ReseaRch Quality assuRance foR the futuRe a ... - Lund University

Panel 14 – chemistry
Faculty to PhD student ratio
The faculty to Ph.d. student ratio is 1:2 (113 academic – 202 Ph.d. students)
– if only professors and lecturers are counted the numbers are 79 to
202. The Panel is to some extent concerned about this ratio, there seems
to be too many faculty members relative to the Ph.d. students. A wellbalanced
department with about 200 Ph.d. students might be operated
efficiently by a staff of ca 60.
Reduction in scientific output and external funding
Scientific output has decreased over recant years. The Panel is not able to
ascertain, if the contribution to papers in top-journals has also decreased,
i.e. the quality of the research performed have decreased, as no list of
publications has been available to it. The papers published over the last 3
years include work performed by the Ph.d. students over the last 4-6 years
and with the drop of Ph.d. students, the number of papers will probably
decrease further. Furthermore, the grants for research have decreased,
from 172 Mill. S.Kr in 2003 to 147 Mill. S.Kr in 2007.
A budget deficit of ca 70 mill S.Kr
The department has an accumulated deficit of ca 70 M. S.Kr. The Panel
has proposed to the University to cancel this deficit, because it is and
will be a millstone around the neck of the department to “survive,
rejuvenate and restructure” at the same high scientific standard, which
has hitherto been a trademark for the department. The Panel has been
informed that the department has to pay back this large amount of
money with interest. However, no plan for this has been available to the
Panel. If the department has to pay back these ca 70 M. S.Kr including
interest over e.g. 10 y, this can probably only take place with a significant
reduction of the faculty members. Furthermore, a department having
such a tight economy will deter many external scientists from applying
for a position there, because no “attractive package” can be provided
and will encourage the younger scientists to apply for positions at other
and more attractive universities. The Panel understands that younger
scientists are already applying for positions for moving away from Lund
University.
The Panel feels that it cannot offer one all-embracing solution to this acute
financial problem; it must be put right internally, if the department’s
future is to be safeguarded.
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