International cooperation for upper secondary school
The upper secondary school curriculum (Lpf 94) stresses that pupils are to build a foundation for lifelong learning through their studies. Changes in working life, new technology, internationalisation and the complexity of environmental issues place new demands on people's knowledge and working methods.
Furthermore, an international perspective in education is important in order to be able to view one's own life in a global context, to create international solidarity and to prepare pupils for a society in which contacts across national and cultural borders are more and more frequent.
Studying abroad
Nordplus Junior
Nordplus Junior
A number of educational programmes have been created through cooperation in the Nordic Council of Ministers. Nordplus Junior is intended for pupils and teachers in pre-school, compulsory school and upper secondary school in the Nordic countries as well as Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Åland, and in the Baltic countries, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. As of 2008 the Nordplus Junior programme will be incorporated into the Nordplus programme.
There are three different types of project: project cooperation between schools in different countries, teacher exchanges and work experience for pupils. The International Programme Office for Education and Training is the main agency responsible for Nordplus Junior.
Leonardo da Vinci - Procedure A, transnational mobility
Transnational mobility is a work experience and exchange programme for pupils, students, young employees and trainers who are in vocational education or continuing professional development. The purpose is to encourage individuals to gain skills through experience and theory, develop European contacts, strengthen links between working life and vocational education, develop language skills and exchange experiences and good solutions for vocational education.
One-year programme
This programme provides pupils in their first or second year at upper secondary school with the opportunity to spend one school year in France, Spain or Germany/Austria. The programme aims to improve upper secondary school pupils' knowledge of French, Spanish and German, and to increase understanding between the citizens of Europe. The programme is based on a bilateral agreement between Sweden and the four respective countries, and is administered by the International Programme Office.
Workplace training abroad
It is becoming increasingly popular for pupils to relocate their workplace training abroad. On two occasions each year, schools can apply for a grant from the National Agency for Education for workplace training abroad. When processing these applications, the National Agency for Education endeavours to spread grants as widely as possible, both in geographical terms and in terms of programme.
