There are many benefits to working at Malmö University. Subsidised healthcare activities, professional development opportunities and international exchange are just some of them.

Financial benefits

At Malmö University, employee salaries are negotiated individually based on, among other things, the level of responsibility and the employee’s achievements as regards fulfilling the aims of the organisation. You are allowed to make use of a subsidised bicycle which is rented out for you via a deduction from your salary.

Employees’ salaries are negotiated individually

Employee salaries are negotiated individually based on concrete criteria such as responsibility, the level of difficulty of your tasks and other requirements connected to responsibilities, as well as the employee’s achievements as regards fulfilling the aims of the organisation. An efficient salary progression presupposes regular dialogue between manager and employee.

As a member of staff, you are entitled to a bicycle as a benefit

A bicycle provided as a benefit is rented out to you via a deduction from your salary, before tax, for a period of 36 months. You must be permanently employed by the University in order to order a bicycle. At the end of the rental period, you have the possibility to return the bicycle or buy it at the current market price.

Tax relief for international professionals in Sweden

If you're an international expert, researcher, or someone with unique skills, you might be eligible for a special tax relief when working in Sweden. The tax relief is granted based on your skills and expertise, with the requirement being that these skills are hard to recruit in Sweden.

To access the tax relief, you must apply within three months of starting your job. If your application is approved, there is no expectation for you to stay in Sweden for longer than five years. You can find additional information on the Taxation of Research Workers Board's website.

Taxation of Research Workers Board's website

Employee benefits

As a permanent employee of a government organisation, you have the right to take a leave of absence in order to try out employment in another government organisation. You can also claim compensation for medical expenses and for prescription medicine. You can read more here about the Swedish state occupational pension.

The right to take leave to try out another job

As a permanent employee of a government organisation, you have the right to take a leave of absence in order to try out another job. Leave of absence for testing another employment can be granted for up to two years, on the premise that you have been permanently employed for at least 12 months prior to this (probationary period also counts here).

Compensation for medicine and doctor’s visits

As an employee, you can claim for partial medical expenses (on the condition that these are covered by the Swedish high-cost threshold act). You can also claim compensation for the total cost of prescription medicine.

Pension

Your pension is accumulated from various sources; from the Swedish Pensions Agency, which is responsible for your national public pension, from Malmö University and from any other previous employers, in the framework of an occupational pension managed by the National Government Employee Pensions Board (SPV). You might also have a private pension plan. The different sources of pension do not affect one another but are accumulated and together make up your entire pension.

Retirement age is by definition reached at the start of the month before you turn 65. As an employee, you have the right to retain your employment, if agreed with your employer, until the age of 69.

Read more about the state occupational pension on spv.se

Holidays and leave

There are also occasions when it is possible to take paid leave during working hours, for example for medical appointments, moving house or if you are graduating or taking a public exam.

Holiday leave and holiday benefits

Holiday entitlement and holiday benefits are stipulated by law but regulated largely through collective agreements. Holiday benefits are classified as holiday leave, holiday pay and holiday compensation.

Your age determines the amount of holiday leave days you can use:

  • 28 days until the year you turn 29
  • 31 days from the year you turn 30
  • 35 days from the year you turn 40

Taking leave with pay

There are various occasions when it is possible to take paid leave during working hours, for example for medical appointments, occupational healthcare appointments, district healthcare appointments or maternity healthcare. You can also give blood during paid working hours. At the death of a close relative or for a funeral you are allowed to take leave at full pay, also when you move and if you graduate or take a public exam.

Swedish National Day compensation

When the Swedish National Day falls on a weekend, technical and administrative staff are entitled to take that lost day as paid leave on a day of their choice in May or June.

Career opportunities

University employees are offered further education and training and we aim for everybody’s abilities to be nurtured in the best possible way. Staff are also offered the chance to go on international exchange in order to form bonds and collaborate with colleagues abroad.

The University offers all its employees further training

The possibility for our employees to develop professionally and as individuals is of enormous importance. University employees are continuously offered further education and skills training within higher education pedagogy and leadership, and we aim for everybody’s abilities to be nurtured in the best possible way. Employees in all categories of employment are offered the chance to go on international exchange in order to form bonds and collaborate with colleagues abroad.

The opportunity to work abroad

Teaching staff mobility – Erasmus+

This programme gives you as a lecturer or doctoral student the possibility to apply for funding in order to teach at a partner University in Europe. Remuneration does not cover salary costs; instead, it is an allowance for extra costs arising in conjunction with the exchange. The funds are not transferred to you personally but to your institution to cover, for example, expenses for travel and accommodation.

Training and staff development – Erasmus+

This programme gives employees at Malmö University the possibility to get training at a higher education institution, organisation or company within Europe. The application is open to all categories of employees at Malmö University. Remuneration does not cover salary costs; instead, it is an allowance for extra costs arising in conjunction with the exchange. The funds are not transferred to you personally but to your institution to cover, for example, expenses for travel and accommodation.

Staff Training Weeks

Many universities in Europe, including some that are partner universities to Malmö University, organise international Staff Training Weeks or International Weeks, where you can network, discuss current issues or be a guest lecturer for a period of one week or a few days.

STINT Teaching Sabbatical

STINT Teaching Sabbatical is a programme offering researchers and lecturers the opportunity to spend an autumn term at one of STINT’s 11 partner institutions in the USA, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong. The programme aims to develop individuals and institutions. By offering international experience to researchers and lecturers who are passionate about teaching, based on their role as a teacher rather than as a researcher, STINT wishes to contribute to the renewal of tertiary education and the creation of new networks.

Working environment

Systematic work to improve the working environment is a natural part of our daily organisational activities. The work covers all physical, organisational and social relationships. Managers, employees and students all have a shared responsibility to ensure that the work environment makes everyone feel included, safe and secure.

Working hours and flexitime

There is a local collective agreement for teaching staff ensuring that their work is organised to include both teaching responsibilities and, at the same time, opportunities for variation and stimulus (above and beyond teaching tasks, there must be a margin for research, individual development and training).​

Flexitime applies to those who work with technical or administrative issues. It gives you as an employee the possibility to, within a certain timeframe, determine your working hours, with consideration for the demands of the organisation. In order to create a balance between work and private life, no administrative meetings shall take place before 9.00 or after 16.00.

New and modern facilities

The University is run on campus consisting of two nods, one in central Malmö, Universitetsholmen (close to Malmö Central Station and the sea), and one in the University Hospital area (near Möllevångstorget and Pildammsparken). The distance between the two campus nods is about four minutes by train via Malmö City tunnel.

Most of the teaching premises are located in modern or newly renovated facilities.

Living and working in Malmö and Sweden

Malmö is a natural hub for people and cultures from worldwide. The city’s inhabitants come from around 180 countries and speak some 150 different languages. The region of Skåne is known for its beautiful scenery, outstanding culinary experiences and high quality of life. Malmö is only 30 kilometres away from Copenhagen, and reaching the capital of Denmark by train is fast and easy.

Helpful resources if you are new to Sweden and Malmö

Support for international talents

If you join us at Malmö University, the International Staff Support will help and guide you through all steps in the process. Sweden is a welcoming place, and we will do everything we can to make sure you feel welcome.

internationalstaffsupport@mau.se

EURAXESS Sweden – researchers in motion

EURAXESS Sweden provides information and assistance to mobile researchers. The portal contains practical information concerning professional and daily life in Sweden, research news, as well as information about jobs and funding opportunities for academics.

Euraxess website

Housing for doctoral students, researchers and visiting researchers

If you are a doctoral student, researcher or visiting researcher, you have the opportunity to rent accommodation through Malmö University. Doctoral students must be in the first six months of their studies to apply for an apartment. Researchers who are employed at the University can apply for housing if they have been employed for a maximum of six months. Visiting researchers at the University can also rent accommodation, provided they are not employed by the University.

Apartments for researchers