Guidelines for Appointment As Non-Salaried Docents at the Faculty of Business, Science and Engineering

ORU 1.2.1-01775/2019

This is a translation of a Swedish document. In the event of a discrepancy, the Swedish-language version shall prevail.

GUIDELINES FOR APPOINTMENT OF NON-SALARIED DOCENTS AT THE FACULTY OF BUSINESS, SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

Approved by the Faculty Board of Business, Science and Engineering Date: 2016-06-14 Last revision: 2019-04-03

Guidelines for appointment as non-salaried docents at the Faculty of Business, Science and Engineering

Approved: 2016-06-14 ORU 1.2.1-01775/2019 Last revision: 2019-04-03

1. Background The vice-chancellor has set out the following main principles for the appointment of non- salaried docents:

− For researchers to be appointed as non-salaried docents, the appointment shall be considered beneficial for research and education within the faculty. − Docents are as a rule appointed in a main field of study and/or third-cycle subject area at Örebro University. − Eligible for appointment as docents are those who have obtained a doctoral degree and meet the criteria concerning research expertise and teaching competency that have been laid down by the faculty board for the appointment as a docent.

2. General The title of docent signifies a certain level of expertise. The holder has demonstrated autonomous research ability and teaching competency, and they possess a notably higher degree of research expertise than is required for a doctoral degree.

Those appointed as docents are expected to accept assignments as external reviewers, supervisors, members of examining committees and other expert assignments, as well as actively assume responsibility for and be proactive in teaching as well as in research.

If the academic appointment committee makes the assessment that there are special grounds, docents may be appointed within subjects other than the established main fields of study/third- cycle subject areas at Örebro University. For example, if the subject is a third-cycle subject area at another Swedish higher education institution, and the faculty intends to build up competence within the field in order to establish it as a main field of study/third-cycle subject area, or if the subject is of a transdisciplinary nature.

Those who take up employment at Örebro University and who have been granted docent status at another higher education institution in Sweden, do not need to apply for a transfer, as such a status has full validity also at Örebro University.

Those employed at Örebro University who have been granted docent status at another higher education institution in another Nordic country shall apply for the appointment as a docent at Örebro University. The academic appointment committee may find, based on the candidate’s application and the other higher education institution’s guidelines and procedures for the appointment of docents, that the candidate has clearly reached an adequate level of expertise and competency to facilitate appointment as a docent at Örebro University, and that an external expert’s assessment is therefore unnecessary. Otherwise, the application shall be processed as per standard procedure.

Guidelines for appointment as non-salaried docents at the Faculty of Business, Science and Engineering

Approved: 2016-06-14 ORU 1.2.1-01775/2019 Last revision: 2019-04-03

3. Research expertise

The candidate must be able to account for a notably higher degree of research expertise and research skills than is required for a doctoral degree. Some consideration may be given to current and future planned research.

Specialised and broadened research The candidate shall have specialised and broadened their research during the time following their thesis defence. It is particularly essential that the candidate’s research output exhibits sufficient research depth. The papers must have been published or accepted for publication in reputable international journals with a peer-review system. The papers may also have been published in other internationally accessible publications, in which case, however, any special conditions of the subject or field in question should be taken into consideration. For co- authored works, the assessment shall take into consideration the level of contribution of each author.

In subjects within the science and engineering disciplines, the candidate shall normally be able to show proof of 15 original works, including the papers in the thesis. The required number of original works may be lower or higher depending on the scientific quality of the papers, the number of authors, and author order.

In subjects within the social science and humanities disciplines, the candidate shall normally be able to show proof of research output equivalent to at least two high-quality doctoral theses. The required output may be lower or higher depending on the scientific quality of the papers, the number of authors, and author order.

Evolved autonomy as a researcher Following their thesis defence, the candidate shall have developed their autonomy as a researcher. This means that the candidate shall be the principal author, without previous principal supervisors or assistant supervisors as co-authors, of at least two of the original papers listed in the application.

Ability to lead research Following their thesis defence, the candidate shall also have gained experience of managing research projects and applying for research funding.

4. Teaching competency The candidate shall have a good ability to impart knowledge and communicate research findings to students, doctoral students and colleagues within the subject area. This ability will be evaluated specifically in a trial lecture once a positive external expert’s report has been submitted (see annex).

Teaching competency will also be assessed based on the candidate’s reflection on their role as supervisor, their planned future teaching activities, as well as on the quality and scope of their teaching experience in using various methods of teaching: for example, lectures, seminars,

Guidelines for appointment as non-salaried docents at the Faculty of Business, Science and Engineering

Approved: 2016-06-14 ORU 1.2.1-01775/2019 Last revision: 2019-04-03

demonstrations and supervision. Teaching experience may include teaching at the first, second and third cycle.

Within the science and engineering disciplines, teaching experience shall normally comprise at least 200 teaching hours (including preparation and follow-up), of which a maximum of 40 hours may consist of supervision. Within the social science and humanities disciplines, teaching experience shall normally comprise at least 400 teaching hours (including preparation and follow-up), of which a maximum of 50 hours may consist of supervision. In addition, the candidate shall: − have completed the courses Learning and Teaching in Higher Education 1 and 2 or their equivalent, or be deemed to have the corresponding competence, − have completed the course Supervising Research Students or its equivalent, − have been an assistant supervisor for doctoral students for at least two years in total, − have had course coordinating responsibilities, undertaken course development or educational development work, or authored teaching materials.

5. Benefit Based on current and planned future activities, the academic appointment committee is tasked with assessing whether the docentship will be beneficial for the research and education within the main field of study or third-cycle subject area to which the docentship, under the proposal in question, will be linked.

6. External applicants Candidates who are not employed at Örebro University may be appointed non-salaried docents if the academic appointment committee makes the assessment that such an appointment is beneficial for the research and education within the main field of study or third-cycle subject area to which the docentship, under the proposal in question, will be linked. Candidates who are employed neither at Örebro University nor any other higher education institution, shall meet the same criteria as other applicants with the exception of the requirement of having completed the courses Learning and Teaching in Higher Education 1 and 2 or their equivalent.

7. External experts’ assessment The candidate’s research expertise and teaching competency shall be assessed by an external expert. The person appointed external expert shall be a professor (unless there are special grounds) at another higher education institution. The external expert shall in a written report give grounds for their assessment on whether the candidate meets the requirements for research expertise and teaching competency.

8. Application and decision Applications for appointment as a non-salaried docent shall be made on a designated form1. Decisions on approving or rejecting applications for the appointment as a non-salaried docent are made by the faculty board.

1 Application form can be found on the faculty boards’ pages on Inforum and at www.oru.se

Guidelines for appointment of ANNEX non-salaried docents by the ENT Board Approved: 2016-06-14 Annex approved: 2016-12-09 ORU 1.2.1-02217/2016

Annex, trial lecture

1. The Teachers' Proposal Committee instructs the head of subject to propose the subject and date for the candidate’s trial lecture for appointment as a docent. The lecture is expected to last 45 minutes and may be given to students on the first cycle as part of the regular course activities, or as an open education and outreach presentation of the candidate’s own research. The lecture may be held in Swedish or English. The applicant should demonstrate their ability to convey relevant information in a clear way.

2. The committee appoints an assessment group consisting of three members/substitutes from the committee. The assessment group appoints a chair from within the group.

3. The head of subject, in consultation with the assessment team, sets the date and books the venue, and sends out invitations to the lecture. The head of subject informs the committee secretary, who enters the lecture in the University's web calendar.

4. Immediately after the lecture, the assessment group convenes. The meeting is held in two parts. The first part concerns the gathering of information by the head of subject. The second consists of the assessment group's closed deliberations and decision whether or not to approve the trial lecture. The head of subject has the right of attendance and to speak during the first part of the meeting.

5. Quorum is reached when all group members are present. The decision is based on the group's majority opinion. The signed minutes are submitted to the University's records office.

6. In the event that the trial lecture is not approved, the applicant's opportunity to give a new lecture is reviewed by the committee on a case-by-case basis.

Assessment The assessment includes the following criteria: − Was the topic covered adequately? − Was the degree of difficulty appropriate? − Was the content well organised? − Were illustrations satisfactory? (Quantity, quality, understanding, etc.) − Was the pace appropriate? − Did it end on time? − Was the point of the lecture understood?