Responsible unit: Student Services and Office of the President
Contact: Mia Jörstål and Lovisa af Petersens

 

Background and purpose

Stockholm University’s Local System of Qualifications (see Governing Documents – Rules and Regulations) contains the fundamental regulations that apply to joint, double or multiple degrees. The national regulations are in Chapter 1 Section 17 of the Higher Education Act (1992:1434) and are specified in Chapter 6 Section 11 of the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100) and regulate that educational programmes that lead to one of these kinds of degrees shall have been arranged within the scope of a formal educational cooperation. New national or international educational cooperation with other universities or research cooperation that includes education,  which shall lead to one of the kinds of degrees above means that a complex and time-consuming process is initiated. In addition to the department that has the intention of initiating the cooperation, several administrative offices need to be involved in the process. It is also crucial that the plans for educational cooperation are supported at the right level before a decision on an agreement or contract  can be made. This procedure is intended to make visible and clarify the various steps in this complex process for the various actors concerned. There are references in the document, these are found as endnotes at the end of the document.

Timetable

The time required for preparing an educational programme that will lead to a joint degree is just over one year, while the preparation work for an educational programme that will lead to double or multiple degrees can most often be done in less time.

Joint degree

A joint degree means that a student/doctoral student receives one degree after completing, with passing grades, a programme arranged by two or more universities in cooperation. The cooperating universities are responsible for various parts of the programme within a jointly developed programme syllabus/general study plan. A (joint) degree certificate is only issued when the degree requirements are met at all universities that are to issue the joint degree.  The joint degree must be in the same education cycle at all parties in the cooperation.

Double and multiple degrees

Double degrees mean that a student/doctoral student  receives two degrees after completing, with passing grades, a programme based on a single university education programme arranged by two universities in cooperation. Multiple degrees refer to when more than two universities are part of the cooperation. In practice, this means that a student/doctoral student is admitted to and studies at two or more universities, that the student shall thereby fulfil two or more universities’ regulations, e.g. with regard to compulsory and elective courses, and that the student/doctoral student with passing grades at the end of the programme receives a degree certificate (including a reference that refers to the joint educational cooperation) from the respective university.

Approving bodies within Stockholm University

Joint degree

It is the President who reaches agreements on educational cooperation, or on research cooperation that includes education, which aims for a joint degree.  Prior to approval by the President, the respective scientific area board is responsible for assessment and approval of the programme’s content and quality. The part of the programme that is offered at Stockholm University is established by the respective scientific area board.

It is the Head of the Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services  who writes a letter of “pre-agreement” together with the Head of Department in question after consultation with the Deputy Vice President concerned in connection with the application for funding for international research cooperation that includes third-cycle education within e.g. Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions-DN-JD (Doctoral Networks – Joint Doctorates), which shall lead to a joint degree.

It is the Head of the Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services who reaches grant agreements  – on condition that the President has approved the educational cooperation and the signing of agreements when the agreement exceeds SEK 6 million.

It is the Head of Student Services  who signs the funding application and reaches grant agreements for international second-cycle educational cooperation (joint master’s programmes), within e.g. Erasmus+ and Nordplus, which are to lead to a joint degree – on condition that the President has approved the educational cooperation.

Double and multiple degrees

It is the disciplinary domain board that reaches agreements on educational cooperation that is intended to lead to double or multiple degrees.

It is the Head of the Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services who writes a letter of pre-agreement together with the Head of department in question and in consultation with the Deputy Vice President concerned in connection with the application for funding for international research cooperation that includes third-cycle education within e.g. Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions-DN-JD (Doctoral Networks-Joint Doctorates), which is to lead to double or multiple degrees.

It is the Head of the Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services who reaches grant agreements  on international research cooperation that includes third-cycle education that is to lead to double or multiple degrees – on condition that the disciplinary domain board concerned has approved the educational cooperation and that the President has approved the signing of agreements when the agreement exceeds SEK 6 million.

It is the Head of Student Services  who signs the funding application and reaches grant agreements for international second-cycle educational cooperation (joint master’s programmes), within e.g. Erasmus+ and Nordplus, which are to lead to double or multiple degrees – on condition that the disciplinary domain board concerned has approved the educational cooperation.

The tables illustrate what approving bodies are involved in the various cooperative arrangements that this procedure encompasses.

 

 

Table 1. Application for funding and grant agreements regarding research and educational cooperation, e.g. within Marie Sktodowska-Curie, Erasmus+ and Nordplus
Approval body Head of the Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Service Head of Student Services
Approval of the application for
funding and/or grant agreements
regarding
International research cooperation that includes education, such as Marie Sklodowska-Curie, that leads to joint, double or multiple degrees.  International educational cooperation in the second cycle (joint master’s programme), within e.g. Erasmus+ and Nordplus, which leads to joint, double or multiple degrees.

 

Table 2. Agreement on educational cooperation and research cooperation
Approval body President Scientific area board
Approval of agreements regarding Educational cooperation, or research cooperation that includes education, that leads to a joint degree. Educational cooperation that leads to double or multiple degrees.

 

4. Preparation process

A prerequisite for an approval of an educational cooperation, or research cooperation that includes education, to be able to be made is that the approval is supported by the Head of Department concerned since the cooperation entails a commitment that may entail a need for expanded resources at the department.  The Head of Department shall be kept informed throughout the process.

Step 1. Preparation within the department

Preparation of the cooperation depends on who must provide approval, what kind of degrees the cooperation leads to (see tables above) and if it includes an application for funding for international educational cooperation in the second cycle (joint master’s programme). The administration at the department in step 1 differs depending on this and is therefore divided into separate points below.

  • Educational cooperation or research cooperation that includes third-cycle education that leads to a joint degree

The department submits a notification of interest, approved by the Head of Department, in initiating educational cooperation or research cooperation that includes education that leads to a joint degree to the faculty office/science office concerned.

  • Educational cooperation that leads to double or multiple degrees:

The department submits a notification of interest, approved by the Head of Department, in initiating educational cooperation that leads to double or multiple degrees to the faculty office/science office concerned.

  • The application for funding and/or request to enter an agreement for international research cooperation that includes second- or third-cycle education:

The department submits the Head of Department’s approval to apply for funding and/or request to enter an agreement for international research cooperation that leads to joint, double or multiple degrees to the Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Service.

  • The application for funding for international educational cooperation in the second cycle (joint master’s programme).

The department submits a notification of interest, approved by the Head of Department, in applying for funding, e.g. within Erasmus+ and Nordplus, for new or existing international educational cooperation concerning a joint master’s programme that leads to joint, double or multiple degrees to Student Services.

Step 2. Preparation within the University administration (applies to all cooperation)

The receiving administrative offices (faculty office/science office, Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Service or Student Services, see tables above) provides the department rules, templates and checklists and does an assessment of which other administrative offices may be affected by the department’s notification of interest. They receive copies of the documents. If necessary, the department is invited to an information meeting with the administrative offices concerned.

Step 3. Preparation within the department

• The department prepares the matter with the parties concerned, i.e. the departments and administrative offices (equivalent) that are at the universities included in the cooperation.

• The department submits a draft of the application approved by the Head of Department to the approval body according to the Decision and delegation procedures for Stockholm University (see tables above). The department’s administrator in charge informs administrative offices concerned about the status of the matter.

• The department prepares the agreement according to the Routines for contract work and study administrative routines.

• The department submits an agreement approved by the Head of Department to the approval body for decisions (see tables above). 

Step 4. Concluding measures within the University administration

After approval or signing of agreements, the administrative offices´ administrator in charge sends a copy of the decision or agreement to the department and administrative offices concerned, and archives the matter.