All individuals who start studying at university have different conditions. There are, for example, those who start studying immediately after high school, while others choose to become students at a later stage in their lives. There is much that can affect the study environment during your study period. It could be something that happened in your personal life, scheduling that doesn’t work or study spaces that don’t measure up. For this reason, it is extremely important that there are people who work continuously to improve your and other students’ study environment. In addition, as a student, you should have access to knowledge about what you are have the right to.
The Work Environment Act
With regard to students’ rights regarding study environment, the university is based on the Working Environment Act. According to the law, anything that can affect people in their work is part of the work environment. The criteria that apply for a good working environment are mentioned in the second chapter of the Working Environment Act, and based on that it is possible to set the following requirements for a good study environment:
- A healthy and safe environment,
- Opportunity to learn and develop,
- Meaningful and engaging lectures, study and work assignments,
- The right to participate in the organization and content of the studies,
- As well as the opportunity for personal responsibility, collaboration and fellowship with other students.
How can you improve your study environment?
In order to constantly develop Mälardalen University as a place of study, it is important that we learn from past events. It is therefore important that you register and report if you experience harassment or are injured during your time at the university. You can also get in touch if you have a proposal that could make Mälardalen University a better place to study. The university has a so-called Aj, Oj, Halloj system.
Aj = Ouch, Oj = Oh, Halloj = Hello.
Aj! If you, as a student, injure yourself during your studies, you must make a report about the injury. Occupational injury means physical or mental injury or illness that occurred as a result of studies or the study conditions. It could also be a road accident on the way to or from the university.
Oj! With Oj-accident event means a physical or psychological incident where no one was injured but which could lead to injury. Even events dependent on psychosocial factors such as a lack of respect between students can be seen as incidents.
Halloj! As a student, you can come up with suggestions for improvement where there are weaknesses.
What does the Student Union do to improve your study environment?
At Mälardalen’s Student Union, the Study Environment Manager is the students’ protection representative. As a safety representative, they sit on bodies and other meetings at Mälardalen University where decisions concerning the study environment and environmental issues are made. In addition, they participate in security patrols and in the work around planned construction. In addition to that, the Study Environment Manager must monitor and help push study environment issues at the university.
Examples of study environment questions
Physical study environment
- Teaching premises
- Lighting
- Study places
- Microwave ovens
- Availability
Organizational and social study environment
- Stress
- Group dynamics
- Scheduling
- Information
- Relationships
- Offensive special treatment (victimization)
