NEWS Umeå University has once again achieved a top-ranking for international student satisfaction, according to results from the International Student Barometer (ISB) autumn wave 2015 survey.
International students from 159 universities throughout the world were contacted and 43% of Umeå University’s 1,400 international students responded to the survey.
Umeå University had the highest overall satisfaction ranking in Europe (including 19 institutions) and also placed second among all participating institutions in the world in the single question for overall satisfaction experience.
Umeå University has achieved the highest overall satisfaction ranking in Sweden since 2011, making this the fifth year in a row with a top-ranking. Furthermore, Umeå University received the highest marks of all participating universities in the world for its sports facilities, campus environment, social activities, campus buildings, international classroom and ease of making other friends. Umeå placed first in Europe in 35 of the 78 sub-categories (individual questions).
“It was exciting to see this level of participation. The survey is expansive and covers many elements that are vital to international students’ experience in Umeå and we are proud to be able to deliver a great result in almost all of the categories,” says Greg Neely, Director of International Office at Umeå University.
In the Learning category, Umeå University placed first in Europe with top ranking in 11 sub-categories including: learning support, good teachers, course content and language support, among others.
“Umeå University is constantly working to improve and develop learning opportunities for our international students and the consistent top-ranking in the ISB is a vindication that these combined efforts, of many colleagues at Umeå University, are working. We are elated by these results,” states Pro-Vice-Chancellor Anders Fällström.
In the Living and Support categories, Umeå University placed first in Europe with a top ranking in 18 sub-categories including social activities, host culture, accommodation cost, accommodation department, campus environment eco-friendly attitude, international office and fees department.
“Via the Buddy Programme we are able to connect our visiting international students with the Swedish culture as well as help them acclimatize and integrate. This is greatly appreciated by our visiting students and wouldn’t be possible without the participation of our Swedish “buddy” volunteers” explains Gustaf Ljungwaldh, coordinator of the Buddy Programme.
“We have regularly implemented changes based on the feedback we have received from the ISB. Despite the overwhelming positive results, there are of course some elements that need focus and continuous improvement such as assisting students with career guidance, helping them open bank accounts and registration,” states Anders Fällström.
The other institutions in Sweden that participated in the autumn 2015 ISB are Stockholm University, Linnaeus University and Jönköping University.
Detailed results of the Autumn 2015 ISB
Photo: Elin Berge
The ISB survey was developed and administered by the International Graduate Insight Group (i-graduate) and has been responded by exchange students and other international students. A total of 141,628 students participated in the International Student Barometer survey during October to December of 2015.
Anders Fällström, Pro-Vice-Chancellor
E-mail: anders.fallstrom@umu.se
Mobile: +46 70-493 85 27
Greg Neely, International Office Director
E-mail: greg.neely@umu.se
Phone: +46 90-786 97 52
Gustaf Ljungwaldh, Buddy Programme Coordinator
E-mail: gustaf.ljungwaldh@umu.se
Editor: David Meyers