1. Introduction of fees in Sweden
CIMO June 2012
Gunnar Enequist, Högskoleverket
(Swedish National Agency for Higher Education)

2. Who am I? Analyst at Högskoleverket
Concerned with internationalisation and other international matters
Editor of our weekly newsletter – Internationellt om högskolan
Co-responsible for analysing the introduction of fees for third-country students

3. My presentation Background
Results from the survey among HEI’s, autumn 2011
Voices from a recent seminar
Current statistics on mobility
Interrupt me and ask questions if I am difficult to understand!!

4. Background

5. Mobility 2001/ /11

8. The decision (1) Decision by the parliament in 2010:
Sweden should compete with quality
Fees for third country-students from autumn
Some third country-students do not pay
All costs must be covered - no profit allowed
All, or a major part of the fee, payable in advance
56 million euro less to the HEI’s from 2013

9. The decision (2) Decision by the parliament in 2010 (cont.)
(Reasonable) balance in exchange programs!
Some national scholarships to be introduced
Application fee for students from third countries – euro 100
Effects: Number of applicants from third countries fell more than 80 % from 2010 to 2011

10. The assignment The government said
”Högskoleverket are commissioned to follow the activities at HEI’s that are to be covered by tuition fees.”
Högskoleverket will
Produce more detailed statistics on mobile students from third countries
Conduct a survey to all HEI’s about their experiences

11. Some basic facts
“Forum for internationalisation” started 2008 to coordinate internationalisation
A joint HEI’s project for marketing started 2009
600 out of 640 programs on advanced level are taught in English (autumn 2011)
Annual fee from euro 8 000
Annual fee on average euro

12. From the survey

13. The questionnaire Numbers (Planning)
(Information to staff and students)
Changes in working methods
Scholarships
Room for concluding remarks

14. Number of fee-paying students
34 (of 45) HEI’s had admitted fee-paying students
4 600 were admitted
1 350 were registered
Almost 100 did pay, but did not turn up

15. Why did the 100 not turn up?
Most common reason was problems with residence permits
Second most common reason was personal reasons (like illness)
Some had been admitted elsewhere
Only one HEI has mentioned that the student reversed his or hers decision

16. Number of admitted and registered fee-paying students per HEI
Lund University 576/ 213
Chalmers 497/134
KTH 412/119
Uppsala University 338/115
University of Gävle 161/80
BTH 196/73
Stockholm University 300/72
Jönköping University 68/66
Malmö University 263/52
Dalarna University 206/46
University of Gothenburg 200/42
Umeå University 150/41
……….
UC of Opera 1/1

17. Changes in working methods - 1
22 HEI’s have increased their support to students:
Residence (16)
Reception and introduction (13)
Language matters (8)
Mentoring programmes (7)
Study/Career guidance (5)
Health care (3)

18. Changes in working methods - 2
20 HEI’s changed their recruiting efforts
16 have changed their geographic priorities
15 changed their work with exchange programmes
Some HEI’s have plans to increase contract education to countries outside EU/EES
(Preparatory programmes are now discussed at some HEI’s)

19. Scholarships

20. Scholarships from three sources
4 600 admitted
823 offered scholarship (18 %)
250 said thank you but no thank you (30 %)
Reasons for no thank you: the total cost or other, better, offers
1 350 registered
570 with scholarship
780 ”full-paying”
42 % scholarship
58 % ” full-paying”, but students might have scholarship “from home”

21. Concluding remarks from the HEI’s

22. Some concluding remarks
The reform has meant an extensive extra work load for the HEI’s, not least because of the hasty implementation
The model for calculating the fees is complicated
Collaboration between universities has been made more complicated
An overriding, national, strategy for internationalisation is required

23. Voices from a recent seminar

24. The Association of Swedish Higher Ed. (1)
Some of the questions brought up
The local frame works – e.g. what is included in the tuition fee?
How do we handle the scholarships?
Do we refund the tuition fee?
Collaboration with the Migration Board

25. The Association of Swedish Higher Ed. (2)
The rule that “all costs must be covered” is apparently difficult to apply
The application fee is too high
About scholarships: most universities give priority to students that have applied to their university as first choice
In some cases priority is given to partner- universities

26. The Association of Swedish Higher Ed. (3)
Sharp reductions in the offering of courses in English – will effect exchange students
Number of agreements for exchange with third countries is growing
Gap between incoming and outgoing students is diminishing
Most universities has reported a good collaboration with the Migration board
Problems with the card showing residence permit

27. Current statistics on mobility

28. Mobility data from last week
1/3 less new incoming students autumn 2011
60 % less incoming FM-students (paying & not paying)
80 % less FM-students from third countries
Sharp decrease from Africa och Asia
Increased number of FM-students from EU

29. Thank you! gunnar.enequist@hsv.se