Equal opportunities for external visits – rights, responsibilities and obligations

SLU’s students are encouraged to stay alert to discrimination and harassment.

If you believe you have been the victim of discrimination or harassment, we urge you to tell your course coordinator or another member of SLU staff. They will then take the matter up with the head of department (in charge of the department). Both study counsellors and programme directors of studies at SLU are bound by professional secrecy. This means you can turn to them in confidence if you want to discuss something that has happened.

You can also turn to your student union for help and support.

If you find out that another person is being harassed or discriminated against, we strongly encourage you to inform your course coordinator or other member of SLU staff.

Challenging norms

Work with equal opportunities involves promoting equal rights and opportunities, regardless of a person’s sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnic origin, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation or age.

During your time at the university, you will have the opportunity to influence and awaken your own ideas and those of others. You are part of your study environment and your future work environment. Reflect on the norms and unwritten rules of your future profession. Norms are notions, ideas and unwritten rules that often shape us and our relationship to those around us and society in general. In the long run, these norms create power structures which may or may not be positive.

Make a habit of reflecting on the following when you go on placement, excursions, study and site visits or come into contact with the culture surrounding your chosen profession.

Before the visit

What notions do you have about the workplace you will be visiting? Who works there? What do you think characterises the organisation you will be visiting?

During the visit

Reflect on the norms that govern the environment. Do they correspond with your expectations? What characterises the behaviours and norms that are clear at the organisation? Do you think there are behaviours and norms that are less obvious? Which ones? What can be done to change these? How does the workplace address equal opportunities? You should also reflect on how you interact with others during your visit.

After the visit

SLU course coordinators are encouraged to reflect on the visit/placement together with their students. Students can also share their reflections in the course evaluation.

Would you like to know more?

You will find information about SLU’s work with equal opportunities, and what applies if you or anyone else is the victim of victimisation or harassment at this page: https://student.slu.se/en/rules-rights/equal-treatment/

Students are protected against discrimination and harassment in all organisations and activities related to their studies.

It is important that you are familiar with the obligations stipulated in the Swedish Discrimination Act (2008:567). The Act can be found in full on the Equality Ombudsman’s website (www.do.se). The website also contains information about how to avoid discrimination.

As a host, you must always take action if you see harassment or discrimination when visits are ongoing. Your words and actions must contribute to a safe and inclusive visit.

Letter of intent for an equal green sector

Together with other members of the green sector, SLU has also created an initiative for an attractive, gender-equal and fair work and study environment. Participants commit to work actively to apply gender equality and equal opportunities perspectives to create attractive study and work environments. This also includes improving and highlighting the work against discrimination and harassment. This is a way for the participants to be a role model for other companies/organisations and for pupils and students in the green sector. It is a case of making sure that our actions and words in our everyday work contribute to an environment in which everyone has the same opportunities to thrive in their work and studies, regardless of who they are.

You can read the letter of intent in its entirety here: Avsiktsförklaring för en attraktiv, jämställd och jämlik arbets- och studiemiljö inom den gröna sektorn  (in Swedish only).

Challenging norms

In order to prevent harassment and victimisation, we need to work with preventive and encouraging measures. Work with equal opportunities involves promoting equal rights and opportunities, regardless of a person’s sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnic origin, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation or age.

As the host, you are able to influence and awaken ideas with both yourself and the students. You also have a duty to ensure that the students do not experience any form of victimisation during their visit. Seize the opportunity to reflect on your own norms and the unwritten rules in your environment. Norms are notions, ideas and unwritten rules that often shape us and our relationship to those around us and society in general. In the long run, these norms create power structures which may or may not be positive.

Before the visit

What notions do you think the students have about the workplace they will be visiting? What do you think characterises your organisation? How do you work with equal opportunities?

During the visit

Lead by example when you interact with the students. Think about how you express yourself and welcome students in an inclusive manner. Find out about their expectations and reflect upon the norms that govern your environment. What do you think characterises the behaviours and norms that are clear at the organisation? Are there behaviours that are either more or less obvious? Which ones? How does the workplace address equal opportunities?

Would you like to know more?

Visit www.do.se to read about equal opportunities, the Discrimination Act and access training materials and links. You can also read more about SLU’s work with gender equality and equal opportunities at Gender equality and equal opportunities at SLU.

Students are protected against discrimination and harassment in all organisations and activities related to their studies.

As a teacher, you play an important role in staying alert to the risk of harassment and discrimination in teaching situations. If you suspect or find out that a student has been victimised or treated unfairly, you must contact the responsible head of department/manager.

Challenging norms

In order to prevent harassment and victimisation, we need to work with preventive and encouraging measures. Work with equal opportunities involves promoting equal rights and opportunities, regardless of a person’s sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnic origin, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation or age.

As a teacher, you are able to influence and awaken ideas with both yourself and the students. Seize the opportunity to reflect on your own norms and those of SLU, as well as the unwritten rules in your environment and any other contexts. Norms are notions, ideas and unwritten rules that often shape us and our relationship to those around us and society in general. In the long run, these norms create power structures which may or may not be positive.

Before the visit

What notions do you think the students have about the workplace you will be visiting? What notions do you have about the workplace? What do you think characterises the organisation? How do they work with equal opportunities?

Prepare yourself so you know how to react if you observe victimisation or comments or behaviour that may exclude people both during and after the visit/placement. Before the visit/placement, try to take the time to discuss this with your colleagues and head of department.

During the visit

Seize the opportunity to lead by example when you interact with the workplace and the students. Find out about their expectations and reflect upon the norms that govern the environment. What characterises the behaviours and norms that appear to be clear at the organisation? Are there behaviours that are either more or less obvious? Which ones? How does the workplace address equal opportunities?

You should also prepare the way you should react if you notice that the hosts of a study visit/placement or students behave or express themselves inappropriately during the visit.

After the visit

After the visit, try to discuss your reflections on equal opportunities with the students.

Would you like to know more?

You can find out more about SLU’s work with equal opportunities at this page: Gender equality and equal opportunities at SLU, where you can also access information about what to do if you find out or suspect that a student believes they have been discriminated against or harassed.