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Doctoral students and postdocs explore norms, inclusion and equal opportunities

workshop
Mats Boij, Head of the Department of Mathematics, Fredrik Lundell, Head of the Department of Engineering Mechanics, and Carlota Canalias Gomez, Head of the Department of Applied Physics, led one of the workshops.
Published Nov 17, 2025

Doctoral students and postdocs from all departments at SCI have taken part in mandatory workshops on gender equality, inclusion and equal opportunities. The aim was to build a shared understanding of these issues and to strengthen a safe and inclusive working and learning environment within doctoral education at the SCI School.

Inclusion @ SCI

SCI School is open and welcoming to all. We strive to provide a safe environment and equal opportunities for students and staff.

The workshops were led by the heads of the four departments and took their starting point in concrete situations from the participants’ everyday work. Participants learned more about norms and how they affect us, microaggressions, representation, and how unequal conditions can show up in an organisation. Topics such as salary, promotion, recruitment, opportunities for development, and the risk of being made invisible or excluded were used as examples. In group exercises, participants reflected on what can contribute to a more inclusive environment, and the groups also summarised a few shared reflections to take back to their departments.

For a better work environment

The workshop series is part of the SCI School efforts to develop the working and study environment with a focus on equality, diversity and equal opportunities. For doctoral students and postdocs at the schools departments participation is mandatory and they can choose the format that suits them best.

The workshops address the same themes in two different formats. One workshop uses cases and concrete situations for group discussion. The other is based on open yet clearly facilitated conversations that draw on participants own experiences and explore practical ways of working. Together the sessions allow participants to compare methods and bring insights into ongoing improvement efforts.