Disciplinary matters

A suspension usually takes effect from the day after the meeting of the Disciplinary Board. During the suspension you will not be allowed to:

• Attend lectures or tutorials, laboratory exercises or other aspects of instruction within the framework of your study programme at the University of Gothenburg.
• Enter any of the University’s teaching rooms.
• Participate in tests or study trips.

The suspension may affect your eligibility for financial aid (studie­medel) from CSN.

If the Disciplinary Board decides on a warning, you can continue your studies as usual. If you have previously been issued with a warning, the Disciplinary Board may view any subsequent disciplinary offence more seriously.

Support and advice from GUS Student Ombudsman

If you are brought before the Disciplinary Board, you have the right to support and help from the GUS (Student Union of the University of Gothenburg) Student Ombudsman. The GUS Student Ombudsman is available as a resource for you if you feel that you need:

• To talk to someone about your situation.
• Information about the Disciplinary Board.
• Advice.
• Help in writing your representation to the Board.
• Support during meetings with the department.
• Support during the meeting with the Disciplinary Board.
• Help writing an appeal (in cases where the Disciplinary Board decides on a warning or suspension).

Two people work full-time as GUS Student Ombudsmen to provide support and represent students and doctoral students. You can most easily reach them by e-mail: ombud@gus.gu.se

You can also call them:
Lotta Larsson Hanning, 031-786 61 99
Eva Fluur Jonson, 031-786 62 17

Student Health Care

If you are reported to the Vice-Chancellor for having committed a disciplinary offence, you can contact Student Health Care to get support for your well-being.

1. Your department investigates the matter

In the case of a suspected disciplinary offence, the department concerned prepares a report and sends it to the Vice-Chancellor for further investigation. The fact that the department has prepared a report does not mean that a decision has been made on the report.

2. Administration at the Section of Administrative Law

Matters submitted to the Vice-Chancellor are processed at the Section of Administrative Law at the Vice Chancellors Office. The case officer at the Section of Administrative Law is responsible for the student being given access to the documents in the matter and being afforded an opportunity to express their views before the matter is determined.

You will have opportunity to make representations: When the report has been sent to the Vice-Chancellor, you will receive an e-mail from the Section of Administrative Law. Later, before the case is examined by the Disciplinary Board, you will be given the opportunity to view all the documentation relating to the case. You will then also be given the opportunity to make representations on your own behalf to respond to the information provided by the reporting department and to provide your explanation of the situation.

You will primarily be contacted via the email address provided to you by the University, unless you have provided a different email address. You decide whether you wish to make representations on your behalf and, if so, what information and documentation you wish to submit.

It is important that you reply to the University’s email message. The GUS Student Ombudsman can help you write your representation.

3. Meetings and decisions of the Disciplinary Board

When the matter has been carefully investigated, the case is usually dealt with by the University’s Disciplinary Board at a meeting. The Disciplinary Board decides on any disciplinary measures.

Present at the meeting

The Disciplinary Board consists of:

• The chair (the Vice-Chancellor or the acting Vice-Chancellor). 
• A member well versed in the law, who does not work for the University except in their role on the Disciplinary Board. Their regular job is as a judge. 
• Two student representatives and one teacher representative. They represent the whole university and are appointed for one and three years respectively. The student representatives are elected by the university's student unions.

An employee at the Section of Administrative Law Section acts as secretary to the Board. The secretary is usually the person who compiled and prepared the file for the meeting.

Called to the meeting:

• You as a student.  It is recommended that you attend the meeting, but this is optional. If you are unable to attend in person, there is the option of attending via video link.
• Relevant staff from the department that reported the suspicion of cheating.
• The GUS Student Ombudsman can attend the meeting with you to provide support.

Summary of the case

The Disciplinary Board meets in the University building in Vasaparken. Prior to the meeting, the Disciplinary Board will have read what has been submitted in the case including any representations that you have made on your behalf.

The case is summarised at the meeting. You will then be given the opportunity to add information orally, provided it is not already apparent from the documentation in the case. The Disciplinary Board can also pose questions to you or others attending this meeting.

Decision in the case

The Disciplinary Board will then consult between themselves and in the meantime you and any others present will wait outside the room. After the Disciplinary Board has reached a decision, you and the staff of the department are called back into the meeting to hear the Disciplinary Board’s decision. You will also receive information about the decision by e-mail.

If the Disciplinary Board concludes that a disciplinary offence has not been committed, no further action will be taken. This means that the case is closed and you can continue your studies as usual.

If the Disciplinary Board concludes that a disciplinary offence has been committed, the Disciplinary Board will decide on a disciplinary measure.

If you feel that the Disciplinary Board’s decision on suspension or to issue you with a warning is incorrect, you can appeal it to the Administrative Court. The GUS Student Ombudsman can help you write your appeal.

Your appeal can be e-mailed to the registrar at registrator@gu.se, or you can post it to the following address:

Registrator
Göteborgs universitet
Box 100
405 30 Göteborg

The appeal must have been received by the University of Gothenburg within three (3) weeks of the date on which your received the decision. After the appeal has been received, it and other documentation relating to the case are handed over to the Administrative Court in Gothenburg.

Stay of enforcement

If you have been suspended, you can also request a stay of enforcement in your appeal. If the Administrative Court grants a stay of enforcement, the enforcement of the suspension is not executed, pending the final judgment of the Administrative Court.