Large number of applications for autumn courses

The number of first-choice applicants to courses beginning this autumn at Linköping University has increased. Compared to last year, the increase is just over 4 %. The biggest increase was in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, where virtually every programme received more applications.

“In recent years there has been a lot of demand for places at Linköping University. Now we have further improved this situation,” comments Lars Rydberg, Director of Higher Education at LiU.

Demand for courses at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences has increased dramatically. The largest number of first-choice applicants targeted the programmes in psychology, business administration and economics, social work, human resource management and work sciences, and business law.

“But overall all our undergraduate programmes have more first-choice applicants than places available, as do our vocational programmes. A similar development may be observed in our master’s programmes. Of course these figures are extremely pleasing,” says Bo Hellgren, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

At the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Institute of Technology, application figures are roughly the same as last year.

“Figures remain at a record level. It is pleasing to see that our new Master of Science in Software Engineering has been chosen by so many - over 130 first-choice applicants for 30 places. Courses related to biology have also been going well, while industrial engineering and management has fallen back slightly as have Master of Science degrees in computer engineering and information technology. This is probably as a consequence of the new programme in software engineering. Undergraduate courses in engineering have been popular, particularly in machine technology,” notes Ulf Nilsson, Dean of the Institute of Technology.

Examples of the most sought-after courses in the Faculty of Health Sciences are the medical programme, the physiotherapy programme and nurse training.

The number of applications to teacher training courses at Linköping University has also increased. The biggest increases are in teacher training programmes for teachers who both teach in school and work in leisure-time centres, known as Grundlärare fritidshem. Here the number of first-choice applicants increased by 46 %.  The most sought after programmes, however, continue to be for pre-school teachers. There are more applications this year to the folk high school programme, but on the other hand there are somewhat fewer to F 1-3 (pre-school class and years 1-3).

This is the sixth year in a row that more people applied to Sweden’s colleges and universities. The increase in the number of applicants is countrywide. The average increase in applications to the education programmes is around 10 % over last year, compared with LiU’s increase of just over 4 %.

“As we had such a strong demand for places for several years in a row we cannot expect the increase to continue at the same rate indefinitely,” says Lars Rydberg.

The number of applications for international programmes is similar to last year’s; Linköping University still attracts students from around the globe.

“The interest in our international programmes continues to be great,” Lars Holberg says. “Some two thousand students from more than 100 countries are first-choice applicants to our international master’s programmes. At present, 533 applicants have been accepted.”

Eva Bergstedt Tue May 07 15:57:42 CEST 2013

---

Intuitive thinking does not increase willingness to cooperate

A study that was presented in Nature last year attracted a great deal of attention when it asserted that intuition promotes cooperation. But a group of researchers in behavioural and neuroeconomics at Linköping University say that this is not true, in a new study now being published in Nature.

U.S. Ambassador to Sweden gives lecture

The U.S. Ambassador to Sweden, Mark Brzezinski, will give a lecture at Linköping University on Thursday 30 May.

Successful collaboration with Rwanda

Ten years ago a Sida-funded collaboration between Linköping University and the National University of Rwanda regarding postgraduate studies in educational science was launched. It has now yielded its tenth dissertation.

Electric current gets signal substances moving

After more than 30 years of electric brain stimulation against Parkinson’s disease, it is still unclear why the method works. Clinical research at Linköping University now shows that electrical shocks actually increase the release of dopamine, a necessary signal substance.

Don’t tar all clothing companies with the same brush

The collapse of a factory in Bangladesh a month ago killed more than 1,100 textile workers, mostly young women, and fuelled an already strong hostility towards the appalling working conditions. But the debate should be more nuanced, and good initiatives should be recognised, says Nandita Farhad, herself from Bangladesh.

Students get scholarships

Eight students and two PhD students have been awarded a total of SEK 168,000 (ca EURO 20,000) to carry out studies with an international focus, including exchange studies in various parts of the world.

Outstanding Chinese PhD students awarded

Dr. Lin Zheng and Zaifei Ma have been awarded the Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad.

Dishonesty in research discovered

The board of the Faculty of Science and Engineering has confirmed a case of misconduct in research. It consists of confirmed large-scale plagiarism of text.

iDay takes you on a cultural journey

International Day, iDay, was back again on 16 May with yet another multicultural explosion. Walking from one end of Colosseum (on Campus Valla) to the other, you passed through 14 countries. All under the same roof.

He will speak at the Farewell Ceremony

Emmanuel Letsu-Dake won the Alumni Stories competition and will be LiU’s first International Master’s Alumni Speaker at the Farewell Ceremony in June. He is a senior research scientist at Honeywell Aerospace in the US, where he works to make air transport safer.

LiU project in Vietnam against antibiotic crisis

In close cooperation with Vietnamese doctors, LiU researchers run a project in an attempt to change the development of resistance to antibiotics in Vietnam, which is one of the most vulnerable countries.

First professor of Engineering Education

Jonte Bernhard is Sweden’s first professor of Engineering Education, a relatively new research subject which is now spreading across the world. The knowledge of how students connect formulae to reality is central in his research.

Industrial symbiosis may be the solution

Michael Martin of the Division for Environmental Technology and Management shows in his PhD thesis that industrial symbiosis may be one way to reach EU targets for biofuels. He also introduces a method for calculating the contribution from individual companies.

All the important issues – all at once

Like a giant cocktail party with several hundred of the leading decision makers and thinkers in Sweden, where the absolutely most important issues in society are discussed – that is Development Days. And they are happening right now in Linköping.

KVIT celebrates 20 years with interdisciplinary conference

KVIT, the annual student conference of cognitive science and information technology celebrates its 20th anniversary with an interdisciplinary conference for 200 participants, also from European universities, at Östergötland Museum on 16-17 May.

University of Tromsø goes for “the Linköping model"

Linköping University was the first in the world with student-run hospital departments, known as Clinical Training Wards (KUA). After receiving a visit from the Faculty of Health Sciences, the University of Tromsø decided to invest in what they call the “Linköping model”.

Water governs cell movement

Water gives life. Researchers at Linköping University now show how the cells in our bodies are driven mainly by water power - a discovery that in the long run opens the way for a new strategy in cancer therapy.

Safer brain tumour surgeries on children

With the aid of new medical technology, brain tumours in children will be able to be operated on - more safely and effectively. Researchers at Linköping University are to receive over SEK 5 million (ca EURO 600,000) from the Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation.

The apocalypse awaits after 40 years

On Wednesday, 8 May, the 40-year-old Student Orchestra Festival, SOF, kicks off. There is a warm-up party in Norrköping, a festival on Valla, and a parade through Linköping. And the festive theme of the 40 year anniversary? The apocalypse.

Large number of applications for autumn courses

The number of first-choice applicants to courses beginning this autumn at Linköping University has increased. Compared to last year, the increase is just over 4 %. The biggest increase was in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Alan J. Heeger shooting for success

How are scientific advances created? They might start with a shot from a toy canon. These are the words of Nobel Prize winner and LiU honorary doctor Alan J. Heeger during his lecture in the Kåkenhus-building.

Join in the singing of spring

Also this year, the student singers in Linköping celebrate the arrival of spring by putting on their student caps and singing songs of spring at Linköping Castle courtyard on Walpurgis night (Valborgsmässoafton).

Brown fat a hope for obesity treatment

Researchers at Linköping University and the Sahlgrenska Academy have successfully proven that people also have the same type of heat-producing brown fat cells as smaller mammals. The observation opens up the way for future drugs that make use of the ability of brown fat cells to consume calories.

Keep an eye on Africa!

Swedish IT companies have a great opportunity to find a completely new market in the Sub-Saharan African countries. So say Erik Winther and Wilhelm Henriksson, who went to Africa to do their degree projects.

New observation can explain type 2 diabetes

Researchers at Linköping University have made a big step towards understanding how type 2 diabetes develops. Through a system biological approach, they can single out an individual protein that plays a crucial role when fatty tissue becomes impervious to insulin.

Norrköping named University City of the Year

Norrköping has been named University City of the Year for 2013-2014 by SFS, the Swedish National Union of Students. “A well-deserved prize,” according to students Therese Björn Johansson and Sofia Sandberg.