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Report 2008:44 R

Review of study programmes in social anthropology and cultural anthropology

This report records the results of the review of study programmes in social anthropology and cultural anthropology at first, second and third cycle conducted by Högskoleverket (Swedish National Agency for Higher Education) in 2008. Three external experts, all from Sweden, were appointed.

The report comprises two parts. The first part is the Agency´s reflections on the external experts´ views. The second part is the external experts´ report. This includes a national overview of the main field of study, a description of the subject, a description of the subject at every higher education institution and, in some cases, recommendations. 

According to the external experts, the study programmes, in general, are of a high standard and are well grounded in research. The course and programme syllabi are, in most cases, well designed and clear at all levels. In the majority of cases, teaching is conducted by lecturers with doctorates. However, at most higher education institutions (HEIs) the lecturers have too little time for research. Teaching capacity and teaching competency are satisfactory and the percentage of lecturers with doctorates is over 70 per cent. However, the teaching capacity at doctoral level in relation to the number of doctoral students is low at LundUniversity.

The interest for studying anthropology is decreasing. This is the case at all HEIs, except for DalarnaUniversityCollege. The trend of falling student numbers has been reversed at DalarnaUniversityCollege in recent years, mainly because the courses and programmes are offered in the form of distance learning. Elsewhere, the fall in numbers means a reduction in funding that, in the long term, can affect stability and the possibility to allocate funds to research. This is particularly noticeable at LinköpingUniversity where the lecturers employed until further notice have no allocated research time included in their terms of employment. 

Collaboration at a national level is well established. In2006, anational network was established to cope with the new system of qualifications to be introduced. All the study programmes at second cycle have been reviewed and a common course for doctoral studies has been developed.

All HEIs have good international contacts. These include international research courses, student exchanges and fieldwork throughout the world.

Last updated: 2009-02-02
Contact: Pär Brännström, Email: firstname.lastname@hsv.se
Swedish National Agency for Higher Education  Visting address: Luntmakargatan 13  Box 7851, 103 99 Stockholm
Phone: 08-563 085 00  Fax: 08-563 085 50  Email: hsv@hsv.se