Switch to Sweden – Data Driven Solutions to Improve International Student Retention in Sweden
‘Retention is the new attraction’ – Why do 75% of international master & PhD students originally plan on staying in Sweden, but only about 20% end up doing so? Where is the gap? What doesn’t add up? And what could be the concrete steps to take to bridge that gap and get more of the talent to stay? The ‘Switch to Sweden‘ report, which we did in collaboration with Linköping Science Park, funded by Vinnova, answers exactly these questions. The insights are eye opening, and many regions and countries can relate to the challenges at hand, but also find inspiration from the suggested solutions.
The analysis has been based on these primary research questions:
– Why does an international Master’s or PhD student come to Sweden?
– To what extent do they see themselves living in Sweden long-term? And what would make them stay?
– Do the UN SDGs matter to the target group?
– Do they agree with current suggested action for Higher Education Institutions and government?
– What do they need the most help with to be able to stay after graduation?
“We are really excited about working with data driven solutions to labor market needs of a country. This particular case is fascinating as we in our work across Europe and beyond, we see so many cases where retention of international students after graduation is either not a focus area or simply not successful. We applaud Switch to Sweden for prioritizing action in this area and look forward to support the implementation of the recommendations.” – Morten, Future Place Leadership
For more information
Access more of our reports and handbooks for free at the handbook library!
