Per A Nilsson, Director, International Office, Umeå University, Sweden

Datum

Sidfot

2

Internationalization of education as an indicator of quality for Nordic

Universities?

VästKusten – Bron till nordiskt samarbete, 8-9 november, 2011

Internationalization of education –a short history • First agreements in the 1980s • The Swedish study loan system changed• The Swedish government signed the Erasmus charter in 1992• Recruitment of non-European students• A tuition fee system introduced

Internationalization of Education

• An indicator of quality?

Some data - outbound Swedish students (academic year 2009/10)

• 26,500 Swedes study abroad; 5,700 are exchange students

• 3,120 studied in Nordic countries, 360 were exchange students. Denmark most popular (68%)! 236 Swedes studied in Finland,49 were exchange students

• 13,150 studied in EU (excluding the Nordic countries), 2,560 were exchange students. Most Swedes want to study in an English speaking country or were they can study in English! UK received 20% of the outbound Swedes.

• A growing interest for studying in Asia (2,300 students), the numbers have doubled since the academic year 2005/06

Exchange Students Umeå University

Some data - inbound students (academic year 2009/10)

• Sweden receives 41,900 international students; 13,800 are exchange students

• A huge increase of international students during the last ten years, in average an increase of 13% each academic year. An expansion of courses and programmes taught in English!

• Many students from outside Europe are from China and Pakistan. Students from Europe come from Germany, France and Spain

• 1,816 Finnish students are studying in Sweden, i.e. 62 % of inbound students from the Nordic countries

Tuition fees introduced in Sweden

Students from countries outside the EU/EES and Switzerland are paying tuition fees in Sweden.

This will have a significant influence on the number of foreign students coming to Sweden

Although, the Denmark situation gives us some hope

PROGRAMME

Business

Law

Natural Sciences

Social Sciences

Medicine (basic level)

Medical School

UMEÅ

9,500€

9,500€

14,200€

9,500€

14,700€

24,200€

UPPSALA

8,500€

8,500€

12,600€

8,500€

12,600€

19,000€

LUND

9,500€

10,500€

14,700€

10,500€

13,600€

24,200€

International Student Barometer -Student survey among international students

Datum

Sidfot

13

Category 2009 vs. 2010 (%) Sweden Rank 2010 ISB Rank

Overall Satisfaction 94 vs. 91 2nd 3rd vs. 4th

Learning Overall 90 vs. 89 4th 9th vs. 11th

Course content 89 vs. 90 1st 54th vs. 13th

Living overall 88 vs. 87 2nd 9th vs. 35th

Sport Facilities 84 vs. 86 1st 16th vs. 13th

Social Activities 83 vs. 82 1st 27th vs. 38th

Host Friends 67 vs. 69 1st 86th vs. 109th

Support Overall 91 vs. 89 1st 40th vs. 13th

Accommodation Office 91 vs. 92 1st 2nd vs. 2nd

Counseling 92 vs. 90 1st 12th vs. 45th

Arrival - Internet 87 vs. 92 1st 39th vs. 6th

Arrival - Accommodation 76 vs. 91 1st 48th vs. 8th

Arrival - Orientation 90 vs. 88 1st 31th vs. 16th

Arrival - Host Friends 70 vs. 73 1st 66th vs. 79th

What are students looking for?Average daily temperature Umeå Jan-Feb 2010

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

302

01

0-0

1-0

1

20

10

-01

-08

20

10

-01

-15

20

10

-01

-22

20

10

-01

-29

20

10

-02

-05

20

10

-02

-12

20

10

-02

-19

20

10

-02

-26

Date

Te

mp

era

ture

(C

)

Research at Umeå University

Areas of Excellence• Biological Chemistry• Cancer Research• Ecosystem Dynamics• Gender Studies• Infections• Mathematics Education• Metabolic Diseases• The Nervous System• Northern Studies• Plant and Forest Biotechnology• Population Studies – Ageing and Living Conditions• Social Welfare Research

Evaluation by the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education – Umeå University• In 2004; how are the Swedish

universities working with internationalization?

• In 2007 a follow up study was made

• A self-evaluation

• The results indicated that Umeå University should aim for a more comprehensive approach

• Establish an organization and method of including all parts of the university in working with internationalization.

• Further, to promote and develop strategic cooperation with other universities

• Quality Assessment!

Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences – Audit of International Affairs• Focus the internationalization

effort on local students and assist them to develop increased global competency

• Use the curriculum as a tool for internationalization

• Benchmark yourself with more institutions of higher education

• Focus and prioritize• Review agreements• Develop a broader base of

responsibility

• Improve coordination between different parts of the university

• Recruit faculty and staff with international experience and backgrounds

• The community of Seinäjoki needs to become more international and open to ”outsiders”

Exploring and developing collaboration between the Nordic Countries• A need for new efforts to stimulate greater achievements?

• The Nordic Centre at the Fudan University a Gateway to China• The Nordic Centre in India

• Established areas of collaboration such as:– Nordplus för Higher Education – a large number of networks in different

academic areas– Nordplus Nordic Languages and Culture– Nordic-Russian collaboration within Education and Research– Erasmus tematic networks, Erasmus Mundus etc.

Some observations

• Improve strategic cooperation with Nordic universities

• Differences between institutions as well as study program´s

• Many courses taught in English • Intercultural communication

can be a problem for collaboration as well as learning

• Agreements not quality assured• Few long-term studies and

follow up´s

General Conclusions – Part 1

• A growing number of university students of today have become ‘mobile’

• But it seems to be a selection of students who study abroad• Improvement of language skills, experience a different culture and

to develop personally• Swedish students express the desire to become more fluent in a

language they already have good knowledge of (i.e. English), rather than a desire to learn a language of which they have limited or no knowledge

• English has become a global language, a lingua franca

General Conclusions – Part 2

• International organisations and employees seem to value intercultural competence among their employers.

• A global life-style experienced by young people of today gives them an international network and identity, which they also seem to appreciate.

• Although, there are some studies that indicate the extent of loneliness and/or isolation among international students

• It seems as career prospects improve after studying abroad, academic learning experiences less significant

• Mobile students seems more frequently to have jobs with international work assignments

Thank you for listening!