The Higher Education Authority (UKÄ) has now followed up its report from last year’s investigation (UKA 2024:20) into the use of foreign stipends to finance doctoral education. Links (in Swedish): original report (June 2024), follow-up report (25 June 2025).

UKÄ broadly finds that higher education institutions have made efforts to ensure that they are in compliance with applicable regulations. Notably, however, UKÄ pushes back against the arguments made by some universities, including Karolinska institutet, for a broader interpretation of “other collaborations” in the Higher Education Ordinance, chapter 5, section 4 a, second item. That rule is an exception to the general provision that doctoral candidates admitted on stipends should be offered employment after the first year of studies is completed.