INTERNATIONALIZATION. Foreign students who come to the University of Gothenburg under agreements with universities in other countries receive a lot of support from our international coordinators. But if students apply here with their own funding, the research team and the institution need to assume most of the responsibility for them.
In addition to international degree program students who enroll in an entire program at the University of Gothenburg, there are two main categories of international students: regular exchange students, who come to us through existing partnership agreements that Sahlgrenska Academy has with partners abroad, and what are known as freemovers.
Freemovers are foreign students who have made arrangements themselves for their stay abroad and who have usually made direct contact with the team they want to work with. Freemovers often have their own funding through the Erasmus program but are not covered by the University of Gothenburg’s existing partnership agreements. Although all international mobility is positive, freemovers in particular entail greater responsibility for the supervisor and for the institution hosting them.
Difference among exchange students
Ordinary exchange students and freemovers differ in several ways.
“The regular exchange students who come to Sahlgrenska Academy through existing partnership agreements undergo a selection process at their home universities, and those of us at the Sahlgrenska Academy International Office (SAIO) administer the exchange,” says Bettina Sommarstorm, international coordinator at SAIO.
If you are interested in welcoming exchange students within the partnership agreements, please contact SAIO. The internship period can vary from weeks to months. Thanks to the partnership agreements, Sahlgrenska Academy students can also travel abroad for studies and internships with our partners.
The supervisor’s responsibility
Freemovers contact on their own the research teams that interested them. They are also sometimes called Erasmus interns because they often have been funded through one of the methods available through the Erasmus program. In these cases, the supervisor and the institution are responsible for hosting the visiting student.
“Since freemovers are not nominated by their home universities, the hosting supervisor needs to ensure that the student is a suitable guest at Sahlgrenska Academy. Freemovers also need to understand that they may not be entitled to all the support provided to students who come under the partnership agreements. For example, the other exchange students have priority over freemovers when the University of Gothenburg allocates student housing,” says Summatory.
Updated online information
For more information on differences between freemovers, exchange students and other international guests, visit the Receiving International Guests website and download the procedures for hosting each category of foreign guest. It also provides information you can provide your guest when planning the visit. The website and several of the PDF files have recently been updated in consultation with the Council for Internationalization, and the institutions have provided feedback. As a supervisor, your doctoral student also has the opportunity to travel abroad on an exchange program. More information on exchanges for PhD students is available on Opportunities for doctoral student exchanges.
If you have any questions, you are of course welcome to contact SAIO at saio@sahlgrenska.gu.se or visit the website Sahlgrenska Academy International Office to find the contact person for your institution. SAIO is happy to support you in all matters concerning international mobility.
BY: ELIN LINDSTRÖM
