Organisation of internationalisation of education
With the aim of improving the quality and diversity of the education at KI and in order to prepare students for working in a global labour market, KI is working for increased internationalisation of the study programmes at KI.
Internationalisation in focus for the Committee of Higher Education
Committee member Jonas Sundbäck has been assigned by the Committee for Higher Education (KU) to represent the Committee in the Internationalisation Board and focus on internationalisation in education in the first and second cycle and related goals in Strategy 2030.
Supporting coordinators are Emma Hägg and Anna Dahlerus.
Responsibility of study programmes for internationalisation
The study programme responsible institutions/boards are responsible for driving internationalisation at the programme level and integrating an international perspective into education. This includes, among other things, creating opportunities for exchange studies.
Each study programme has assigned one person for supporting the work on programme level for internationalising the education. Jonas Sundbäck appointed by KU invites responsible for internationalisation at study programme level to meetings once or twice per semester (Forum för internationaliseringsansvariga - FIA) to discuss current issues and exchange best practise.
Projects for internationalisation of education
Certificate of Global Competence
The project for the introduction of the Certificate of Global Competence at Karolinska Institutet aims to highlight and strengthen students' global competence through a digital portfolio. During their studies, students can collect international merits by participating in pre-selected activities both at KI and abroad, and reflect on these experiences. The activities are later included in their Diploma Supplement. The pilot project includes the study programmes in occupational therapy, the master's programmes in bioentrepreneurship and translational physiology and pharmacology, as well as the study programme in dentistry. CIM provides students with the opportunity to showcase their international engagement to future employers and can be used as a merit for applications to master's programmes, PhD programmes, summer schools, and exchange studies. The pilot project is set to be implemented by August 2025.
Internationalisation at home – successful projects and lessons learned
Seven innovative projects were granted funding by the Internationalisation Board in 2022 to integrate international and intercultural perspectives into education. An additional four projects were granted funding in 2024, and they are to be reported in June 2025. These projects are good examples of internationalisation at home. Read details about the projects in Swedish.
Mandatory teaching in English
The action plan for internationalisation 2014-2018 (1-672/2021) which was established by the Board of education at the time (Protocol 2013:06 §6) contained a total of four goals where goal 2 was defined as that all education programs should have a compulsory course (7.5 credits) taught in English. Goal 2 was largely met by the study programmes. Since the action plan was implemented, a number of programs have raised the question of the purpose of teaching in English in a context where everyone speaks Swedish and if teaching in English could be done in other ways. The working group for internationalisation (KU) therefore commissioned a working group to redefine the purpose of teaching in English and to link the purpose to Strategy 2030, as well as to make a proposal for a decision that it should be mandatory.
The report (Dnr: 1-870/2022) was finalized (in Swedish) and presented to KU in December 2022 and the decision to make it mandatory was made.
Mobility and utilization of international experiences (in Swedish)
To achieve a more comprehensive picture of international mobility at KI, a pilot project was carried out on behalf of the working group for internationalisation during 2020. The project Mobility and utilization of international experiences (in Swedish) has resulted in a report and has been presented at the Committe of Higher Education in February 2021. Suggested actions in the report will be handled in the working group for internationalisation.
Examples on internationalisation of education
- collaboration with international partner universities
- student- and teacher exchange
- courses where part of the course takes place abroad
- thesis work
- opportunities for students to do internships
- opportunities for KI staff to train at partner universities
- teaching in English
- teaching in matters related to global health
- internationalisation of the curriculum (IoC)
- Internationalisation at home (IaH)
- tuition fee based activities related to the "Global study programmes"
- English language courses for teaching staff
- joint course development with partner universities
- participation in joint international intensive programmes/courses
Administrative support
Contact the international student coordinators (student mobility), at the International relations office, if you have questions regarding student exchange and its surrounding administrative routines.
Contact the international coordinators at the International Relations Office if you have questions regarding exchange agreements, rules and guidelines as well as exchange for administrative and teaching staff.