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2005:15 R

Evaluation of astronomy, physics, hydrology and meteorology at higher education institutions in Sweden

With a few exceptions the standard of programmes in astronomy, physics, hydrology and meteorology is high. This also applies from an international point of view, particularly where master´s and postgraduate programmes are concerned.

Programmes in physics, which account for most of those evaluated, mainly have two aims. One is to provide courses for students who will go on to take teacher-training or engineering programmes, the other training for students who intend to take bachelor´s, master´s degrees or PhD´s. At the smaller higher education institutions, most of the courses offered are provided for teacher-trainees or engineering students, normally for up to two full semesters (A and B levels).

Altogether 21 undergraduate and 17 postgraduate programmes have been evaluated. All four subjects were included. The shortcomings that have been observed in this evaluation concern two bachelor´s programmes, one master´s programme and one postgraduate programme, all of them in physics. These shortcomings are to a great extent related to their limited educational settings. If there are only a few students on advanced courses or, if postgraduate programmes are offered, only a few postgraduate students, the setting will be too impoverished. Limited educational settings also have a negative impact on the scope allowed teachers to develop their own skills and for their own research.

Teachers are torn between offering undergraduate programmes that meet the demands made of them and undertaking successful research. A lack of clarity in the division between these two roles can easily result in priority being given to research rather than educational development in undergraduate programmes. This evaluation shows that development of teaching and examination methods is weak at many institutions.

Postgraduate students in physics in Sweden attain high international standards. One reason for this is the relatively long time taken by these postgraduate students to complete their programmes. In view of future adaptations to the Bologna Process, Sweden´s postgraduate programmes will have to become more efficient. The evaluation indicates that supervision has to be enhanced so that it is more consistent, clear and transparent.

Swedish National Agency for Higher Education  Visting address: Luntmakargatan 13  Box 7851, 103 99 Stockholm
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