WELCOME TO THE COURSE
Welcome to the course Rural Futures: Design-Build in Northern Sweden at Umeå School of Architecture, a part of Umeå University. This course is offered in collaboration with Vännäs municipality and is supported by funds distributed by the Swedish Board of Agriculture and the European Union Leader fund. On this page, you will find important information that will be useful: please read through it carefully. If you have any questions, you can use the contact form below.
When you have recieved your Notification of Selection results at Universityadmissions.se, the next thing to do is to register on the course. Read more about how to do that under "2. Register on the course".
If you are in need of special support due to disability, you should apply for that in good time before you start your studies. Find more information about support for studying with disabilities.
As a new student, you need to activate your user account (your Umu-id) approximately two weeks prior to the start of the semester.
With your user account you can:
If you are a new student, you will automatically receive a user account when you are admitted, but you will need to activate it for it to function properly. You will not be able to activate it until approximately two weeks prior to the start of the semester.
Install MFA for a more secure login
To increase security and reduce the risk of unauthorised access to your information or account, students must enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) to log in to various systems, such as Canvas and the Student Web.
I want to activate my user account and install MFA
If you are an exchange student or tuition fee paying student, you will receive an email with instructions on how to activate your account.
If you are having problems activating your account or logging in, please contact our Servicedesk. You will find answers to common questions, and can submit enquiries.
You need to be registered for the course in the study documentation system Ladok in order to keep your place (seat) and to have your results recorded during the course. Online registration is open from 2 to 9 June. If you do not register by 9 June at the latest, you risk losing your place at the course.
If for any reason you are unable to attend the course, you must contact us as soon as possible!
Please note! In order to login to Ladok and register online, you must first activate your user account (UMU ID) and install MFA (see headline above).
If you are having problems creating your account or have forgotten your login details, you must contact IT Support as soon as possible.
You need an UmU ID card to enter the building. Please see “Get your UmU card” below.
A field trip to the project sites will take place on Tuesday, 10th June.
Course materials will be published on Canvas on 19 May. You should familiarise yourself with the material and the schedule before the course starts.
Are you unable to attend?
If you are unable to attend the introduction meeting, please notify us by sending an e-mail to info@arch.umu.se
Learning platform Canvas
We use the learning platform Canvas. Please note that you must activate your user account (UMU ID) and install MFA before you can log in to Canvas (see headline above).
The course is given full-time in weeks 24-25 (the design phase at Umeå School of Architecture) and 32-33 (the construction phase, on-site in rural Vännäs). In week 34 you will be required to complete some independent study before making a digital submission to complete the course.
Between weeks 26-31 there is no teaching, and your teachers will be on vacation.
Since 2023, Umeå School of Architecture has collaborated with Vännäs municipality and the village associations of Brån and Stärkesmark. Prior to this summer course, we worked intensively with our project partners to solicit the needs and wishes of children and young people in the two communities.
In the design phase (weeks 24-25) you will be presented with our research findings as a design brief. You must collaborate to design a new meeting place for children and young people according to their needs and wishes. Some creative constraints relating to budget, materials, and building regulations will be imposed. Your primary building material will be wood.
In the construction phase (weeks 32-33), you will be located on-site in rural Vännäs and you will construct your design. The project(s) must be completed in time for the formal handover and public celebration on Friday, August 15th.
Please note: overnight accommodation is not available on-site. You will be required to travel to and from the site daily. We will provide information about public transport. Car sharing may be possible.
We are pleased that you have decided to study at Umeå School of Architecture (UMA). We hope that you will find that you have made the right choice to gain skills for your future life. We also hope that you will enjoy your time and studies here at Umeå University!
Umeå School of Architecture was founded in 2009 and presently has about 300 students in a five-year Architecture Programme, a two-year Master's Programme in Architecture and Urban Design and in free standing courses. We are a part of Umeå Arts Campus, a creative environment for research, education and events within architecture, art, and design.
The school is characterized by a vision to work on both local and global contexts. The location of Umeå School of Architecture in the local and regional context of Umeå and Northern Sweden is, together with the school's international profile a dynamic vantage point to address global or structural issues while working firmly to engage with and learn from affected communities. Our teachers come from within the region as well as from other parts of the world, something that open possibilities for a broad and diverse perspective.
If you have any questions regarding the content of the course, please contact the course responsible teacher James Brown.
If you have questions regarding the administrative parts (for example about your admission or online registration), please contact our study administration at info@arch.umu.se.
Checklist for admitted students
Follow this simple list of things to complete your enrolment at Umeå University. It includes: how to secure housing, getting a residence permit (for citizens from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland), tuition payment (if applicable), travel directions and more.
The Student web
The website for current students has all sorts of information about services, support, legal and practical matters at Umeå University. You can sign in to the learning platforms, see your schedule and course overview, get a study certificate, apply for a degree or sign up for an examination.
Recommended arrival times
International students are recommended to arrive at least a few days before the start of the regular semester, preferably prior to the Orientation. If you fail to arrive on time, you have to contact the study counselor as soon as possible, but no later than one week ahead of the course start, or you may not be able to register for the programme or course.
If you will have student housing through the Housing Office at Umeå University you will receive information about your arrival in your offer of housing.
Don't forget - Umeå has cold winters, so pack accordingly with a warm jacket, warm shoes, gloves and hat.
Orientation
Moving to a new country with an unfamiliar language, culture and customs can be a challenge. We would like to help you and ease that challenge so that you can focus on your studies. Therefore, we would like to offer you the possibility to take part in our Orientation, which begins a few days before the start of the semester (Autumn) or the same day as the semester starts (Spring).
Welcome Fair
Are you a new student at Umeå University? Visit the Welcome Fair – a perfect opportunity to learn what our university and Umeå can offer. The fair normally takes place in the beginning of each semester.
Get your UmU card
When you are on Campus Umeå, Umeå Arts Campus or Campus Örnsköldsvik, you will need a UmU card. The card has the following functions:
To get the card, you need to apply for it. Here’s how to apply for the UmU card.
Join a student union
There are three student unions at Umeå University:
They are actively involved so that fellow students have a high quality of education, good working environment, and fun leisure time.
Access to Microsoft Office 365
Students at Umeå University have free access to the programmes of Microsoft Office 365. This means that you have access to Teams, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Whiteboard Forms, your student email and other services which can facilitate your studies and your collaboration with other students. To access Office 365 you need to activate your UmU-id.
Learn more about Office 365 and how to install it on your computer