Host a Master’s thesis student

Information for companies, organisations and public authorities

Hosting a Master’s thesis student can be a way for your organisation to explore a specific question, investigate a challenge or gain insight into an area where there is limited time or internal capacity to examine. Such projects can also provide valuable opportunities to connect with highly qualified students, who may become future employees.

A successful collaboration requires a clearly defined project, realistic expectations and a shared understanding of the academic framework that applies to degree projects at KI.

What makes a suitable thesis project?

A suitable thesis project should address a clearly defined question or problem that can be explored in a structured and academically sound way.

A strong project idea is often:

• relevant to your organisation’s activities or development needs 
• possible to investigate using scientific or analytical methods 
• feasible within the timeframe of a Master’s thesis project 
• suitable for a student working independently, with support from both KI and the host organisation

A Master’s thesis is not the same as an internship, short-term consultancy assignment or general project support. It is an independent academic project and must meet the requirements of the student’s degree project course at KI.

The proposed topic normally needs to be approved by the academic supervisor, examiner, course leadership or equivalent at KI, depending on the programme, to ensure that the project meets the academic requirements in terms of scope, depth and relevance.

What is expected from the host organisation?

To create good conditions for a successful collaboration, the organisation should be able to provide:

• a clearly defined project idea or area of interest 
• a designated contact person and/or a co-supervisor
• access to relevant information, materials or organisational context needed for the project 
• time for regular dialogue and feedback during the thesis period 

The organisation is not responsible for the academic examination of the thesis, but should provide project supervision, practical support and relevant input throughout the project.

The role of the contact person or co-supervisor

The contact person or co-supervisor at the organisation plays an important role in helping the collaboration work well and supporting the student throughout the project.

The contact person or co-supervisor should:

• help clarify the purpose and practical scope of the project 
• be available for ongoing dialogue during the thesis period
• provide relevant feedback, including feedback on drafts, and organisational context 
• help facilitate access to relevant people, materials or data where needed 

It is recommended to agree early on how the collaboration will work in practice, including communication, timelines, feedback and expectations.

Regular contact throughout the project is often important for a successful outcome.

Before starting the collaboration

Before the project begins, the student and the organisation should define the project clearly and align expectations. This may also involve discussions with the academic supervisor at KI.

Questions that are useful to clarify at an early stage include:

Project scope and research question

• What question or problem should the thesis address? 
• What should the project lead to or generate for the organisation? 
• Is the project feasible within the scope of a Master’s thesis? 

Timeframe

• What is the planned duration of the project? 
• Are there any important milestones, deadlines or periods of reduced availability? 

Access to information and resources

• What data, materials or background information will the student need? 
• Will the student need access to employees for interviews or meetings? 
• Will the student need access to a workplace, laboratory or technical environment? 

Practical conditions

• Are there any costs associated with the project, such as travel, materials or data collection? 
• If so, how will these be handled? 
• Will the student receive any compensation or salary? 

Results and use of outcomes

• How will the final results be presented within the organisation? 
• Who will be able to use the results, and in what way? 

Clarifying these points early can help avoid misunderstandings later in the process. 

Public access and confidentiality

Karolinska Institutet is a public authority. This means that student theses submitted for examination are generally considered public documents after examination and may be disclosed upon request.

For this reason, there are limited possibilities to keep a thesis confidential.

Before hosting a student for a Master’s thesis project, it is important to consider whether the project may involve information that is sensitive, confidential or otherwise unsuitable to include in a public academic document.

If this is the case, the organisation and the student should discuss this at an early stage with the relevant KI contact person to determine whether the project is suitable as a Master’s thesis and how any such issues can be managed.

Possible ways of handling this may include:

• anonymising sensitive information in the thesis 
• presenting findings in a generalised or aggregated form 
• preparing a separate internal report for the organisation 
• clarifying any internal review procedures for written reports or presentations in advance

However, if the results of the project cannot be made public at all, or if essential information cannot be shared with KI, the project may not be suitable as a Master’s thesis. This is because the thesis must be possible to supervise, assess, archive and grade as part of the student’s degree.

Agreements and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs)

Some organisations may wish to regulate issues such as confidentiality, ownership of results or use of information through an agreement with the student.

This may be appropriate in some cases, but it is important to keep in mind that:

• the student must be able to share relevant material with KI for supervision, examination and, where relevant, peer feedback or opposition 
• the thesis must contain enough information to allow for assessment and grading 
• the agreement must not prevent the student from completing or submitting the degree project 

If an organisation wishes to use a non-disclosure agreement or similar arrangement, this should be discussed before the project begins.

Any such agreement is made between the student and the organisation. Karolinska Institutet is not a party to such agreements and does not review or approve them.

In the absence of other agreements, the student holds the copyright to the written report.

Compensation and practical support

Whether the student receives financial compensation, a stipend or temporary employment in connection with the thesis is a matter between the student and the organisation. Karolinska Institutet is not involved in such arrangements.

In some cases, students may be able to apply for scholarships to support travel or accommodation.

Some organisations also choose to cover project-related costs, for example:

• materials
• travel
• printing or mailing
• costs related to data collection or practical implementation

Any such conditions should be discussed and agreed upon before the project begins.

Any compensation or employment arrangement should not affect the academic independence of the thesis project.

Final presentation of the thesis

A Master’s thesis at KI normally includes:

• a written thesis report
• an oral presentation, seminar or defence, depending on the programme
• public availability of the thesis after completion

The final thesis is written primarily to meet academic requirements. However, in some cases, the student may also choose to prepare a shorter summary, presentation or internal report tailored to the organisation’s needs.

Interested in hosting a Master’s thesis student?

If your organisation is interested in collaborating with a student from one of KI’s Master’s programmes, we recommend that you contact the relevant programme to discuss possible opportunities and whether there is a suitable fit.

You can find contact details for each programme under the “Contact” tab on the programme webpages.

If you are unsure which programme is most relevant for your organisation, you are welcome to contact KI Student Career Support for guidance and support.