The safe university
Luleå University of Technology shall be free from discrimination and harassment of all kinds. Students, employees and visitors should feel welcome and safe in the university's environment. Everyone is jointly responsible for creating a welcoming culture to be proud of.
Here you will find information and contact channels for those who need to report something you have experienced or seen someone else being subjected to so that the university can take action.
The state's core values
Luleå University of Technology's core values are based on the state values, which, among other things, emphasize democratic values, objectivity and respect for all people's rights and integrity. The value words that characterize Luleå University of Technology are courage, proximity and trust. We dare to challenge and question to make room for new ideas. We are proud of each other and of belonging to Luleå University of Technology.
Basic legal principles
Based on the legal system, the common core values can be summarized in six basic principles. It should be emphasized that these principles are common to all government employees, despite their widely differing areas of activity.
There are six fundamental principles of public administration based on the rule of law:
- Democracy - that all public power emanates from the people (Chapter 1, Section 1, first paragraph of the Instrument of Government (RF)).
- Legality - that all public activities must be supported by laws and ordinances (Chapter 1, Section 1, last paragraph, RF).
- Objectivity - to observe and impartiality and that equal cases should be treated equally (Chapter 1, Section 9, RF).
- Free formation of opinion - including freedom of expression and freedom of information; a prerequisite for the free formation of opinion is the public's right to access public documents (Chapter 1, Section 1, second paragraph, RF).
- Respect - for everyone's equal value and the freedom and dignity of the individual, where equality, equality, humanity and integrity are key words (Chapter 1, Section 2, first paragraph, RF).
- Efficiency and service - according to the Budget Act, the Administrative Procedure Act and the Ordinance on Public Authorities, public activities should be conducted as cheaply and with as high a quality as possible. Services must be provided through information, guidance and other assistance to individuals.
- The state's core values
External link, opens in new window.
A document that describes the six principles of democracy, legality, objectivity, freedom of opinion, respect, efficiency and service, the City Office.
Code of Conduct
Luleå University of Technology is a challenge-driven university that will be recognized for contributing to a competitive and sustainable society by offering cross-border education and research in a welcoming culture that is permeated by courage, proximity and trust. A professional approach to each other and our surroundings is an important part of achieving this.
The Code of Conduct therefore defines how we should behave towards each other and what behaviour we can expect from others. The Code of Conduct should form the basis for dialogues within the university in order to be concretized and kept alive.
For the University, it is self-evident that all people have equal value, rights, opportunities and obligations. Differences enrich our university and that is how we want it to be. Both students and employees are therefore expected, in speech and writing in both physical and digital contexts, to:
- Treat everyone, students, employees and other partners with respect and consideration. This applies regardless of gender, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other beliefs, disability, sexual orientation and age.
- Contribute to creating a safe, respectful and inclusive work and study environment. This means actively acting to counteract ostracism, unwanted jokes, unpleasant comments and aggressive behaviour.
- Encouraging others, providing support and help and thus contributing to a good working environment for all. This builds trust and contributes to a safe place to work and study that promotes development and knowledge.
- Be a good role model by communicating in a professional manner and expressing opinions objectively and not by attacking a person's way of being, appearance or similar.
- Show respect for differences - not everyone looks the same, thinks the same or has the same experiences. This is perfectly OK and an essential part of the working and study environment at a university.
- It is important to be able to debate opinions, thoughts, political beliefs and social issues of various kinds in a respectful manner. Being able to exchange opinions with each other should be a natural part of being at a university.
- Speak up directly if something feels wrong to the people concerned and, if necessary, to people who can help fix the problem, such as the immediate manager or the student union.
What is discrimination?
Luleå University of Technology has zero tolerance for all forms of discrimination and harassment and this is based on the Discrimination Act. The Discrimination Act describes what is discrimination, who can be exposed and from whom.
The law requires Luleå University of Technology to counteract discrimination and harassment, but also to work actively to promote equal treatment and equal rights. Discrimination occurs when someone treats another person worse than another in a comparable situation, due to one of the grounds for discrimination:
- gender
- transgender identity or expression
- ethnicity
- religion or other beliefs
- disability
- sexual orientation
- age
Direct discrimination may include, for example, a student receiving lower grades than other students in the same group work because of their ethnicity. Another example is if an employee is denied a promotion because of their gender or sexual orientation, or if a position is terminated after parental leave.
Lack of accessibility is discriminatory if a person with a disability is put at a disadvantage and cannot reach a comparable situation as people without the disability.
Indirect discrimination is where a person is disadvantaged by the application of a provision, criterion or practice which appears to be neutral but which may place persons of a particular gender, transgender identity or expression, ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, sexual orientation or age at a particular disadvantage, unless the provision, criterion or practice has a legitimate aim and the means used are appropriate and necessary to achieve that aim.
- Read more about discrimination External link, opens in new window.
Discrimination Ombudsman
What is harassment?
Harassment is a violation of someone's dignity. Even if there is no intention to offend, it can still be harassment.
Harassment is conduct that violates someone's dignity and is related to one of the grounds of discrimination: gender, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other beliefs, disability, sexual orientation or age.
Sexual harassment is behaviour of a sexual nature that violates someone's dignity.
It can involve joking about, making derogatory comments about, making invisible or drawing attention to a person or group in front of others in a way that they find negative. It can also include spreading rumors, touching, suggestions, looks, unwelcome messages such as pictures and videos, or spreading pictures of a person who does not want the picture to be spread. Anyone can be targeted, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. The victim decides what is unwelcome and therefore harassing.
Whether or not there is intent, an act can be considered harassment. Harassment can be based on ignorance or incomprehension, but it does not matter. The victim decides whether the behaviour is unwelcome. Therefore, be sensitive to others.
Trust your intuition and feelings if something feels unpleasant or unwelcome. No one should have to endure derogatory jargon.
Luleå University of Technology works actively to handle these matters efficiently and professionally. Our vision is a university free from harassment. To achieve this, we all need to help each other to tell what we see around us and provide support to those who are exposed.
Students - contact the legal function via jurister@ltu.se or the student union you belong to if you are subjected to negative treatment.
As a student, you should witness events:
- not accept derogatory jargon
- make a clear statement against harassment
- listen to and support a victimized fellow student
Digital abuse
Online abuse can spread quickly and anonymously and can be difficult to remove. Keep in mind that what is not okay to say or do face-to-face is also not okay to do via digital channels.
Regardless of the channel in which violations occur, you should speak up. Sometimes our work and study environment moves into digital forums and even there we should have a welcoming culture and make everyone feel included and safe.
It can be unclear and difficult to understand the intention of a joke written in a chat, so it is important to think about how things are expressed.
If you organize a digital study group or digital coffee break, remember to invite extra people so that no one is excluded. Be helpful to others who may not have your digital skills.
The Swedish Authority for the Protection of Privacy (IMY) provides tips and advice on what to do if you have been treated unfairly online, for example if someone has written something derogatory on a forum or posted a picture of you that you do not want spread.
- If you have been harassed online External link, opens in new window.
Integrity Protection Authority
How does reporting work?
If you have experienced something or witnessed something that you are not OK with, you should speak up and tell us about it. It is always the victim who decides whether what you experienced was unwanted, unwelcome or offensive.
Employees contact their manager, the manager's manager or HR for further handling.
Doctoral students can also contact the doctoral student representative
Students can contact jurister@ltu.se by e-mail. A lawyer will call you back. Keep your information short and note that what is submitted in writing to the university is considered a public document that the public may be entitled to access. Information may be subject to confidentiality, professional secrecy applies and as few people as possible should be involved in the case.
An initial assessment is then made to see whether Luleå University of Technology has an obligation to investigate and, if so, how it should be investigated further.
An investigation means that those involved will be contacted, both the person reporting and the person who has been reported. If other people have information that affects the investigation, they will be contacted. An investigation can lead to employment law or disciplinary measures.
All parties involved in an investigation have the right to receive support. The university as an authority must observe impartiality.
Depending on who is involved in the incident and what has happened, the matter is handled via the provisions of the Discrimination Act and/or the Higher Education Ordinance.
You do not need to meet with the person who exposed you during the investigation of the case or in the disciplinary committee etc. It is important to know that it is not allowed to expose you who have reported harassment, or otherwise participated in an investigation, to punishment of any kind (reprisals) during or after the investigation.
Guidelines for the handling of disciplinary cases (Insert link to document in guidelines not yet available)
Guidelines for the investigation of discrimination (Insert link to document in guidelines not yet available)
Whistleblowing - when you suspect or have information about misconduct
The university's whistleblower function is a special channel established to facilitate the reporting of suspected misconduct at Luleå University of Technology.
Talk to someone
Talk to someone you trust.
For students
If you want to talk to someone about an experience or have concerns about a particular area, talk to someone within the university you trust or:
- Luleå Student Union External link, opens in new window.
- The Technologist's Union External link, opens in new window.
For those who are employed
If you want to talk to someone about an experience or have concerns about a particular area, please contact:
- your immediate manager
- another manager
- HUMAN RESOURCES
- trade union representative or safety officer
For doctoral students
As a doctoral student, you can also contact
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