked for courses, please check the booking schedules on the doors. To log in on the IBG computers press Ctrl+Alt+Del. Use your UpUnet-S identity (password A, domain user.uu.se). Do not forget to log out once you have finished your session.

E-mail With your user identity at UpUnet-S you get a personal e-mail account. You can check your e-mail using an e-mail client or a web browser. If you do not want to use your Uppsala University e-mail address, make sure that you forward mail to your private mail address. Please check your university e-mail on a regular basis, since all information from Uppsala University will be addressed to your University e-mail. We also recommend you to use the University e-mail address for all communication with teachers, as the University spam filters may block other addresses. Webmail is found at webmail.uu.se or through https://studentportalen.uu.se.

File area Connected to your UpUnet-S identity is a file area of 200 MB. You can log on to your file area at https://studentportalen.uu.se or from any of IBG’s computers. When you log on to one of IBG’s computers your file area is located under disk X:. Do not save files on the computer desktop be- cause they will be automatically erased. For more information about the UpUnet-S services, please see http://uadm.uu.se/it/student/UpUnet-S.

35 WLAN – wireless Internet Most student premises at the BMC, EBC, MIC and Ångström are equipped with wireless Internet, WLAN. If you have a laptop and an UpUnet-S identity, you can connect your laptop to the Internet in most of our premises. Log on using your userId (användarid) and password A (lösenord A) from your student account. Please note that the wireless network named UpUnet-S is an unprotect- ed network. It is vital that you protect your computer against viruses and intrusions.

Copying, printing and scanning Uppsala University uses the Korint system for copying, printing and scanning documents. In order to use it you need your user name and password for your UpUnet-S account and a Mifare compatible access card (the grey access card for the Uppsala University premises). The payment is managed via a PayEx account. You may transfer money to this account in a number of ways, e.g. by transferring from your VISA card or by your Internet bank. You can also transfer money at 7Eleven and Pressbyrån. For more information about Korint and about how to register your card, please visit korint.uu.se. We also have a Korint instruction on the IBG website that you can find at www.ibg.uu.se/student/service/korint. Ko- rint-machines are found in student computer rooms at EBC and BMC.

Telephone The IBG office at the EBC has a telephone that students can use for study related matters. You can use Skype to make free calls over the Internet to anyone else who also has Skype on their computer. It is also possible to use Skype to call regular telephones (at a small cost) and mobile phones (more expensive). For more information, please see www.skype.com If you have a mobile (cell) phone, you can buy refill/prepaid cards called Kontantkort. Buy these at Pressbyrån (magazine and convenience retailer – in the main square “Stora Torget” or at the railway station).

36 Lab coats Work in the laboratory always requires that you wear a lab coat. Lab coats can be bought from the IBG. Paying a deposit, you can also borrow a lab coat. To purchase or borrow a lab coat, contact the IBG laboratory assistants at the EBC or the BMC.

Library services The Uppsala University library is located at several different campus areas, and the main focus of respective library corresponds to the research and education at the campus. The main library building is Carolina redi- viva found at the top of Drottninggatan in Uppsala. All library services (books, databases, journals etc.) can be found on www.ub.uu.se. The Biology Library, situated at the EBC, entrance 18B, is open for students, teachers and the public. The library has biological literature and journals, and also provides access to electronic journals. The Biomedical Library, situated at BMC, Husarg. 3, entrance A8, floor 2. The library has literature and journals within biomedicine, molecular biology, immunology, etc. In addition to the University libraries, there is a public library in the city centre of Uppsala, at the north end of the pedestrian street. For more information about the opening hours of the libraries: www.ub.uu.se/opening-hours-and-addresses.

Costs for transportation during courses IBG has a charge-free policy stating that all transport and accommodation connected with compulsory excursions or field trips within biology courses are free of charge. However, if you choose other means of transport than the ones organised by the course, you must pay for that yourself. You also have to pay for meals that are served at some field stations. However, there is a fee for some courses, e.g. Biodiversity and ecology in Yunnan that include journeys abroad. Charges for field trips abroad usually have to be paid for before starting the course. Remember to check if you need a visa for the country/countries that are visited. It is your own responsibility to arrange for the visa.

37 Costs for copied course material The course literature for most courses includes compendiums and other copied material that are provided at a certain cost. Some of this material, e.g. laboratory instructions, is compulsory. The material may change from year to year; therefore you cannot count on borrowing the material from previous course participants. The fee for compendiums and copied material is paid to IBG at course start. The amount varies between courses, based on the amount of copied pages. The cost for each course is presented in the information that you receive when you are admitted to the course. You can also contact IBG for this information.

Leave of absence If you have realised that you cannot follow your study programme the following term or year, you should apply for leave of absence. You may get a leave of absence if you have compelling reasons such as illness, child care, pregnancy etc. You may also apply for other reasons, such as work, trying another study programme or taking a single-subject course. The application shall be made to a study counsellor. If you apply for a leave of absence to follow another course programme, wait until you are sure to be admitted to the other programme/course.

If you have a disability If you have a disability, like dyslexia, hearing impairment etc. you should talk to our study counsellor Eva Damm. There is help available from the University to facilitate your life as a student.

If you should fall ill Please let your teacher know if you will miss compulsory items. If you need advice, start by calling “Sjukvårdsrådgivningen” (the Health Care Information) on phone number 1177. You can call all days, 24 hours a day for a consultation, and if necessary, be referred to a doctor. The Health Care Centres (“Vårdcentraler”) may also assist you. Call for a consultation or to make an appointment (restricted phone hours). Re- member: When visiting a doctor, you should bring your insurance forms.

38 Student Health Center is a complement to the public health care system and is mainly devoted to the treatment of health problems originating in, or aggravated by the conditions related to studying, e.g. anxiety, lack of confidence, stress, problems with alcohol, speech anxiety, performance anxiety, lack of ability to concentrate, problems in connection to examinations and papers, etc. Student Health Centre also provides gynaecolo- gist care and contraceptives counselling. See www.student.uu.se/sh/ for more information. “Apotek” is Swedish for pharmacy. Apart from selling medicine, they are also able to help you with more minor problems. The Swedish emergency number is 112. Call this number ONLY in case of acute emergencies. The operator will connect you to the relevant people: police, ambulance, the fire brigade etc. Darkness during wintertime and hard studies can affect your mood and make the life in Sweden harder than expected. If you are experiencing unusual tiredness lack of D-vitamin could be the problem. Please check your health with a “Vårdcentral”. Student organisations There are several unions for Uppsala University students collaborating with each other. The union for students at the faculty of science and technology in Uppsala is UTN, Uppsala Union of Engineering and Sci- ence Students. UTN takes care of educational issues, student welfare, international and labour market issues. UTN also organises social activities. For more information see www.utn.se/en. Membership in UTN is free of charge. The Uppsala Student Union is an organisation for student groups without an own specific union. The activities of the Student Union can be divided into two types: the day-to-day services and the long-term political matters concerning students. The day-to-day services include access to computers, telephones, second-hand book sale, counselling for international students, housing information and much more. For more information see www.uppsalastudentkar.se/international-students. Member- ship in the Uppsala student union costs 55 SEK. BÄR is the Biology student association. BÄR works with questions concerning biology education. They also arrange social activities for biology

39 students. Information about activities is sent by e-mail or posted on a notice board outside the BÄR-room. BÄR is located at the EBC, ground floor Norbyvägen 18B, near the lunchroom. The X-section is the association for students and alumni from the Mas- ter Programme in Molecular Biotechnology Engineering and the master programmes in bioinformatics and molecular biotechnology. The X-section has both study related and recreational activities for the students. Chinese student and Scholar Association in Uppsala (CSSAU) is a non-profit and non-political organisation, helping Chinese students and scholars in Uppsala. CSSAU organizes cultural and scientific activities for its members. For more information, see www.cssau.se. Buddy program. The International Buddy Programme is a coop- erative programme from Uppsala Student Union, ELSA (The Eu- ropean Law Students’ Association), UTN (Uppsala Union of Engi- neering and Science Students) and Uppsala University. The main intention with this programme is to make sure that all new international students receive help and feedback by students at Uppsala University, both before, during and after they have settled in Uppsala. www.uppsalastudentkar.se/buddy-program

Student nations There are thirteen student nations in Uppsala, for social activities etc. and you are free to choose which nation you want to join. How to choose? The nations often have extensive opening hours the first two weeks of the term, so you can visit the different nations, find out what activities and what housing opportunities they may offer (many student nations have a queue for student rooms/apartments), and based on that decide which one you want to join. How to join: Bring your letter of admission and your passport to the nation office. You can either pay directly at the nation or with a bank giro. Or you can go to the web page https://uppsalastudent.com where you can find a lot of information about student life in Uppsala. To enter the nation pubs (and some other nation activities) you need to show an ID, plus your student nation card. You will get a temporary student nation card at the union upon registration. The proper card will be sent to you by mail within a couple of weeks. If you have friends visiting and you want to go out to the nations, you need to get a guest card,

40 which you get from the Student Union building. Visit the Student Union at Övre Slottsgatan 7. A guest card can only be granted to students. Check out the website of the Kuratorskonventet, the organisation for cooperation between Uppsala’s 13 nations, www.kuratorskonventet.se, to find out more. Social issues Civic registration number The civic registration number is very important for gaining access to different social services in Sweden. Non-EU residents who have a residence permit valid for more than one year must get a civic registration number. The number consists of ten digits, your date of birth (yymmdd), followed by four control digits. To apply for a civic registration number, visit the local tax authorities (Skatteverket). Address: Kungsängsgatan 43, visiting hours 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bring your passport, your residence permit, your letter of admission from Uppsala University and your certificate from Uppsala stating the duration of your studies in Uppsala. NB: EU citizens should show their European health insurance card (EHIC) or show a health insurance valid in Sweden for the study period. When you have a civic registration number, you are entitled to medical benefits at reduced cost. Note that this does not include full social insurance or dental care.

T- and R-numbers In your contacts with Uppsala University you will be identified with a T- or R-number. The number is valid within the University and Stu- dentstaden housing company and may also be useful in some banks etc. in Uppsala city. If you receive a civic registration number from the tax authorities (at least all non-European student should make sure to get a civic registration number), it is important that you tell the administration at IBG ([email protected]) so that we can change the T- or R-number into the official civic registration number.

41 Bank account There are several banks in Uppsala, but we recommend Nordea to our international students. The main office of Nordea is found at Dragarb- runnsgatan 49, with office hours: Monday and Thursday 10–18, Tues- day, Wednesday and Friday 10–15. You should open a bank account and also ask for Internet bank services. You must bring your passport, your Swedish civic registration number, your letter of admission from universityadmission.se and a certificate from Uppsala University stating the length of your study period in Sweden (found in your reception folder).

ID card We recommend you to apply for an ID card when you have received your civic registration number. When you have an ID card you can identify yourself at banks, nations, examinations and if the security guards check when you stay late at one of the campuses for studying, and you do not need to carry around your passport. Apply for an ID card through the tax office. You can find a link to the application information among the FAQ under your programme at www.ibg.uu.se/want-to-study/master.

Visa If you need a visa for studying in Sweden, please remember to start the process of renewing your Visa in good time. The process is slow and many Uppsala University offices are closed during summer. The Swedish migration board in Uppsala is found in Bolandsgatan 10. See www.migrationsverket.se/English.

Accommodation Studentstaden and Heimstaden are the largest providers of student rooms in Uppsala and even if you have accommodation organised on arrival, you may want or need to change accommodation later on during your stay in Uppsala. You are therefore strongly advised to apply for a queue number as soon as possible. This also applies to fee students who only have a housing guarantee for the first two terms. Apply on www.studentstaden.se and www.heimstaden.se respectively. There is also a queue for private accommodation found at studentboet.se/en. If you need help with “Studentboet” visit the Student Union at Övre Slottsgatan 7, Uppsala.

42 Many of the Student nations provide accommodation and have their own accommodation queues, usually with the condition that you are a member of that nation. For more information about rooms, apartments etc. please contact your nation. You can also found information about housing at https://uppsalastudent.com.

If you change address It is important that you notify us as soon as possible when you change your address. Report your new address by logging on to https://studentportalen.uu.se, or contact IBG by e-mail to [email protected]. If you have a Swedish civic registration number you must also change your address at the tax office. You can do this on the Internet; see www.adressandring. se (only in Swedish, please ask a Swedish friend to help you). Also remember to change your address in studentportalen.se and to notify your Student Nation about your new address.

Earning money during your studies As a foreign student you are allowed to take a job in Sweden, as long as your residence permit or visa is valid, but finding qualified work may be difficult. However, short-term and part-time jobs with low skill requirements are usually available. Advertisements for job vacancies (although often for permanent positions requiring a degree) may be found in newspapers, at companies’ web pages, at recruitment firms, and at the Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen). You can also contact an employer of interest directly or take help from Arbetsförmedlingen, where you can find information about Swedish employment and labour regulations. Arbetsförmedlingen is found at Muningatan 1, near the railway station. For more information see www.arbetsformedlingen.se. Most of the Student nations also offer job possibilities like working at pubs, cafés or helping with lunch. Remember that if you earn money in Sweden, you may have to pay tax on your income (around 30%). Contact the local Tax Authorities to find out more. The Local Tax Authorities (Skatteverket) are found at Kungsängsgatan 43. Useful information, brochures and forms can be found at www.skatteverket.se.

43 Swedish language courses Many international students appreciate the opportunity to learn the basics of the Swedish language. There are part-time beginner Swed- ish classes available at Uppsala University. There are a limited number of available places, so apply as soon as possible if you want to take a class. Contact the Department of Scandinavian Languages (www.nordiska.uu.se) for information about application. It is also possible to study Swedish at the Folk University (Folkuni- versitetet). However, while the university is free of charge, you have to pay a fee for a course at Folkuniversitetet. For more information and application, see www.folkuniversitetet.se/In-English or contact [email protected]. The city of Uppsala offers a basic course in Swedish called SFI (Swedish for immigrants), free of charge. For more information read at www.navetutbildning.uppsala.se/sfi-mottagning.aspx. Use https://translate.google.se to translate the page. To be eligible for this course you need a Swedish civic registration number.

Student Nation cards To enter the nation pubs (and some other nation activities) you need to show an ID, plus your Student Nation card. You can get a temporary card at the union upon registration. The proper card will be sent to you by mail within a couple of weeks after paying the fee. The Student Na- tion card will also give you discounts in some Uppsala shops, restaurants, etc. As a member of a student nation or Uppsala student union you get a Mecenat card that entitles you to discounts at ferries, air flights, trains, shops, events, hotels, etc. Membership of either Uppsala student union or a nation is also printed on this card, which can thus be used together with valid proof of identification in order to gain entry to Uppsala’s 13 student nations. Another discounts card, Studentkortet will also be sent to you by post. For more information, see www.studentkortet.se

Student Exercise and Sports The Student Health Centre offers a variety of sports at Campus 1477 Blåsenhus (close to EBC) and Campus 1477 Science Park (close to Ångström and Polacksbacken). Students are entitled to a discount on

44 most of the activities. There is aerobics, “gympa” (gymnastics to mu- sic), cycling, water classes, climbing, and ball sports. The Centre also offers massage, sauna, swimming pool, solarium and courses in for example dance or yoga. For more information and schedules, see http://sh.uu.se/studenthalsan-the-student-health-center. In addition, there are several private options for sports and exercise. The largest is Friskis&Svettis, located at Ekeby bruk, Ultuna and Väderkvarnsgatan. Friskis&Svettis has aerobics, “gympa”, spinning, water classes and gym. They offer discounts for students. Swimming pools for exercise can be found at Fyrishov, Actic Uppsala (Centralbadet) and Gottsundabadet. Some student nations also arrange sport activities, mostly ball sports: football (soccer), floorball, bandy, etc. The organisation Friluftsfrämjandet organises different outdoor activities and courses like ice skating (on frozen lakes in winter), kay- aking, climbing, walking, skiing, etc. For more information see www.friluftsframjandet.se (only in Swedish).

Find an address/a map If you need to find an address in Uppsala, use the search and mapping site for Sweden, Eniro. Visit the website www.eniro.se, click on Kartor (= maps) and type in the address and number of the street that you are looking for. Click on “Sök” (= find). You can of course also use Google maps and their language tool to make life easier. Insurances Uppsala University insurance policy When you are registered on a course at Uppsala University you have an accident insurance during scheduled hours of the course and on the way to and from campus.

Medical insurance and accident insurance All students coming to Sweden must be covered by a medical insurance. Please note that the conditions for medical insurances differ between

45 different categories of students and between EU-citizens and non-EU- citizens. It is an advantage for most students to get a Swedish civic registration number (see page 41). A. Exchange students are covered by an insurance policy taken by Uppsala University at a national agency, Kammarkollegiet. This insurance policy covers medical issues, accidental injury and assault, disability and death, liability and legal expenses. Detailed information about Kammarkollegiet’s conditions is available at the Univer- sity or at www.kammarkollegiet.se. An exchange student from an EU country still needs to bring a European Health Insurance Card. B. For non-exchange students, the rules vary depending on citizenship. 1. Master students who are granted a scholarship from Uppsala University or from the Swedish Institute (SI) are covered by the Kammarkollegiet insurance policy. 2. EU-citizens have the same right to medical care in Sweden as Swedish citizens if they bring a European Health Insurance Card. Note that this only applies if you are covered by medical insurances in your home country. If not, you must buy a medical insurance in your home country. 3. Non-EU-citizens who have a residence permit for more than one year can and must get a Swedish civic registration number. When you have a civic registration number, you are entitled to Swedish medical benefits at a reduced cost. Note that this does not include full social insurance or dental care. The civic registration number consists of ten digits, your date of birth (yymmdd), followed by four control digits. To apply for a civic registration number, you must visit the local tax authorities (Skatteverket). Address: Kungsängsgatan 43, visiting hours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Bring your passport, your residence permit and your letter of admission from universityadmissions.se. 4. Non-EU-citizens obliged to pay for the education will get The Swedish State’s Insurance for Fee-Paying Students for free through the University. The insurance covers reason- able costs for emergency medical care or dental care. The insurance is provided through Kammarkollegiet and you will be able to find the terms and conditions in their website: www.kammarkollegiet.se/insurance.

46 5. Other international students, master students and free-movers staying in Sweden for less than one year must find out well in advance of arrival to what extent their domestic insurance policy is valid in Sweden. If there is no medical care agreement between your home country and Sweden, you must have a medical insurance policy from your home country covering the time of your stay in Sweden, arranged before your arrival.

Dental care Please note that dental care is neither included in the social insurance, nor in Kammarkollegiet’s insurance. Dental care in Sweden is very expensive, so visit your dentist at home before coming to Uppsala. There are dentists who provide discount for students. For fee-paying students, the special insurance that comes with the fee includes acute dental care up to 3000 SEK per year.

Property insurance Insurance of your property during your stay in Sweden is not included in the University insurance policy. You are strongly advised to buy property insurance. Most insurance companies have student discount. Some of the companies are Trygg-Hansa, Länsförsäkringar and Folksam.

Travel insurance Please note that travelling to and from Sweden in connection with your study period is not covered by the social or the accident insurance, neither are trips abroad during the study period. To be fully covered, it is important that you buy travel insurance in your home country before arrival.

47 Contact The Biology Education Centre (IBG) administration has offices both at the EBC (the Evolutionary Biology Centre), Norbyvägen 14 (top floor), and at the BMC (the Uppsala Biomedical Centre), corridor A8, ground floor. Ylva Adolfsson Course administrator Office at BMC A8:1, 018-471 4381, [email protected] Ronny Alexandersson Coordinator for teacher training Office at EBC, 018-471 4142, [email protected] Katarina Andreasen DiaNa – Communication training Office at EBC, 018-471 6305, [email protected]. Anna-Kristina Brunberg Director for the bachelor programme in biology, Coordinator for degree projects Office at EBC, 018-471 4133, [email protected] Sven-Olof Carlsson Computer technician Office both at EBC and BMC A8:1, 018-471 4626, 070-425 0119, [email protected] Lisa Chytraeus Course administrator Office at EBC, 018-471 4919, [email protected] Eva Damm Study counselor and international coordinator Office at EBC, 018-471 4306, [email protected] Jan Ekström Supplies and logistics. Provides EBC-access cards Office at EBC, 018-471 4125, [email protected] Jan Olov Eriksson Department technician Office at BMC B5:1, 018-471 4134, 070-425 0114, [email protected]

48 Lilian Forsberg Laboratory technician, sells lab coats Office at EBC, Norbyvägen 18 B, 1st floor, 018-4716431, [email protected] Lena Henriksson DiaNa – Communication training, coordinator for degree projects Office at EBC, 018-471 6305, [email protected] Tobias Jakobsson [email protected] Lars-Göran Josefsson Responsible for the IBG project database Office at BMC A8:1, 018-471 4113, [email protected] Katariina Kiviniemi-Birgersson Director of studies, International coordinator and coordinator for individual project courses Office at EBC, 018-471 4835, [email protected] Margareta Krabbe Head of Department Office at both EBC and BMC, 070-4250949, [email protected] Elisabeth Långström Information officer Office at EBC, 018-471 4138, [email protected] Robert Malmgren Study counselor Office at EBC, 018-471 4133, [email protected] Mikael Niva Teacher training Office at EBC, 018-471 4142, [email protected] Torgny Persson Responsible for Klubban biological station [email protected]. Elsbeth Scholtes Responsible for the archive Office at BMC, 018-471 4686, [email protected]

49 Eva Wallin IBG economy Office at BMC A8:1, 018-471 4028, [email protected] Onta “Po” Wanderoy Laboratory technician, hands out examinations in EBC Office both at BMC B5:1 and EBC (Norbyvägen 18B), [email protected] Maria Wilén Laboratory technician Office at BMC B5:1, 018-471 4162, [email protected]

Directors of the Master Programmes Jan Andersson Director of the Master programme in molecular biotechnology engineering Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Molecular Evolution 018-471 4696, [email protected] Bengt Persson Director of the Master programme in bioinformatics Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Computational and Sys- tems Biology 018-471 4422, [email protected] Suparna Sanyal Director of the Master Programme in applied biotechnology and the Master programme in molecular biotechnology Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Structural & Molecular Biology 018-471 4220, [email protected] Brita Svensson Director of the Master programme in biology Department of Ecology and Genetics, Plant Ecology and Evolution 018-471 2854, [email protected]

50 Maps EBC – The Evolutionary Biology Centre Zoology Museum of evolution, Lindahl hall Zootis hall Villavägen 9: Villavägen 9 , 1st floor 9

Zoologen ground floor (18 A) ( Disketten , Hubben Computer rooms 2nd floor: IBG administration 1st floor: Room 2, room 3 Ground floor: Ekman hall, hall, Fries Cleve room Main building ground floor + 1st (entrance 18 B) Library, student lunch room, course labs, Herbarium 18 A 16 14 ); , Musen ); , Norbyvägen 14: 18 B , restaurant

18 C Norbyvägen 14-22 Norbyvägen 18 D 20 and study rooms, rooms 4, 5 Student lunch room, group 6 (entrance 18 C) 18 E 22 Paleontology Museum of evolution,

Paleontology

Kåbovägen (entrance 18 D) & 1003 (1st floor) Seminar room 0009 (gf) N

51 BMC – The Uppsala Biomedical Centre

Kåbovägen D0 rooms (1st fl oor) Student lunch B1 A1 D1 C1 room (2nd fl oor) Student lunch B21 A2 C2 B22 A3 B3 D3 C3 (1st fl oor) BMC library (ground fl oor), Restaurant bikupan B41 D4 C4 A4 B42 D5 A5 B5 C5 C6 A6 IBG administration Reception IBG’s course labs D7 B7 A7 C7 i B8 C8 A8 D9 A9 B9 C9 (basement) IBG’s computer rooms Norra vägen B10: C10 E10 A10 1 D10 B10: 2 A11 B11 D11 C11

Husargatan

N Dag Hammarskjölds väg Hammarskjölds Dag

52 Polacksbacken – Ångström Laboratory and ITC

Polacksbacken Lecture Hall Polacksbacken Exam Hall

Restaurant Rullan

Lunch room (basement) 4 ITC Lägerhyddsvägen 2 Regementsvägen 3

Uppsala Union for Engineering and Science Students 2 1 3 Café Ångström Main entrance 4 5 1 Siegbahn hall

6 Hägg hall, Polhem hall (ground 7 1 floor). Lunch room (basement). 8 Ångström library and student service, (first floor)

Ångström laboratory

53 54 55 Biology Education Centre Uppsala University

Visiting addresses: EBC (Evolutionary Biology Centre) Norbyvägen 14

BMC (Uppsala Biomedical Centre) Husargatan 3, entrance A8, ground floor.

Postal address: Box 592, SE-751 24 Uppsala, Sweden