The Association of University Administrators (AUA) is the professional association for higher education administrators and managers. As well as promoting professionalism, career development, and offering networking opportunities within the higher education (HE) sector, we give members the chance to develop on a global scale.

Taking part in a study tour is a unique event open to you as a member of the AUA and we are immensely proud of the professional development opportunity it offers you. The experience gives you an alternative perspective and insight into global higher education, benefiting your own professional practice, your institution and the AUA and its members more broadly through sharing the learning and experiences.

AUA International Study Tours take place annually, and are organised via our International Higher Education Network (IHEN). For more information on IHEN and how it strengthens the links between AUA and HE organisations abroad, visit the AUA website: www.aua.ac.uk/themed-networks/#international-higher-education

This report follows our Study Tour to Sweden that took place in May 2018. Over 5 days, the team visited Stockholm Business School, Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ), Uppsala University, Linköping University, and Chalmers University of Technology.

2018 Study Tour Route

Our tour focused on investigating three themes related to HE:

• Making the most of resources (efficiency and effectiveness)
• How do HE administrators make a positive difference/play a positive part in the student lifecycle?
• How can we continue to collaborate with our European/British partners post-Brexit?

As well as opportunities to learn the Swedish experience and perspective from our overseas colleagues, we were able to share our common experiences as UK HE practitioners and individual challenges. Swedish colleagues and counterparts that participated in our event came from a range of professional service areas and from varying levels of seniority, including representatives of Swedish National Government. In all cases we received a warm welcome from colleagues who were willing to explain their roles and responsibilities, and discuss our study tour themes openly.

We hope this work enables AUA members, and those considering joining AUA to learn about an international higher education system and increase your understanding of Swedish Higher Education practice, and how Sweden’s history and culture has shaped the educational landscape. You will discover how exchanging ideas and good practice with colleagues from overseas enables you to explore new working collaborations. On a personal level, this is a way to build confidence, broaden work experience, enhance your career prospects at home and abroad, and instil the global mind-set and as a group we all found the experience extremely rewarding on a professional and personal level.

This report covers our research and reflections on our experiences from the study tour.

International Study Tour Team

• Louise Bragg MAUA, Principal Administrator (Graduation), University of Portsmouth & Study Tour Coordinator
• Jane Cavanagh MAUA, Global Health Institute Manager, University College London
• Sophia Harding MAUA, Partnerships Manager (Quality), De Montfort University
• Faith Marsh MAUA, Student Advice and Guidance Manager, BPP University
• Vianna Renaud MAUA, Placement Development Advisor, Bournemouth University
• Karen Smallwood MAUA, Administration Manager, Anglia Ruskin University

The rest of the report is visible to AUA Members only, please log in or join to view the report