Report

2009: 4 R

Review of study programmes in classical civilisation and Egyptology

An assessment panel, comprising one Swedish and two Nordic subject specialists, has assisted Högskoleverket (Swedish National Agency for Higher Education) in the review process. The assessment panel has been responsible for producing a report. This report includes a short description of the history of the subject area, a national overview of the subject area, and an evaluation of the study programmes at the particular HEIs. Staff members at the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education have assisted the assessment panel. Their role has been primarily to records the quality aspects and criteria in a consistent manner and to analyse the statistics submitted by the HEIs.

The study programmes in classical civilisation have ambitious learning objectives and qualitative targets and extensive reading lists. The assessment panel has queried if the demands on the students are too high. The background to this can be found in the content and specialisms offered within the subject area in Sweden. Unlike the other Nordic countries, and probably the rest of Europe, the subject area is very wide in Sweden and includes classical architecture and cultural history as well as ancient history. The assessment panel is of the view that these factors can provide a broad and significant aspect in general education but can make it difficult for students to benefit from any depth of study.

The assessment panel would like to see a review of the dominance of archaeology as well as a more importance role for classical languages. The latter is particularly relevant in order to be able to conduct research in ancient history. An assessment panel came to the same conclusion in the review of 2002.

The teaching situation is not satisfactory at any of the HEIs, even if the HEIs themselves are reputable. The teaching situation is particularly problematic at doctoral level at two HEIs.
 
Another problem with classical civilisation and Egyptology at third cycle is that there are so few doctoral students, and there has been a significant reduction in the number of doctoral students since the previous evaluation in 2002. It can be difficult to arrange doctoral seminars and it must be questioned if a critical mass exists at any of the HEIs.

With regard to Egyptology at Uppsala University, the situation has been unsatisfactory for a long time and the problem about the appointment of a lecturer to a vacant post is not solved.  The measures taken by the department to improve the situation will lead to such changes that the assessment panel is of the view that it is difficult to judge the standard of the study programme. The poor information the assessment panel has been given, for example the reading list, has also not helped matters.