Do you have any complaints or wish to give feedback?
Do you want to make a complaint or give feedback about your course, programme or study environment? Have you seen wrongdoings that you want to report? Depending on what the case is about, there are different instances that you can turn to.
Complaints
Complaints can involve matters such as grading, attendance, supervision, quality of education, and handling times. If possible, a complaint should be handled and resolved directly by your department or faculty. In most cases, the problem can be solved closest to where it has occurred.
Exactly who you as a student should turn to in this instance can depend on the faculty or department that you belong to. At each department you will find teachers, programme coordinators, directors of study, study counsellors, course administrators and others. All of them should be able to provide you with support and guidance.
Before you proceed with making a complaint, you should know what applies in different situations. Student rights and obligations at Uppsala University are described in detail in the Guidelines for the students' working conditions. These guidelines address the rights and responsibilities that you as a student have in areas such as study environment, student influence, course planning, teaching and examination.
Your course syllabi describe and govern the direction, structure, content and intended learning outcomes of your courses. You are always welcome to contact the study counsellor at your department to learn more about this.
In cases where the problem cannot be solved at departmental-level, there are other functions in place to assist you. The Student Union has a student ombudsman and safety representatives. There are also student liaison officers located at each faculty who can help to mediate your contact with the university.
Whistleblowing function – reporting wrongdoings
You have the possibility to report suspected wrongdoings at the University that are of general interest. A whistleblowing report may, for example, concern wrongdoings that pose an imminent or manifest danger to life, health or safety, a risk of extensive environmental damage, or some other matter that there is legitimate reason to report to the authority, e.g. financial irregularities and corruption. As a student, you may find yourself in a work-related context when applying for work at Uppsala University or undertaking a placement or voluntary work here.
The law (2021:890) protecting people who report wrongdoings, known as (the Whistleblowing Act), Uppsala University is obliged to establish an internal reporting channel (a whistleblowing function).
To make an appeal
Were you not admitted to your programme or course of choice? Do you feel that a decision regarding your studies is incorrect? Some decisions can be appealed to the Higher Education Appeals Board (Överklagandenämnden för högskolan). If an appeal is possible, you should be apprised of it together with the decision. In addition, other decisions, except the decision on grades, can be appealed to the Board if you believe they violate the prohibition against discrimination under the Discrimination Act.