Records management

Records management involves taking care of and organising the University’s records. As a public authority, Lund University must do this in order to comply with current law. Records management also supports our daily work and makes it easy to find documents, new as well as old. It also provides the basis for future research.

As an employee of the University, you come into daily contact with different types of records. These include emails, digital applications, signed minutes and submitted examination answers, etc. The University’s Records Management Plan describes how these different records should be handled. Use the plan as a reference guide in which you can search for information about what you should do with your records.

Open the Records Management Plan, in Swedish (PDF, 4,4 MB, new tab).

Shortcuts

• Read more about public records.
• Read more about the Records Management Plan.
• Read more about document registration.
• Read more about archiving.
• Find the right training course.
• Links and support.

Public records

A record is information stored on a medium. It doesn’t have to be text, but could also be, for example, a picture, sound recording or a video. A majority of the records handled within Lund University are public records.

A record becomes public if it is stored at the University and has either been consigned to, or created by, the University. A record has been consigned if it has been sent to us in some way by someone outside the University. A record has been created if it is sent to someone outside the University. If a record is not sent, it is deemed created once the case to which it pertains has been closed. If the record is never sent nor does it belong to a particular matter, it is created once it has been modified or completed.

Anyone can ask to see a public record and we as a public authority must disclose these records on request. As a general rule, a public record is public, but in some cases information in public records may be confidential and is not to be disclosed.

Read more about the disclosure of public records and confidentiality.

The Records Management Plan

The Records Management Plan governs how the University deals with its records. It describes if a record should be preserved (saved) and then archived, or if it can be disposed of (destroyed) and in that case after how long. It also explains if a document should be registered in the W3D3 system or another system, or merely saved on paper. For those records that must be registered, it gives more information for use by a registrar.

Using the Records Management Plan

The Records Management Plan functions as a reference document. The best way to find what you need is to use the search function on your computer (Ctrl+F on a PC and ⌘+F on a Mac). Search for keywords rather than phrases and try to be as specific as possible. Try searching for synonyms if you can’t find what you are looking for on the first attempt. If you are struggling to find what you need in the Records Management Plan, you are welcome to contact the Central Registrar’s Office or the University Archives.

The Records Management Plan structure

The Records Management Plan is built around the University’s five areas of activity.

1. Governance
2. Support
3. Education
4. Research
5. External Engagement

Under each area of activity the processes relevant to that area are listed, such as the appointment of staff, managing credit transfers or planning and administering research. A process can, in turn, be split into several sub-processes. Each process has a corresponding reference number that shows how it relate to other processes. Processes are also called case types in the W3D3 registration system.

Beneath each process are listed activities, that is, steps usually taken during the course of a process. Every activity results in the creation of a record, a record type. Other columns in the plan give detailed information about how each record type should be dealt with.