Higher Education Systems - Sweden

Higher Education in Sweden is governed by the Higher Education Act (1992:1434) [SE1] and the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100) [SE2], while the Swedish Higher Education Authority is respon¬sible for the quality assurance system for all higher educa¬tion [SE3]. Swedish higher education institutions (HEIs) can be grouped into four major categories:

• universities (universitet),
• university colleges (högskolor),
• university colleges of fine, applied and performing arts (konstnärliga högskolor),
• and other independent higher education providers (enskilda utbildningsanordnare).

HEIs primarily differ in that universities have been granted general degree-awarding powers at the third-cycle level, while university colleges must apply for to be able to issue award degrees at the third-cycle level (Licentiate and Doctoral) in specific areas. Both universities and university colleges conduct research and provide higher education at various levels, but they vary in how much focus is given to research [SE4].

Compared with the higher education systems of many other countries, the Swedish higher education system is relatively flexible. When applying to study in Sweden, a student may choose to apply for full study programs or individual courses. Students are awarded credits on completion of courses. Afterwards, it is possible to get a diploma or degree if a student accumulates the appropriate number of credits in the right combination according to the requirements outlined by the awarding institution, including sufficient credits in the main field of study and the completion of an independent project (examensarbete).

Higher education in Sweden is organized according to the Bologna agreement (applied since 2007) in three levels: first-, second- and third-cycle. In the Higher Education Ordinance, the Government has determined which qualifications may be awarded, as well as their scope, requirements and intended learning outcomes. There are three categories of qualifications: general; professional qualifications and the fine, applied and performing arts (the latter are not common in the Informatics field). Sweden has a system of credits (högskolepoäng); a normal 40-week academic year corresponds to 60 credits. The system is compatible with ECTS credits [SE5].

The general qualifications include:

• At the first-cycle:
  • Högskoleexamen (Higher Education Diploma) requiring 120 credits and an independent project (degree project). These degrees exist mainly for students who want to create their own study paths through freestanding courses.
    o Kandidatexamen (Degree of Bachelor) requiring 180 credits. At least 90 credits must be completed in the main field of study, including an independent project (degree project) worth 15 credits.
• At the second-cycle:
  • Magisterexamen (Degree of Master) requiring 60 credits. At least 30 credits must be completed in the main field of study, including an independent project (degree project) worth 15 credits.
  • Masterexamen (Degree of Master) requiring 120 credits. At least 60 credits must be completed in the main field of study, including an independent project (degree project) worth at least 30 credits.
    In addition, for both Magisterexamen and Masterexamen degrees the student must normally hold a kandidatexamen, or a professional degree of at least 180 credits, or an equivalent foreign degree.
• At the third-cycle:
  • Licentiatexamen (Degree of Licentiate) requiring at least 120 credits, including a research thesis worth at least 60 credits. A higher education institution may decide that a licentiatexamen can be awarded as a separate qualification or as a step on the way to doktorsexamen.
    o Doktorsexamen (Degree of Doctor) requiring 240 credits, including a research thesis (doctoral thesis) worth at least 120 credits. The thesis must be presented at a public defence.

The professional qualifications are offered at either first- or second-cycle level. These qualifications may stretch over two cycles and are awarded in Informatics, engineering, health care, agriculture, law, and education areas. The nominal length of first-cycle degrees is from 180-210 ECTS; of second-cycle degrees is 75-90 ECTS for Postgraduate diplomas or 240-300 ECTS for integrated programs. The degree awarded in the field of Engineering is Högskoleingenjörsexamen (first-cycle) and Civilingenjörsexamen (second-cycle) [SE6].

Admission

National admission regulations are defined in the Higher Education Act and the Higher Education Ordinance, and in regulations issued by the Swedish Council for Higher Education. There are general and specific entry requirements for access to higher education within all cycles. The specific entry requirements are not centrally regulated and are set by each HEI independently. Consequently, they vary across both fields and HEIs. The number of places is limited on all study programs and courses. Fulfilment of the entry requirements does not guarantee admission. If there are more applicants than can be admitted, selection criteria based on final school grades and results from the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test are typically used [SE4].

The general entry requirements for first-cycle studies are the same for all higher education. They can be attained by completing an upper-secondary school program, via adult education at upper-secondary school level or the applicants achieving a comparable level of learning outcomes through other education, practical experience or other circumstances.

The general entry requirements for second-cycle studies are a first-cycle qualification of at least 180 credits, or a corresponding foreign qualification. An applicant may also be accepted on the basis of a comparable level of learning outcomes obtained through other education, practical experience or other circumstances. The general entry requirements for some specific second-cycle professional qualifications are a prior specific qualification or a specific professional registration [SE5].

The general entry requirements for third-cycle studies are a second-cycle qualification, or completed courses worth at least 240 credits (of which 60 credits are at second-cycle level) or the equivalent level of knowledge acquired in Sweden or abroad. Funding and employment for third-cycle studies can only be provided for the official period of study (2 years for licentiate programs and 4 years for doctoral programs). A doctoral student, however, may work with teaching first- and second-cycle students, research and administration up to 20% of their studies. The doctoral studies are then extended an equivalent period [SE4].