Organisation

Doctoral education is organised in the form of programmes within the framework of the Swedish Defence University's existing organisation.

The overall aim is to create good conditions for high quality in education, within a cohesive and clear framework with a good balance between the field and third-cycle subjects, as well as between line management and collegial quality management. The aim is also to support and coordinate the continued development of the area of defence, crisis management and security as a whole.

Research and Education Board

The overall responsibility for collegial quality management and quality assurance of doctoral education lies with the Research and Education Board.

Head of Research

In terms of lines, the overall responsibility for the implementation of the doctoral education, which, like the degree programmes at the undergraduate and graduate levels, transcends departmental and departmental boundaries, is placed with the Head of Research. The Head of Research decides on assignments as Area Director, based on a proposal from the Research and Education Board and in consultation with the Heads of Departments.

Deans and directors of studies

Responsibility for the day-to-day management, coordination and follow-up of doctoral education is allocated through assignments to a dean and directors of studies for each third-cycle subject. The dean's role is to take responsibility for the implementation and quality of doctoral education as a whole, while the directors of studies are responsible for the implementation and quality of each third-cycle subject.

In order to create a clear link to the Research and Education Board, the directors of studies are co-opted to the Research Committee.

Preparatory councils

The preparatory councils for issues relating to the structure, implementation and quality of each third-cycle subject is the respective subject council. For issues concerning the area as a whole, the dean has the support of the supervisors. The Supervisors is a forum for collegial exchange with a focus on quality development and advice regarding the supervision of doctoral students. All existing and potential supervisors at the Swedish Defence University are invited to join the Supervisors.

The Board and the Vice-Chancellor

The Board, and the Vice-Chancellor subordinate thereto, have the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that the university's tasks, including high-quality doctoral education, are fulfilled. Among other things, the Board governs through frameworks for the allocation of grant funds to various tasks and through regular follow-up of operations. In addition, a number of special decisions are made by the Board and the Vice-Chancellor. The Board decides on the establishment and discontinuation of third-cycle subjects and on admission procedures. In accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance, the Vice-Chancellor makes decisions regarding the withdrawal of the right to supervision and other resources.

Heads of departments and line managers

The heads of departments and other line managers have a central role through their responsibility to lead and organise the activities so that the tasks can be carried out with high quality and in an efficient manner. Assignments as director of studies for doctoral education are decided at department level after consultation with the relevant subject councils.

University Administration

The University Administration is responsible for administrative support to the Research and Education Board and to the Head of Research, the Dean and the Director of Studies' administration of the doctoral programme.

Supervisors and doctoral students

Finally, supervisors and doctoral students have important roles not only for the concrete implementation of the individually designed doctoral studies, but also for the formal regulation and follow-up that is linked to the individual study plans.

Doctoral student participation

The fact that the doctoral students' perspectives are taken into account and have an impact in the design and implementation of the education is an important quality factor. This is done, for example, through representation in preparatory and decision-making bodies, including the Research and Education Board and the Subject Councils, through ongoing dialogue with the Student Union's Doctoral Student Association and through the involvement of doctoral students in planning and follow-up. Course evaluations and surveys also play an important role in this context.