NEWS There was a 37 per cent increase of the number of new students at Umeå University for the 2008/09 academic year in comparison with 2007/08. This represents the largest rise among all the large-sized universities in Sweden.
Culture on Campus lunchtime event at the Teacher Education Building packed with spectators. Photo: Mattias Pettersson.
For the 2008/09 academic year, a total of 11,473 entrants were registered at courses and programmes at Umeå University, which were 3,102 more than the prior year. The statistics of enrolled students come from an analysis by the Swedish National Agency of Higher Education, HSV.
“These figures clearly display that Umeå University is in a class of its own among the larger universities. This is obviously very satisfying, but hardly unexpected. Umeå University is a flourishing and new thinking university, with a strong student influence, closeness among individuals and with outstanding quality in education and research,” says Åsa Bergenheim, pro-vice-chancellor for undergraduate and postgraduate education.
The total number of new students who are enrolled at all Swedish institutions of higher education (universities and university colleges) reached its highest level ever for the 2008/09 academic year, with 94,000 persons that had not previously studied at a university or university college. This is an increase of 8 per cent in comparison with the prior academic year.
According to HSV, the largest increased was for master’s degree programmes, with an increase of 29 percent. ”It is especially satisfying to learn that the number of applicants to magister and master’s level programmes have risen so dramatically,” says Åsa Bergenheim. ”It means that awareness for programmes at this level is strong, and that the students that apply strive to gain the competence that these programmes provide.”
The number of student entrants throughout Sweden is expected to increase for the autumn 2009 term, according to HSV. Preliminary information on registered students as of 15 October displays a 20 per cent increase of entrants in comparison with the autumn 2008 term. “We hope that this trend continues, which everything indicates so far. Umeå University’s preliminary numbers for the spring 2010 term are very positive," says Åsa Bergenheim.
Editor: David Meyers