Record 470 new exchange students to arrive at Umeå University
NEWS
On Tuesday the 28th of August, Umeå University will welcome 470 new arriving exchange students from 36 countries. This is an increase of 20 students compared to the prior year. Students from South Korea are attending on exchange for the first time.
"We are elated that so many students have chosen Umeå University for their studies abroad,” says Anders Fällström, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Education at Umeå University. “It also confirms the good results we have received from the International Student Barometer, an international survey that measures student satisfaction.”
The country representing the largest number of students is Germany by far. Although European universities are in the top, the number of exchange students from Asia has increased. Last year, Umeå University signed new agreements with four universities in South Korea. For the autumn 2012 term, seven South Korean students are studying at Umeå University and nine Umeå students traveling abroad to South Korea for an exchange semester abroad.
"Umeå students have in recent years shown an increasing interest in studying on exchange in Asia. It's also satisfying that interest in Umeå is so strong with our new partner universities in South Korea," says Per A. Nilsson, Director of the International Office.
The majority of new exchange students are expected to arrive in Umeå on Monday 27 August. “To make the arrival easier, students will be offered transportation to their housing rooms after they pick up their keys here at the International Office,” explains Wasif Ali, International Coordinator at the International Housing Office.
At 1:00 pm on Tuesday 28 August, a four-day orientation course will begin. It consists of a series of lectures and activities that will help the new students become acquainted with life in Umeå and studies at the university.
Approximately 50 tuition fee-paying international students
In addition to students arriving on exchange agreements, around 50 tuition paying international students will begin their studies at Umeå University. This is approximately the same number as the previous academic year. Autumn 2011 was the first academic term in which non-European students have been required to pay tuition fees for higher education studies in Sweden.
Anders Fällström, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Education, wants to increase these target numbers. Simultaneously, he is well aware that it’s a long-term approach which requires extraordinary efforts. “If Sweden is to come close to the number of international students who came before fees were introduced, there must be new types of scholarship funding from the government, but also a substantial contribution among ourselves,” he says.
Autumn 2012 incoming exchange students are from the following countries
Austria 18
Ireland 14
Slovakia 2
Australia 3
Israel 1
Slovenia 1
Beglium 10
Italy 20
South Korea 10
Brazil 1
Japan 4
Spain 34
Canada 10
Latvia 1
Switerland 2
Czech Republic 10
Mexico 1
Taiwan (Rep. of China) 3
Denmark 4
Netherlands 13
Tanzania 4
Finland 17
New Zealand 1
Turkey 11
France 61
Norway 4
United Kingdom 8
Germany 120
Poland 13
United States 20
Hungary 2
Portugal 7
India 1
Russia 9
For further information, please contact:
Per A. Nilsson, Director of International Office E-mail: per.nilsson@adm.umu.se Phone:+46 (0)90-786 68 66
Monika Larsson, International Coordinator Phone: +46 (0)90-786 60 87
