“Titles convey a certain status and can have practical implications, so it’s important that they are accurate,” says Timothy Chamberlain, translator at Uppsala University and a member of the working group behind the update of the digital Swedish–English dictionary that the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR) is responsible for.
For example, a person with the Swedish title “adjunkt”, should not call themself “adjunct” in English. The correct translation for “adjunkt” is “lecturer”.
The English title “adjunct” is the equivalent of being “adjungerad” in Swedish academia, which means having a temporary assignment, for example to teach a certain subject.
Timothy Chamberlain
Translator, Uppsala University
As for the Swedish title “docent”, there is no direct English equivalent. Therefore, the official advice is to use the term “docent” even in international contexts. Sometimes “docent” is translated as “associate professor”, but that can be misleading since the latter typically refers to a specific type of appointment within a tenure track system, not just to a level of scholarly competence.
A major challenge in translating academic titles lies in the differing academic career structures and employment categories between Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The dictionary is based on British English – because that is the standard English for Swedish state agencies – but American equivalents are also listed.
The aim of the dictionary is to standardise the English translations used in Swedish academia. However, the situation is becoming more complex as some British universities are increasingly adopting American titles, since they have become more broadly established internationally.
In view of this, the dictionary now links to an information page offering further clarification of academic titles across different countries.
Timothy Chamberlain’s general advice is to use the title that aligns with your university’s language policy, but to adapt it to suit the context – such as using an American title when presenting at a conference in the US.
English–Swedish translation of academic titles
adjunct professor – adjungerad professor
associate professor – biträdande professor
associate senior lecturer – biträdande lektor
clinical assistant – klinisk assistent
docent – docent
guest lecturer – gästföreläsare
lecturer – adjunkt
postdoctoral fellow – postdoktor
post-retirement professor – senior professor
professor – professor
research assistant – forskningsassistent
research associate – forskarassistent
researcher – forskare
senior lecturer – lektor
staff scientist – forskningsspecialist
student assistant – amanuens
visiting lecturer – gästlärare
visiting professor – gästprofessor
visiting researcher – gästforskare
visiting senior lecturer – gästlektor
Source: The Swedish–English dictionary of the Swedish Council of Higher Education
