scandinavia articles
Share this article on...
Contact Us
- Report errors or inaccuracies topmba@qsnetwork.com
- Contribute articles contribute@qsnetwork.com
- Advertise advertise@qsnetwork.com
A meeting of minds - international students at Swedish universities
A COMMITMENT TO QUALITY
Sweden has a history of academic excellence that stretches back to the 15th century, and the country is home to the Nobel Prize, the world's most prestigious academic distinction. But its universities don't have to rest on these laurels: contemporary factors support Sweden's reputation for quality in higher education. First, there is a commitment by the state to making sure the universities are well endowed. Of all OECD countries, Sweden invests the most funds per student in higher education: latest available figures show that total spending per student over the course of a typical Swedish university education amounts to nearly $70,000, versus an OECD average of $40,000.
The National Agency for Higher Education implements what is widely regarded to be one of the world's most stringent evaluation procedures. Some 300 assessors, many from abroad, continuously evaluate a total of 700 programmes at Sweden's 39 degree-awarding academic institutions. They have the power to strip a university of its entitlement to award degrees, which means that individual (departmental) deans are very proactive in their own quality assessments. The results, moreover, are published in English, making the process fully transparent.
COOPERATION WITH INDUSTRY
In the fields of science and technology, Swedish universities collaborate closely with industry, an arrangement that began during the industrialisation of the economy in the 19th century. Many of Sweden's large companies were built around ideas developed by publicly funded research. Today, universities are the epicentres for many of Sweden�s technology clusters; Mobile Valley in Kista , a suburb of Stockholm, Telematics Valley in G�teborg, and �resund IT, in the �resund region � an area composed of eastern Denmark and southern Sweden, all feed off a fount of academic talent.
But this symbiosis works both ways � students get valuable real-world training and research projects focus on where the most promising growth lies. Publicly funded incubators, such as Netport Karlshamn in Blekinge, in the south-east, help graduate students turn their innovations into viable businesses.
INFORMAL APPROACHES
Swedish universities employ a teaching methodology that is distinctly less hierarchical and more hands-on than in most other countries. The focus is less on note taking in lectures than on project-based learning and problem solving, as well as independent research that fosters initiative and critical thinking.
For Tina Fransson, this is something new and different, and a great learning experience: �There have been so many written reports and oral presentations, which was great because it prepared me for real life in the workplace,� she says. The informal atmosphere puts student-teacher interaction on a much more egalitarian footing, which for students means more chances to pick a teacher's brain. �I have talked quite a lot to teachers with whom I have similar interests,� says Andy Fugard.
EDUCATION IS FREE
The Swedish state fully funds university tuition (with the exception of a few private institutions) for all students, regardless of their provenance. This means that education is free for all those who are accepted into a programme. Non-Swedes have no recourse to student loans, but various organisations, including the Swedish Institute, provide limited, competitive scholarships to cover living costs.
NOT STANDING STILL
To guarantee that a Swedish university education continues to remain relevant in this globalising world, the government in July 2005 formally proposed an overhaul of the system in the context of a Europe-wide academic standardization effort called The Bologna Process. Among the highlights of the proposed bill is a new two-year masters degree to complement the one-year degree. If the bill is approved, these changes will start going into effect from 2007 onwards.
The Swedish Institute maintains a website, www.studyinsweden.se, aimed at encouraging international students to study in Sweden. It contains a database of English-language programmes, information on application procedures, scholarships and visas, and the answers to many frequently asked questions.
- Links:
