Scandinavia is a very attractive study destination in its own right. Nordic countries are beautiful with a high standard of living. Their cities offer plentiful cultural opportunities and there are numerous possibilities for student life and recreation.
The World University Rankings (WUR), published in October 2005 using research data from QS, identified 88 European institutions in the top 200 worldwide. 11 of these universities are based in the Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. In addition the Karolinska Institute in Sweden made it to number three in the associated worldwide ranking of the top universities in biomedicine. So, why might these institutions, several of which you may not be familiar with, be worth considering when looking for a university programme abroad?
"Helsinki University, for example, was founded in 1640 in Turku. Such institutions boast academic and research quality, factors also contributing to their position in the top 200 worldwide."
Scandinavia is a very attractive study destination in its own right. Nordic countries are beautiful with a high standard of living. Their cities offer plentiful cultural opportunities and there are numerous possibilities for student life and recreation. Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden also have outstanding international credentials, a factor that contributes to the WUR ranking, when reflected in a university, and many people in all the countries speak several languages, including English. In common with European universities, Nordic universities boast strong histories and century-long academic traditions, a contrast with most US institutions. Helsinki University, for example, was founded in 1640 in Turku. Such institutions boast academic and research quality, factors also contributing to their position in the top 200 worldwide.
Three universities in Denmark are in the top 200: Copenhagen University (www.ku.dk) at 66 (also ranked 18 in the world in arts and humanities, 49 in science and 50 in social science), Aarhus University (www.au.dk) at 138 (47 in science) and The Technical University of Denmark (www.dtu.dk) at 154, which offers 15 MSc programmes tutored in English. Copenhagen University, with 35,000 students, offers a wide range of courses in English in all its six faculties including Masters degree programmes. It presents itself as being particularly welcoming to international students, with a city-centre International Office at Fiolstræde 24, that welcomes prospective and current students to contact it or drop in for information and help at any time. It also has a well-developed student-mentoring scheme, which is of particular benefit to international students and its website is particularly clearly presented.
"Copenhagen University, with 35,000 students, offers a wide range of courses in English in all its six faculties including Masters degree programmes."
Helsinki University of Technology, ranked 194, (www.tkk.fi) offers many courses in English and has a facility to allow English language courses to be requested. Helsinki University (www.helsinki.fi/university) is the highest ranked Nordic institution at 62 (also 29 in arts and humanities worldwide). It has some of the best international credentials of the Nordic region and demonstrates total commitment to providing a research focused, academic environment where international students can flourish. According to its website “The University of Helsinki is a multilingual institution providing education in several languages. In addition to the two national languages – Finnish and Swedish – programmes are being developed and offered also in English. Students in these programmes will find themselves in a truly international learning environment with a mixture of students from Finland and across the Globe.” International faculty and researchers are also well represented with 305 out of the total 4,635. The University’s strategic plan 2007 –2009 confirms, “Internationalism is an integral part of the University’s activities” and there is commitment to constantly developing the portfolio of 2 year Masters programmes taught in English at this “ research intensive” institution.
"In common with European universities, Nordic universities boast strong histories and century-long academic traditions, a contrast with most US institutions."
Oslo University (www.uio.no), founded in 1811, has 30,000 students and makes it to 138 in the WUR. It welcomes more than 600 foreign students to its regular programmes every year and has a network of “International Student Advisers” to assist them. The University website is one of the clearest from the perspective of an international applicant and gives a realistic impression of what to expect from studying in Norway. It highlights, for example, the fact that Norway is a country with high cost of living and provides a detailed breakdown of what the practical side of life - accommodation, subsistence etc - is likely to cost you. Of course, the decision to study in another country is a big one and you will never be quite sure what it will be like until you are there. Oslo University has an annual “International Summer School”, called by some “a mini United Nations”. There are places for 500 students each year to study on a wide range of short courses offered by the University – the ideal taster for a degree course in Norway.
The Swedish Royal Institute of Technology, KTH, at 196, (www.kth.se) is the largest technical university in Sweden. It has one of the most approachable web sites, from an international student’s perspective, giving a strong impression that international students are welcome. The home page highlights a link to “Masters programmes taught in English”. Its International Office provides a list of the international coordinators based in each school of the University, encouraging international contact to be made. There are a large number of courses offered in English including the 1.5 year MSc “Teknologie Magister”. Sweden has four further institutions ranked between 150 and 200 and their websites allow some of the fastest access to information on international masters programmes, in particular. Chalmers University of Technology (www.chalmers.se), at 166, has a user-friendly banner-link to international masters programmes on its home page. Lund University (www.lu.se) at 180, also flags up 20 international masters programmes on its home page. Also ranked 180, Uppsala University (www.up.se) provides a comprehensive listing of programmes targeted at the international student in all subject areas across the university. At 190, Gothenburg (www.gu.se) has a large number of courses taught in English.
"Sweden has four further institutions ranked between 150 and 200 and their websites allow some of the fastest access to information on international masters programmes, in particular."
Once again, the WUR has highlighted outstanding universities worthy of consideration for study, which may not have been in the forefront of many students’ minds when seeking to study abroad. The commitment shown by ranked world-class Nordic institutions to developing their programmes with the international student in mind and encouraging them to apply, suggests that numbers will continue to grow in the coming years.