GS-VMAS Course organiser's guide

1.      Notice of interest to organise a GS-VMAS PhD course: Send a notice of interest to GS-VMAS (gs-vmas@slu.se) by filling out the template for notice of interest (see links below) and including a budget no later than 15th of May (1st call) or 15th of November (2nd call). The decision if the course will be granted funds will take place by the end of May/early June or early December. 

2.      Language: Workshop/Seminars/courses shall be given in English if no special reason (a justification is required if in Swedish) 

3.      PhD students from other locations: GS-VMAS encourage the organiser to provide students from other locations the opportunity to attend via video / webb conferences or through other long-distance tools - a justification is required if this opportunity is not provided. 

4.      Preliminary interest check: As at least five PhD students and/or residents are required for the course to take place, the course organiser should make a preliminary interest check. 

5.      Budget: A budget instruction is available here and in the links below.

There are usually some possibilities to arrange seminars and workshops on short notice so please feel free to contact VMAS to discuss this.

6.      Course plan: If you are interested to arrange a PhD course funded by GS-VMAS only a notice of interest in accordance to our template is required. However, if granted funds a course plan needs to be approved by FUN in order to get a course code (if it is not an “old” course with an existing course code).

So, if granted funds from GS-VMAS for your course, you should send a course plan as well as the document Application for approval of course plan to FUN (fun-vh@slu.se), with a copy to gs-vmas@slu.se as soon as possible for their approval. Template for the course plan and the Application for approval of course plan document can be found in the links below.

When the course has been approved by FUN the research school administrator will add it in Ladok. When this is done a course code will be provided. The research school administrator can then add the course to the online course registration system. 

According to the VH-faculty guidelines for PhD courses they should be registered in Ladok no later than three months before course start. 

7.      Advertising: GS-VMAS advertises all their courses through their web page and to the VH-faculty PhD student email list. If additional advertising is desired, for example to PhD students in other faculties, contact GS-VMAS and we can help with this. Courses will be advertised after registered in SLUkurs, preferably 3-months before course start. For the advertising feel free to send pictures representing the course to gs-vmas@slu.se. 

8.      Registration for a course: The registration for a course is done through GS-VMAS online course registration system: https://www.slu.se/gs-vmas-courses 

9.      Number of participants: At least five PhD students and/or residents should have signed up for the course four weeks before the course starts for the course to take place. 

10.   Premises: The course organiser is responsible for booking the teaching facilities. The meeting rooms that can be booked through Outlook is free of charge and the use of these premises is recommended. Other teaching/meeting rooms are booked through “SLU lokaler” and then the cost should be included in the budget provided to GS-VMAS. 

11.   Coffee or food: If the course organiser wishes to serve “fika” or lunch sandwiches in connection to the course this is possible if within reason and the cost is included in the course budget. Ordering of the coffee/lunch sandwiches is done by the course organiser. 

12.   Ladok report of the course: For Ladok registration, a document confirming which students have successfully passed the course should be emailed to GS-VMAS. The document should also include the "personnummer", the date when the student passed the course and who was the examiner. GS-VMAS will then forward this information the ladok person responsible for PhD student education. 

13.   Course evaluation: A template for the course evaluation is available here at GS-VMAS home page in the links below.

14.   Course report: When the course is finished the following information shall be sent to VMAS by email.

• A complete participant list, including who passed and their affiliation
• Final schedule
• Summary of the course evaluation 

The course report shall be sent to VMAS no later than 1 month after the end of the course. 

15. Financial recompense: The course organiser should provide a budget to GS-VMAS when applying to give the course. This will be approved by the GS-VMAS steering board and after the course is finished the course organiser charge GS-VMAS for the actual costs (attach documentation to support cost for travels etc) – ideally send an “internfaktura” for all the costs of the course.

• For external lecturers, a generic sum of 950 kr (incl LKP) per h x factor 3 (including 2 hours preparation time) is recommended, i.e 3 x 950= 2850 sek. However, another sum can be decided if it fits within the budget. It is important that the costs are billed and not as a remuneration (“arvode”). Also let the external lecturer know that all purchases in the Swedish public sector must be invoiced electronically (e-invoice). A pdf file does not count as an e-invoice. Please direct them to https://www.slu.se/en/invoice-address/ for information on how to send an e-invoice.
• For internal SLU lectures, the fee can be based on the salary, also here the h x factor 3 should be applied.
• Invoice address
  SLU Fakturamottagning
  Box 7090
  750 07 Uppsala
  Reference 713ALB

For course reimbursement report you need to have handed in the course report. 

16.   Courses arranged together with other research schools/organisations for example NOVA can be co-financed with GS-VMAS but require sometimes additional planning not included within this short guide - contact GS-VMAS. 

17.   Practical details before course start:  

• VHC access card: Temporary visiting cards can be provided – contact VHC service.
  Contact: Tel: 018- 67 3020
  E-mail: vhc-service@slu.se
  
  
• AV support: Support for sound, and video conference as well as Wi-Fi & guest accounts:
  Contact Tel: 018 - 67 6600
  E-mail: av-stod@slu.se