NARIC guide on Higher Education Systems in the European Union

Thus, there is no distinction between university and non-university higher education in Sweden. This means that all higher
education is conducted within the universities, institutes and university colleges mentioned above. However, there are longterm
programmes designed to train scientifically oriented professionals and prepare for research in the field and short-term
programmes designed to train professionals capable of performing or supervising tasks with a high scientific content. Also,
there are single-subject courses enabling the students to design their own studies, mostly theoretically oriented and preparing
for research in the major subject.
For example, engineering and technology programmes are offered at the universities/institutes of technology and at the
technical faculties of
some of the universities. The long-term programmes leading to
civilingenjörsexamen are designed to train top-level independent professionals who are responsible for fundamental and
applied research and the design and application of scientific research for the development
of new technologies. The emphasis is on theoretical education and specialised training. The short-term programmes
leading to
ingenjörsexamen/högskoleingenjörsexamen are designed to train
middle-level professionals to apply and further develop existing
knowledge and technologies. The difference between these programmes lies in their structure and length. Even if they are
organised by the same institute/university and have the same admission requirements, transfer of studies from the short-term
to the long-term programme may be difficult and only limited recognition of credits will be given.
In the 1977 reform, study programmes were organised in five sectors: (i) technical; (ii) administrative, economic and social
work; (iii) health; (iv) teacher training and (v) information, communication and arts. At the same time, postgraduate education
was organised in scientific disciplines in accordance with the traditional faculties, which were also the basis for the 1993
organisational structure: pharmacy, philosophy, humanities, law, mathematics-natural sciences, medicine, dentistry, social
sciences, engineering, technical-natural sciences, theology, agriculture, forestry and veterinary medicine. From 1993 onwards,
undergraduate education has been organised partly in the same areas as the faculties mentioned, and partly in education areas
like health sciences, education, design, fine arts, music, opera, theatre, media, dance and sports.
Most higher education takes place in the universities, institutes, university colleges or colleges of health sciences as has been
mentioned above. Other State-run institutions of higher education are the military and police training colleges.
I.2. Number of students
The total number of undergraduate students in 1994/95 was 270000. There was a 17 % increase in the number of applicants to
higher education in the autumn of 1994; around 210000 individuals applied for places in study programmes or single-subject
courses. The number of applicants who have not previously studied at university, approximately 100000, has been constant
over the past three years.
During 1994/95, the total number of students in foundation studies increased by 5.2 %, but the number of students enrolled in
study programmes decreased from 44 to 41% of the total student body. The decline in the number of students choosing a study
programme has been matched by an increase in the number of students taking advantage of the improved possibilities to
choose a set of courses individually within an agreed framework, as intended by the 1993 reform.