UKÄ calls for development of biomedical analyst programmes
In an evaluation presented on 19 March, the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ) states that certain areas of biomedical analyst programmes throughout the country need to be improved in order for students to receive the best possible education. At the same time, there are strengths in the programmes that can inspire further development, according to the results from UKÄ.
All higher education institutions in UKÄ's evaluation of the education leading to a degree of biomedical analyst receive the overall assessment of questioned quality.
When it comes to the education at Karolinska Institutet, it is documentation according to relevant statutes that is considered not to be met.
However, UKÄ's assessment group also notes that teachers generally have a high level of scientific competence, which provides good conditions for a strong connection to current research.
“Now it will be our task to sit down and analyse the results from UKÄ. Since all higher education institutions have had the quality of the same degree objectives questioned, it’s clear that we need to deepen our ongoing development work on the objectives of documentation in accordance with relevant statutes,” says Ewa Ehrenborg, academic vice president for higher education at KI.
“We should remember that the other reviews in the evaluation are very positive. Especially when it comes to science, where we have a high level of competence and breadth of subjects in the teaching group. The students get to practice their scientific approach and their ability to critically review and use relevant information. We also see that we have a good common ground for both specialisations (laboratory medicine and clinical physiology) and have clear progression in the programme,” she says.
In its statement, UKÄ highlights the new programme syllabus that KI is implementing in the biomedical analyst programme.
“This is very gratifying for us, as UKÄ believes that it is well prepared and looks like it provides good conditions for our students to meet the rapid development in the profession. UKÄ's solid opinion on the quality of the programmes will be an important basis in our systematic quality work in the future,” says Pernilla Lång, programme director of the Biomedical Analyst Programme at KI.
“Of course, there are also areas for development. On the one hand, there is room for development in the formal pedagogical competence of the teaching staff. Firstly, that professional competence is relatively dependent on our adjunct clinical lecturers. It also shows how important these are and how important our collaboration with Region Stockholm is in terms of VFU. But also that we have challenges in supervisor competence at VFU,” she says.
The higher education institutions must submit a report on the measures taken by 18 March 2026 at the latest.
"First, we need to do the analysis individually at Karolinska Institutet, but then it is also important that we do it together with the other universities. The goal is to be able to provide the best possible education to new and existing students in the Biomedical Analyst Programme. This also applies to the area that we now need to put extra effort into to get equally good reviews from UKÄ there as well,” says Ewa Ehrenborg.