Apply for SWEAH affiliation
Application is now open - apply no later than September 30, 2026!
Are you admitted at a university or employed in a municipality that will be a SWEAH partner from 2027? If you are curious to work in an interdisciplinary context when addressing the challenges and possibilities related to ageing and health and if you want to get to know other PhD students within the field in Sweden and from abroad - then you are the right person to apply for affiliation to SWEAH.
Are you a PhD student and interested in developing perspectives on one of the big issues of our time in the society – ageing and health – within your thesis project?
The mission of the Swedish National Graduate School on Ageing and Health (SWEAH) is to develop a strong national learning environment with international splendor, contribute to the production of knowledge about ageing and health, develop the next generation of researchers and support the academic career development of postdocs who are interested in research on ageing and health.
SWEAH is coordinated by Lund University. A renewed constellation of partner organisations will be established during autumn 2026.
As a PhD student at one of the partner organisations listed below you have the possibility to apply for affiliation to SWEAH’s interdisciplinary learning environment and participate in PhD courses in SWEAH Core Curriculum and other activities organized by the graduate school.
Courses, learning and network activities
SWEAH provides courses, other learning and network activities for PhD students and postdocs within the research field of ageing and health. An important aspect is the cooperation among researchers with different disciplinary backgrounds: medicine and health sciences, social sciences, behavioral sciences, economy, humanities, law, demography, technology, architecture, etc. We therefore welcome PhD students from any relevant discipline, and we strive for a composition of PhD students that is characteristic of the width of the research field.
SWEAH Core Curriculum
SWEAH Core Curriculum is a set of courses with a broad theoretical and methodological approach and will be closely linked to your PhD work. One or two courses are given per year, based on a distance-learning format with most of the work conducted online, involving mandatory workshops organized as 1-3 days residentials. The locations will vary but typically be near or hosted by one of the partner universities. Each completed course gives 3 ECTS on research level according to syllabus. The teaching language is English.
PhD students affiliated with SWEAH have priority to these courses, while others may be admitted if a course is not fully booked. In addition, SWEAH organizes one PhD student day per semester, where affiliated PhD students are expected to participate. These days are planned by PhD students, postdocs and the SWEAH management in collaboration, and are located at SWEAH partner universities. In addition, PhD students are encouraged to take the initiative of additional joint activities. Twice per year, SWEAH announces travel funding for research visits abroad, which affiliated PhD students can apply for.
A signed contract
The affiliation with SWEAH is formalized by a contract signed by the PhD student, the main supervisor and the Head of the department where he/she is formally admitted/employed. The contract specifies your rights and obligations, including that you will participate in SWEAH Core Curriculum courses as well as other student activities during the affiliation period.
"Inspiring and exciting"
"It is inspiring and exciting to learn about everyone's projects and to present my own. To learn from others' experiences and discover common denominators. It is incredible to make contacts from the first meeting, start networking and feel the creative energy. Good planning by those responsible for laying the foundation for a good climate."
"SWEAH has contributed to my learning process in terms of new research contacts, financial support and increased knowledge in ageing research."
SWEAH affiliated PhD students
Students from the following institutions are eligible to apply
- Arcada University of Applied Sciences
- Blekinge Institute of Technology
- City of Helsingborg
- Dalarna University
- Härnösand municipality
- Jönköping University
- Karolinska Institutet
- Kristianstad University
- Linköping University
- Linnaeus University
- Luleå University of Technology
- Lund University (hosting university)
- Malmö University
- Medeon Science Park
- Örebro University
More to be added soon.
The decision of affiliation of new PhD students is based on the condition that partner organisations sign the SWEAH partner agreement for 2027-2031.
Apply here to SWEAH before September 30!
Info-meeting for new PhD students - bring your supervisor!
Join an online information meeting August 20, at 9-10, together with your supervisor if you like, and get all details before applying for affiliation.
Criteria
Each application will be assessed according to the following criteria:
• The scientific quality of the thesis project (research questions, methodology, etc.).
• The applicant’s merits and track record.
• The applicant’s individual background and motivation for affiliation as expressed by a personal motivation statement and by the main supervisor (signed certificate of motivation for affiliation).
• The relevance and potential of the thesis project as regards to the development of interdisciplinary research on ageing and health.
• The potential of the thesis project as regards to novelty and development of new knowledge in relation to existing research on ageing and health as stated in SWEAH’s Strategic Plan, nationally and internationally.
Eligibility and assessment criteria
To be eligible to apply for affiliation you must be formally admitted to education on research level for a PhD degree. In addition, you must have a position or be affiliated with one of the listed SWEAH partners.
You must currently pursue active studies in accordance with your individual study plan, and you must not have come further than half-time of your PhD studies at the deadline for application (Sept 30).
Prior to application, you should discuss your interest to apply for affiliation with your supervisor/s and Head of department/equivalent. In case you are not employed at the department where you are admitted as a PhD student, you should involve your line manager at the workplace where you are employed as well. They all have to sign the application form.
Based on the eligibility criteria, your application will be considered with regard to how your thesis project, and how you as an individual researcher may contribute to the diversity of the interdisciplinary environment of SWEAH.