Equal opportunities for students

Equal Treatment of Students at Universities Act came into force on 1st March 2002. The Act has as its principal purpose the promotion of equal rights and opportunities for students and applicants within the area of Higher Education and to combat discrimination and harassment on the basis of:

Gender
Ethnic origin
Religion or other belief system
Sexual orientation
Handicaps / disabilities
Age

Universities and university colleges should within the framework for their activities implement goal-orientated initiatives to actively promote the equal rights of students on the basis of the discrimination criteria listed above, to prevent any student from being subjected to harassment, to establish an annual plan which should contain an overview of the measures which are needed to promote equal opportunities and to prevent harassment, to investigate the circumstances surrounding alleged harassment and in proven cases to take measures needed to prevent future harassment.

Equality of treatment plan

In accordance with Halmstad University's Action plan for equal opportunities 2008, the University should work actively to provide equal opportunities and promote diversity from two perspectives. Each individual has the right to the same treatment. The other aspect concerns quality. Halmstad University regards equality and diversity as important, quality-raising factors as both staff and students have different backgrounds, viewpoints, knowledge and experience which create opportunities for increased creativity and contribute to the enhancement of knowledge and expertise.

Halmstad University has established the Council for Equal Opportunities and Diversity set up with the task of putting forward proposals for future policy together with the implementation of a package of measures and plan of action within the area. The council has the responsibility for stimulating development within the area and should aim to maintain a good insight into this development within the University. The Council should also scrutinize equal opportunities and diversity promoting work and developments in accordance with acts of parliament, directives, policy and the plans of action concerned. The Council acts as an advisory body to the Vice-Chancellor.

Measures and advisory guidelines against harassment

The goals should be that no one should be subjected to offensive / insulting behaviour in the form of discrimination or harassment. Students who nevertheless have been subjected to this should have the right to receive support and help. For this purpose, the University has put forward a package of measures and a set of guidelines against harassment. The purpose of the University's measures and guidelines against harassment is to prevent harassment among staff and students on the basis of gender, ethnic background, religion or other belief system, handicap or sexual orientation. The purpose is also to prevent manifestations of harassment other than those stated above. Such cases of harassment include insulting or abusive treatment in working life and are regulated in the Working Environment Act.

The plan contains guidance on how a student or employee should act if they feel the victim of harassment. The guidelines contain routines for how harassment and reports of harassment should be dealt with by the University. The plan also contains information relating to how enquiries into these reports should be handled together with the possible measures which should be taken against a person who is guilty of the harassment.