Leading with progressive values
Sweden has a long history as a trailblazer for progressive policies around gender equality, worker’s rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, and environmental policy.
Sweden was among the fist countries to legalize homosexuality and allow transgender individuals to legally change their gender. That same year, Stockholm hosted the first ever United Nations conference on the environment, which would serve as the foundation for modern global environmental governance.
Connected to nature
Nature is a key part of Swedish culture. Allemansrätten, the right to roam in nature, is guaranteed by Swedish law and many Swedes exercise it daily, swimming in a lake, going for a hike in the forest, or skating over a frozen pond.
Nature is never far away, as Stockholm is built directly on the ocean and is approximately one-third urban space, one-third water, and one-third green space.
Pushing research and technology forward
Stockholm is home to some of the most innovative research institutions, sustainability initiatives, and startup companies in the world. Startup unicorns and tech giants like Spotify, Mojang Studios, Skype, and Klarna were all born in Stockholm’s tech scene.
DIS also partners with world-renowned research institutions like the Karolinska Institute and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, where you can study the latest developments in medicine, engineering, and sustainable development.
The art of just enough
Stockholm is a fast-paced, high-energy capital city, but the Swedes still find ways to balance work and relaxation.
That’s probably because balance is so important to the culture that Swedish has its own word lagom that roughly translates to “the right amount” or “just enough.”
Lagom is practiced in all aspects of life: work hard, but don’t work too much; take up hobbies and see friends, but take time to relax for yourself too; treat yourself to a snack over fika, but don’t overdo it.
Engineering for the future in Stockholm
We offer several engineering courses at DIS Stockholm, including Core Courses and electives.
Study under professional Engineers and meet with researchers at institutions like the KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Karolinska Institutet to see how Stockholm is pushing forward in the creation of new medical technologies and designing sustainable cities.
Machine Learning, App Development, and Computer Science in a European tech hub
Stockholm’s thriving tech scene pulls Europe’s best developers and designers to work here.
Learn from professionals working in the industry and visit tech companies ranging from startups to giants like Spotify- Then, put your skills to the test working on projects with your classmates to analyze data sets, visualize findings, or develop your own app.
Follow in the footsteps of the Vikings
Stockholm, like much of Sweden, was once a hub of Viking activity.
You can follow in their footsteps, literally, to visit burial mounds, ancient religious sites, and recovered artifacts in order to learn more about this fascinating and elusive culture.
Study Gender and Sexuality in a country that has pioneered gender rights and equality
Sweden has a long history of activism, progressive policies, and pushes for gender and sexual rights.
Visit sites throughout the city to see locations of historic protests and modern gender politics in action. How does a push for gender equality relate to policies of race, religion, and immigration? What can we learn from a culture that has historically been ahead of the curve?
Swedish culture balances the new with the old; tradition and future-forward innovation.
Buildings in the old town of Gamla Stan date to 1200, but if you look further, you find remains of a much older Viking time.
At the same time, modern Sweden is something very different. The Swedes are more known today for their musical exports, ABBA, Avicii, and Spotify. And the language has many special phrases that show Swedish values.
Come to Sweden to learn it all, from Viking history through the royal history to today.
The hen block I moved down for migration and healthcare
Hen, the Swedish gender neutral pronoun
Originally coined in the 1960’s, hen is a gender-neutral pronoun that gained official recognition and was added to the Swedish dictionary in 2015.
Hen is just one way that Swedish culture works to include various identities, backgrounds, and personal preferences.
Public health, migration, and the Swedish welfare state
Sweden has a robust welfare state, with universal healthcare, generous shared parental leave, and a social security benefits.
In recent years though, there have been growing discussions about the welfare state, especially in relation to Sweden’s policy towards accepting many migrants and refugees into Sweden during the 2010s.
If you have interests in Public Health, Healthcare, Migration Studies, or Political Science, Stockholm offers a fascinating case study of a city growing and changing today.