Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ
Good to know for young researchers and others
As newly employed, or going from a postdoc to a grant of your own, you may have a lot of questions about administration at Lund University and where to get help. We have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions in the department.
Administration
You can check your economy in Kuben (log in with your LUCAT-ID, external website) and with the financial administrator connected with your division.
LKP is “LöneKostnadsPåslag” which means Employer contributions. It is currently (2025) at 55,75%.
You have to ask a financial officer if you need this information.
Overhead (OH) is deducted at every cost the project has except for investments in machines and inventory that amount to more than 25 000 SEK.
You have the full responsibility to ensure that you have the funds to cover the costs. If there is insufficient funding on one grant activity, your division finance administrator will help you to see if the amount can be charged on another grant. In the case overspending cannot be prevented at any cost, the department bears the financial risk.
You can find useful general information on the websites of the Swedish Board of Agriculture – Jordbruksverket and The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing. For questions about Nagoya, please contact Niklas Wahlberg (Niklas [dot] Wahlberg [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se). For questions about permits regarding research on animals, please contact Johan Nilsson (Johan [dot] Nilsson [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se).
Information about animal ethics can be found on the Staff Pages. For more information, please contact Johan Nilsson (Johan [dot] Nilsson [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se).
You find an excel file on Ekonomiwebben (only in Swedish). Ask your division finance officer if you need help.
Information on how to book rooms through the software TimeEdit.
The department pays for office furniture. Contact your head of division if you have a problem with your working environment.
It is regulated based on experience but also takes into consideration the amount of funds financing the position.
Talk to the finance officer of your division.
Contact Magdalena Nilsson (Magdalena [dot] nilsson [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se) who is our purchasing coordinator. More about purchases at the department.
You register purchases that you have made out-of-pocket in the Human Resource system Primula, under Travel/expenses. Help on how to do it can be found in the digital form you are asked to fill in. Don't forget to save all your receipts.
The department accepts grants that don’t pay full overhead. If the departmental co-funding is very high, it is advisable to discuss the application with the Head of Department.
You register for sick leave in the Human Resource system Primula. More information about sick leave is at the Staff Pages. Don't forget to inform your boss and your co-workers.
Discuss it with your head of division. Apply for a temporary LUCat ID here (in Swedish only).
Contact the Human Resource administrator for your division.
First, check your spam folder. Contact Inger Ekström (Inger [dot] Ekstrom [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se).
Teaching
Yes, you can.
You are compensated as soon as the main teacher has sent in the course economy compilation to the Education office, usually, this is about two months after the course has ended.
Are there situations when I get less payment per teaching hour than my regular salary would cover?
No, the payment for the hours you have taught is based on your salary.
The compensation for your teaching is transferred to the activity your salary is paid from.
When the course is finished, ask the main teacher for a copy of the course economy compilation (where all teaching hours are listed) – or ask for the number of hours you got. Then keep a record of your own for all teaching you have done – good for your CV and as a back-up if you wish to look up the number of hours per course at a later stage.
Apart from being a docent you also need the course Doctoral supervision given by the Division for Higher Education Development (external website).
Research
We have a list of our infrastructure. Smaller pieces of equipment or instruments might not be listed; if in doubt, talk to your head of division who can direct you to the right person.
Talk to the head of your division.
It is impossible to give a general answer as research technicians have different work descriptions; please talk to your head of division about your needs.
You talk to the head of your division who will direct you to the right person.
That cost is already covered by the overhead.
Contact Anders Örtegren (Anders [dot] Ortegren [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se).
You find a lot of helpful information on our web page about research communication.
You should use Lund University’s fonts and colours. You find the university's graphic profile and instructions on how to use it on the Lund University Staff Pages. In the same place, you will also find the Lund University logo and templates for presentations, posters and Word files.
No, the University is very restrictive when allowing sub-logotypes. You will find more information about logotypes and how to use them on the Staff Pages.
Yes, contact Inger Ekström (inger [dot] ekstrom [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se).
Yes, contact Anders Örtegren (Anders [dot] Ortegren [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se).
Career development
You contact anyone in a leading position or a safety representative. The Gender equality and equal opportunities group have written more about our work against harassment.
Employing people
You contact your Human Resource administrator who will help you with the process. There is more information on our web page about appointing staff.
When you intend to hire someone for more than 3 weeks and full time you should employ on contract rather than on an hourly basis, which means that it needs to be advertised. On our web page about appointing staff, you find more information.
What help is there for the postdoc to receive a Swedish personal number?
On a stipend, the postdoc is not employed by the university and is responsible for contact with other authorities. We have limited resources to help. The same is true for receiving a Swedish personal number. The supervisor needs to fill out a hosting agreement in order to receive someone on a stipend.
That fee is paid by the grant that pays the salary for the postdoc.
Contact your Human Resource administrator if you need help with certificates or other issues.
Mixed employment with stipends that cover the first year of the salary for a PhD student and the following years on a regular salary is allowed but NOT recommended.
Who is my administrator?
Don't know who is your division's finance or HR administrator. Have a look at our organisation page to find out.