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Sweden: Education, Weather & Stay

Introduction

Sweden, officially called the Kingdom of Sweden, is a country located in the Scandinavia. The country shares its borders with Norway in the west and with Finland in the northeast. The Skagerrak Strait and the Kattegat Strait lie to its southwest. The Baltic Sea is to its east. The Oresund Bridge connects it to its Scandinavian neighbor Denmark. The country has a low population density, with most of the inland parts consisting of forests. Sweden also boasts of large natural resources of water, timber and iron ore. Sweden is considered to be liberal and normal and it is one of the reasons why its citizens have a high standard of living.

The country is a major exporter of iron, copper and timber. With the improvement in transportation and communication, the country has been able to utilize natural assets to a great extent. Today, the country ranks among top nations on the Human Development Index. There is a strong emphasis on equality in the country.

Climatic Conditions in Sweden -

Sweden has a temperate climate in spite of its northern latitude. The climate of the country is influenced by the Gulf Stream to a great extent. The mountainous regions experience a sub-arctic climate. The country has an ideal climate during the May-September period. During this time the days are warm. Average temperature during this period is between 16 and 27 degree C. During winter (particularly in north) the temperature reaches almost around the freezing point with frequent drizzling.

Education Scenario in Sweden -

Historical, social, economic and intellectual forces have highly impacted higher education system in Sweden. Some of these factors are peculiar to the country, while some others are due to the changing educational scenario globally. One of the most important features of the Swedish higher education system has been its united mission and its emphasis on shared purposes. In fact, to achieve this objective, the institutions have been divided into research and teaching institutions. The universities in the country consist of both traditional faculties as well as the new professional institutions that were incorporated after 1977. To ensure that undergraduate education is not starved of resources, an emphasis has been put on ensuring that there is enough cooperation between research and teaching.
The public universities and university colleges award academic degrees. Besides the general academic degrees, the higher institutions in the country also award professional degrees in the fields of engineering, law and medicine. However, these degrees have a tenure that is longer than the Master’s degree.
University education is free of charge for both Swede as well as foreign students. Students belonging to the country also receive economic assistance from the government. Although higher education is free in the country, students do have to incur sufficient expenses. Debts after studies may be somewhere in the range of 15,000 and 40,000 euros depending upon the programme.

Staying options in Sweden –

In Sweden there is no national system that handles the student accommodation services. The student union at the university can be of help, however, depending entirely on the union may not yield desired results. The availability of staying options also varies significantly at different places. Accommodations are available in plenty in smaller and mid-sized towns and cities. However, getting accommodation in larger cities is a tough job and plans should be made beforehand.

There are student-housing providers who can be contacted for information on available accommodation. Students can also rent a flat. Although flats are expensive, they’re a good option for some students. Students can also share bigger accommodation with other students. They can also go for single rooms. Message boards at the university and newspapers are also an important source of getting information on available accommodations. Student flats or rooms are less expensive and best among the lot.

Most students find student dormitories to be a comfortable option as they get an opportunity to mingle with students from varied backgrounds and cultures and get to know different ideas.