For university employees or doctoral candidates
Here are the agreements and terms and conditions for employees within higher education.
About 5 000 members of Engineers of Sweden are employed in higher education. We work to promote your interests, both union and professional, as concerns ministries and government agencies. We have a particular focus on working conditions and salary formation, which are a prerequisite for continued growth in both research and education.
University operations
- University operations are regulated by legislation and agreements
- The Higher Education Act is separate legislation for the university field
- The regulations for universities consist of government instructions on the application of the Higher Education Act
- Relevant labour law legislation is also, of course, applicable in the field of higher education
FAQs on being a university employee
Within the state sector, the terms and conditions and salary agreement apply until further notice and regulate all employment-linked compensation and benefits. In addition, working hours are regulated by local collective agreements. Terms and Conditions Agreement T (Villkorsavtal-T) regulates reimbursement of expenses, working hours, annual holiday leave, other forms of leave, notice periods and other employment conditions, while RALS-T is the salary agreement for the state sector.
Working hours are negotiated to meet the needs of local operations. The basis is, of course, is the Working Hours Act. Contact your local Saco-S Association representative for what applies at your workplace.
The state sector salary agreement applies to all academic employees within higher education and salary formation takes place locally at each higher education institution. The agreement is called RALS-T.
Working terms and conditions
The terms of employment in higher education are governed by agreements at different levels, centrally and locally. Local agreements are based on the central. Central agreements are made between Saco-S and the Swedish Employers Agency and apply to all universities and university colleges. Local agreements are negotiated between the local Saco-S association and the employer.
For doctoral candidates
When you are a doctoral candidate, you work under different circumstances and with different employment conditions as compared to the rest of the labour market. We are here for you with help and support, you can also pay reduced union membership fee while you are undertaking doctoral studies.
If you are already a member of the Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers and wish to change to a doctoral candidate fee, please contact our membership service. We need to know where you are studying for your doctorate and for how long.
If you are not a member, you are welcome to apply for membership here. Do not forget to indicate in your application where you are studying for your doctorate and for how long.
Read more information directed specifically to present or future doctoral candidates.
Union representative at your university
You are represented at your workplace by the Saco-S local association. Saco-S brings together members from the Saco associations that work in the public sector, including members of the Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers.
The local association negotiates with the employer on salaries, local agreements and individual membership matters. In addition, there are local associations for the Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers at the universities. They work to monitor members' areas of interest and provide advice.
A Guide to Swedish Academia
As new to the Swedish research system, you may have questions about Swedish academia. To make things easier, there is a guide for international researchers, to help navigate. The guide is written by Young Academy of Sweden.