New instructions for teacher appointments to better meet the organisation’s needs
Updated instructions for teaching appointments at KI apply from 15 October. The aim is to better meet KI’s needs in recruitment, promotion and assessment of qualifications.
On 29 September, the President decided on the changes, which are intended, among other things, to provide greater scope to allow different types of qualifications into account and to contribute to more nuanced assessments.
The HR Department has reviewed the qualification requirements for teaching appointments as part of focus area C – strategic and needs-based skills supply. The review was initiated in response to feedback from departments that have experienced difficulties recruiting teachers and have called for more flexible and clearer eligibility requirements and assessment criteria.
– We need to continuously develop our processes to meet the needs of the organisation and ensure we have the expertise we need. That is why it has been important for me to listen to the feedback received from our departments. The updated instructions are intended to provide more effective support for managers and recruiting functions, and greater clarity for those who wish to qualify for a teaching position. Although the instructions do not solve every challenge, they are an important step toward better qualification and assessment conditions, says Annika Östman Wernerson, President of KI.
Greater scope for different types of qualifications in the assessment
The eligibility requirements and assessment criteria in the instructions have been reviewed and adjusted in several areas. One clarification is that publications should be assessed on the basis of both quality and quantity, and that statistical measures should serve as guidance rather than as individual requirements.
Several requirements have also been eased or reworded. For example, the requirements for grants have been broadened for certain positions so that more types of funding can be included. The requirement for academic leadership for positions focused on education and research has also been eased.
The requirements for academic publications have been adjusted for certain positions, for example by reducing the number of publications required or replacing the requirement for a specific author role with a more overall assessment of the applicant’s contribution.
Leadership and collaboration qualifications have also been given a clearer role in the assessment, including by highlighting more types of assignments as meritorious and converting some previous requirements into assessment criteria. Positions focused on education and research are given greater prominence as a result of the changes being made.
– The new instructions provide greater scope to take different types of qualifications into account in the assessment. It is important that teaching expertise, leadership, and collaboration are clearly highlighted, as they are central parts of the teaching role at KI, says Ewa Ehrenborg, Dean of Higher Education.
Involvement and dialogue with the organisation
The work has been led by the Group for Strategic Competence Provision (GSK) and has been carried out in several stages, with broad involvement and dialogue with the organisation. During the process, views have been gathered through a survey, interviews, a working group and consultation rounds, followed by further preparation by the Faculty Board, the Recruitment Committee and, finally, in dialogue with the university management.
Overall, the changes are intended to contribute to more nuanced assessments and make it easier to highlight the breadth of expertise needed in KI’s education and research environments. For staff, the updated guidelines provide clearer support on how qualifications and achievements can be planned and documented.
The new instructions take effect on 15 October.
Questions and answers
We have collected frequently asked questions and answers about the new instructions and what the changes mean.