INTRODUCING TUITION FEES – PROBLEMS FACED BY A SMALL UNIVERSITY Eva Carling, coordinator of the International office at the University of Gävle

The University of Gävle Forum för internationalisering 23 november  Students:  Staff : 700  Study programs: 40; programs in English 9  Graudate programs in English: 4  Courses: 1000  Research profiles: Built environment Health promoting working life  International students: 643 (5%)

Background – international students at the University of Gävle Forum för internationalisering 23 november  643 international students; of which 135 come from the EU/EES countries  508 from ”third countries” of which 460 from China; the other 48 are free movers mainly from Pakistan and Bangladesh  The China project (2006): Agreements in China with 6 universities and 5 high schools, originating from projects in the Linnaeus-Palme program and from strong commitment by Chinese and other faculty members

Strategy - and short term plans Forum för internationalisering 23 november  The university has worked out a strategy for admittance, tuition fees and scholarships  Strategy and size of tuition fees decided by the Vice-chancellor on October 12th  Strategy for giving out scholarships will be decided in December by the Research and study programmes board  Procedures for handling admittance, scholarships and tuition fees are in progress

Cont. Short tem plans Forum för internationalisering 23 november  Marketing is ongoing; one staff member is assigned to discuss with and adapt the procedures to the Chineses partners  Marketing via agents in India started -two staff members have visited India, planned for Russia  The university’s web not yet updated with information about tuition fees! Ongoing…

What’s the problem? Forum för internationalisering 23 november  What is a bilateral agreement?  What if there are too few applicants – can we cancel?  What is it the student buys – one instance of a course plus two reexams? Then he/she has to buy a new course instance?  Can we be sued?

What else is the problem? Forum för internationalisering 23 november  Can a student come next year and take a second round, ie just pay for the courses she/he didn’t pass last year? Will the student get visa then?  Can a student pay for a/one years/ program and take more courses than 60 credits without paying extra tuition fee?  Can we sell extra courses not included in the program? Language courses are probably candidates for ’extra’ courses’

How about student services? Forum för internationalisering 23 november  Accomodation – are universities now allowed to own appartments/dorms?  Do we have obligations to arrange for accomodation?  The Student union has an agency for accomodation, but it doesn’t work very well for international students  Student Health care?  other services…inpact on Swedish students expactations!