Many doctoral students experience difficulties during their PhD. An experiment failing, a submission to a journal rejected, and a presentation being frustrating are normal and expected during your journey. Being bullied and hating every minute that you spend at work is not normal though. No-one should feel that way and there is help available.
unwanted and aggressive behaviour that is intended to disturb, intimidate, or create a hostile environment for an individual. It can take many forms, including verbal, physical, or psychological actions, and may involve repeated actions or a single severe incident.
unfair or prejudicial treatment of individuals based on specific characteristics or attributes, such as race, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or nationality. It involves making distinctions that disadvantage certain individuals while favouring others, often leading to unequal opportunities
treating someone unfairly or harshly because they have reported or complained about discrimination, harassment, or other wrongful behaviour, or because they have supported someone else in doing so. It involves retaliatory actions that can create a hostile or intimidating environment for the individual who has spoken out.
If you encounter difficulties with your work environment that hinder your work, learning or well-being, please follow these steps to seek resolution. Please note that as a doctoral student, you are protected under various laws and legal requirements. All deviations in the work environment must be registered in the IA system, which is a web-based system for reporting accidents, work-related illness, issues in the work environment, discrimination, harassment and victimisation. NOTE: If you make a report in the IA system, it is a good idea to also report it to the Ombudspersons (see: scroll further down on this page). This is to ensure that both KI and MF get notified.
The student and doctoral safety representatives (SSOs) are student representatives from an undergraduate, postgraduate, or doctoral level, whose responsibility is to help you navigate the system. All cases handled by the SSOs are kept confidential under legal obligations, so do not hesitate to reach out if needed.
SSOs are part of the “Safety network”. In case you are not familiar with the SSO of your department, then consult the page below, which also explains what the Safety network is and how one could be part of it and help others.
If you have further concerns, please contact the Chief Student Safety Representative (HuvudStuderande SkyddsOmbud – HSSO).
Independent from KI, you can turn to the ombudspersons with questions regarding KI’s rules, or get support in conflicts and other situations that can arise during your time at KI. Matters are treated in confidence. It is always free of charge an available for all doctoral students.
The purpose of the Work Environment Act is to prevent bad health and accidents among employees at work and students at their place of study as well as to create a good work environment. It states, for example, that the employer/education provider is ultimately responsible for the work environment and must lead the work towards a better work environment.
Some the major and important laws that are relevant of the doctoral students are as follows,
But a simplified and more detailed document for rules regarding the same is found in the document – Rules for doctoral education at Karolinska Institutet Reg.no. 1-797/2024. Section 9 of this document details with regards to Dealing with problems, withdrawing resources and expulsion.
A doctoral student has the right according to the Higher Education Ordinance, to be allowed to change supervisor. Refer to the changing supervisor document for a flow chart of what to do. This should be treated as a last resort. The form required for changing supervisors is here in the “Other forms” section. A Higher Education Institution is not allowed to have a restrictive attitude against such requests. Similarly, it is only the Rector of KI who has the right to make decisions with regards to expulsion and withdrawal of resources (all means) of a candidate from their doctoral studies as prescribed by the Ordinance on the Expulsion of Students from Higher Education (Förordning om avskiljande av studenter från högskoleutbildning, 2007:989). In these cases, there must be a written notice and investigation to all parties involved. The student has the right to view all investigative documents associated with them.
Whistleblowing reports can concern risks to life, health, safety, security, or the environment. It also includes financial irregularities, corruption, and environmental regulation breaches. Whistleblowing does not include circumstances related to the whistleblower’s own work or employment conditions.
As PhD students, we have an occupational health service (Avonova) that allows you to get 2 free appointments a year for different specialists such as family doctor, ergonomist, psychologist, and get vaccinated for hepatitis B if working with human samples or cells. You can also receive telephone counseling.
The Doctoral Students’ Association is a section of Medicinska Föreningen
© 2025 – Doctoral Students’ Association
