Courses on South Asia in Sweden

Last updated: 23 April 2012

Universities in Sweden

South Asia courses at Universities in Norway and Denmark 


Folk High Schools

    University of Gothenburg , and Chalmers University of Technology

    • India courseDuring the spring 2011, the Dept. of History and Anthropology of Religion (including Judaism and Indic Religions) at Lund University, and the Dept. of Literature, History of Ideas and Religion at Gothenburg University jointly organises 15 ECTS field course in Religious Studies, including five weeks of field work in India. During the first subcourse (5 credits) devoted to methodological questions, located in Sweden, a plan for the field work is made. The course is divided into two parts: firstly the students explore different methods and theories of conducting fieldwork in Religious studies and prepare minor research projects. Secondly the students carry out their projects in the field and write research reports. The field work can be conducted anywhere, but the two departments at Lund University and Gothenburg University provide supervision for those who travel to India. Students can attend the course at either of the two universities.
      Full information in the course folder (only in Swedish)
      Follow LIR in India on Facebook. 

      Contact persons in Gothenburg: 
      Daniel Andersson, Clemens Cavallin, and Åke Sander
       

    • CEAS (Centre for Asian Studies) at the School for Global Studies runs a programme on basic and intermediate level (1–20 credits and 21–40 credits) in Asian studies, which includes teaching on South Asia. 
      Contact person: Study counsellor Sylva Frisk

    India Today

    During a number of years, CEAS has arranged a 10 credits special course called ”South Asia today”, involving a large number of the South Asia specialists at Gothenburg University, including Björn Hettne, Camilla Orjuela, Gunilla Blomquist, Bent Jörgensen, Monica Erwér and Jan Johansson. Contact person: Jan Johansson


    Karsltad University

    VaranasiEvery year, Karlstad University in collaboration with the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi, India, offers students at the C/D-level courses in History of Religions, Cultural Geography, and History at Karlstad University, the opportunity to spend one full semester in Varanasi.
    The India Program, equal to 30 or 45 ECTS credits, begins with a 7.5 points preparatory course (conducted in Karlstad during the summer), a course that includes research methodology. After arrival in Varanasi, a 7.5 points seminar series on the ”Multi-Cultural Aspects of Banaras” follows, and finally 15 points consisting of an Individual Study Project. Qualified academic advisors, often affiliated with BHU, serves as local experts for the students, and the final result of the “Individual Study Project” is a C/D level essay. 
    In a formal agreement with the Dept. of Linguistics and Philology at Uppsala University, it is also possible to conduct Hindi studies equal to 15 ECTS, simultaneously with studies in History of Religion or History. The Hindi language training is given by Dr. Virendra Singh. 
    Voluntary studies can also be organized for language studies in Sanskrit or Urdu, and cultural activities such as Indian music and instruments, Yoga, Dance, Painting, etc.
    The Ganga Mahal office is manned by Shri Om Prakash Sharma, the Ganga Mahal local coordinator, who has year's of experience in assisting western students and researchers.
    The students are accommodated at Ganga Mahal, the Swedish Study Centre leased by Karlstad University in a ”palace” on the bank of the Ganges River since 1995. Applicants must be qualified for admission to the C/D levels of History of Religion or Cultural Geography at Karlstad University.
    Deadline for applications for the 2011 program is Monday 4 April. A first information meeting will be held on Wednesday, 9 February 2011, 15:00 - 18:00 in the University of Karlstad, room 3B 512. 
    Full information about the India Programme 2011 
    Contact persons: Per Olof Fjällsby, Dept. of History, and Marc Katz, Associate Professor of History of Religions.

    Nangarhar courseThe Department of Educational Work, Organisation and Society, at the Faculty of Arts and Education, Karlstad University, coordinates an international educational project, the Masters Programme in Educational Research and Development (MAP) at Nangarhar University in Jalalabad, Afghanistan since 2008. 

    It is an institutional cooperation project between the universities of Karlstad, Sweden; Tampere, Finland; Bochum, Germany; Kathmandu, Nepal; and Nangarhar University, Jalalabad, Afghanistan. The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) is an associate partner in the project. The project is funded since 2007 by an Asia Link Programme grant from the European Commission, and as the project name implies, the goal is to provide a high-quality Masters Programme in Educational Research and Development at the Nangarhar University in Afghanistan. More information. 
    Contact person: Dr. Pia Karlsson

    Nangarhar courseThe programme is now approaching a successful end. Ten students had already achieved a Master Degree of 60 ECTS (magisterexamen) and an additional group of eleven students came to Karlstad University to defend their second theses during the period 12–14 October 2010 (photo of the group above). Their topics ranged from girls’ mathematics achievements to the views of Afghan teachers on issues such as girls’ education and corporal punishment in schools as well the emergence of private education in Afghanistan and community based education. All the students passed the defence. More information on the MAP programme website.

    Karolinska Institutet

    • Midwife programmeThe Division of Reproductive and Perinatal Health Care hosts an Advanced International Training Programme on ”Strengthening Midwifery Competence in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Services” (funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida), to be held in two parts, first in the October 2009 and then continued in August–September 2010. The programme is designed for professional midwives in Asia who have a basic education equivalent to WHO/ICM/FIGO defined required competence. The participants should hold positions that have an influence on ongoing issues related to SRHR. A team of three participants (representing clinical work, education and policy) from each country will be preferred. Applicants should have a planned or an ongoing SRHR project, supported and approved by the employer. The overall programme objective is to strengthen midwives’ competence in countries where maternal morbidity and mortality are as highest, that is in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The programme is organized as a joint venture between the Division of International Health (IHCAR) at Karolinska Institutet; International Maternal and Child Health (IMCH), Dept. of Women’s and Children’s Health at Uppsala University; and the Swedish Association of Midwives. 
      Full information incl. application form (as a pdf-file).
      Contact person: Prof. Kyllike Christensson
    • troped.jpgThe Division of International Health, Department of Public Health Sciences at Karolinska Institutet Medical University is one of eight European institutions awarding degrees in a new European Master of Science International Health Degree Programme. The programme is part of tropEd, a network of European institutions for higher education, in existence since 1996 and collaborating closely with institutions in Asia, Africa, and the Americas in providing postgraduate education and training opportunities. 

      The European Master of Science Programme in International Health is a one year, full-time study programme taught in English. The main objective of the programme is to raise awareness of current global health concerns. Students become qualified to identify and critically analyse key factors shaping the health and well-being of populations in low- and middle-income countries and to formulate effective and appropriate responses to complex health-related issues. 

      Six possible study tracks are offered for this degree and reflect the strengths of the consortium institutions: Tropical Medicine and Disease Control; Health Systems, Health Policy and Management; Sexual and Reproductive Health; Child Health; Health Research Methods; and Health in Emergencies.

      Each study track begins with a 3 month core course from September to December. Core courses provide a common basis of the main subject areas for all students. Students receive 20 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credit points upon successful completion of their core course. More information on the European Master of Science International Health Degree Programme. 
      Contact person: Anna-Lena Paulsson

    • The Department of Nursing, The Division of International Health, IHCAR, and the Dept. of Public Health Sciences, every semester arranges a 5 credits independent course on Global Health. The course is open to students at Karolinska Institutet in the Medical programme, Midwifery programme, Nursing programme, Dental programme, Biomedical laboratory programme, Physiotherapy programme, Occupational therapy programme, and the Biomedical programme. The students can choose to do the field work at Karolinska’s two collaboration partner institutions in South Asia: The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan; and Trivandrum Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, India. 
      More information on the Global Health course. 
      Contact person: Prof. Hans Rosling

      The Center for Public Health, CeFAM       (a collaboration between Karolinska Institutet and the county council of Stockholm) organises courses in Global Medicine for Junior Hospital Doctors (ST-läkare). The Sida funded courses deal with diseases like malaria, TB and AIDS, and take place either in Ethiopia or in India (four months at R.D.Gardi Medical College, in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. 
      More information on the training in Ujjain (in Swedish only) 
      Contact person: Prof. Vinod Diwan

    KTH, Royal Institute of Technology

    waterweek.gifAn 80 credits International Master of Science programme on Water System Technology was launched in 2007. The aim of the programme is to explore all major aspects of use and protection of available water resources. The programme deals with all the complexities, challenges and opportunities in water resources management through water systems approaches and will allow participants to focus particular attention on preferred problem areas. It is jointly organised by the Department of Land and Water Resources Engineering at KTH, and the Department of Physical Geography and Quarternary Geology at the University of Stockholm. Deadline for applications are 15 January every year. 
    More informaton    . 
    Contact person: Programme Coordinator Göran Baurne.

    KTHA 7,5 credits course titled ”Gender issues in Developing Countries” was again held in the Fall 2009 (16 November – 12 December). It was organised by the Department of Land and Water Resources Engineering, and aims at imparting integrated theoretical and practical knowledge on gender and development issues in the South to students, researchers, teachers and development practitioners in different kinds of agencies in Sweden. 
    More information    . 
    Contact person: Dr. Nandita Singh

    Linköping University

    A 120 ECTS Credits International Master's Programme in Science for Sustainable Development started in 2007. It is organised by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and leads to a Master in Science degree in Sustainable Development, with a specialization in one of the following areas: 1. Climate, Energy & Recycling; 2. Water & Food Security; or 3. GIS for Environmental Studies. Focus in the first two study areas will be directed to both how social changes shape the environment, and how environmental changes shape society. The two-year programme starts every Fall. Deadline for applications is 15 December every year. Next programme starts in September 2011. 
    More information about the programme. 
    Contact person: Susanne Eriksson from the Dept. of Water and Environmental Studies.

    Lund University

    • In the fall semester 2011, the Dept. of Economic History organises a 7.5 ECTS undergraduate course on ”The Rising Giants – China and India Entering the Global Scene”. This course gives a much improved first hand understanding of the rise of Asia's two giants – China and India. First, modernisation and industrialisation in socialist China is explored from the pre-communist era until today. The process of transition from plan to market economy is unravelled. The institutional set-up and socio-economic achievements of the emerging market economy are contrasted with, but also causally linked to, those of the socialist planned economy. Secondly, the Indian economy from colonial times to present day is studied. Particular consideration is given to Independent India, contrasting and linking the miracle economy of the 1990s and the new millennium with the preceding forty years, scrutinising the economic policy of past and present in terms of economic achievements. Focusing on China and India will allow for comparisons of Asian development experiences where processes of economic growth and structural changes are analysed from the point of view of equity between individuals, groups, class and gender together with the challenges of achieving environmentally sustainable development. More information on the course. 
      The teacher at the course is Dr. Tobias Axelsson.
    • SidaLund University Education – the university's company for commissioned education – offers a number of English-language educational training programmes funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida, to be held in the Fall 2010 – Spring 2011. 
      Sustainable DevelopmentThe advanced International training programme on ”Sustainable Urban Water and Sanitation” will run again with a 19 days course in Lund in August/September 2010, and with a regional seminar in one of the participating countries in February/March 2011. The overall objective of the programme is to provide the participants with understanding and knowledge about the need for integrated approaches and the organisational and institutional changes that are necessary for a sustainable provision of water supply and sanitation services in urban areas. The target group is medium to top level managers and others in a managerial position, working with policy- and development issues within the national urban water and sanitation sector, including public authorities and other local or regional authorities. This includes people with an affiliation to health-, environmental, -waste, -traffic and the city planning sector. From South Asia, professionals in the field from Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka are welcome to apply for this programme. The programme is managed by staff from theDept. of Water Resources Engineering. A new programme will run during the period February 2011 – August 2012, including a stay in Lund from 28 March 28 – 15 April 2011, and a follow-up seminar in one of the participating countries in October/November 2011. It is now possible to apply on-line at www.education.lu.se/sida/water for the programme. All applicants had to send the signed application form to the nearest Swedish embassy. Closing date for applications was 24 November 2010. More information.
    • urban.jpgA training programme on ”Road Traffic Safety” runs every year. It is administered by Traffic and Roads, Department of Technology and Society. The overall objective of the programme is to provide the participants with understanding and knowl edge of what organisational and institutional conditions are necessary for the management of an efficient and effective traffic safety work at a national level.traffic safety problems, carry out traffic safety investigations, compose traffic safety schemes and evaluate their effects. More information. – A training programme on ”Child rights, Classroom and School Management” runs every year. On behalf of the Lund University Commissioned Education (uppdragsutbildning), theDivision of Sociology of Law at Lund University runs this programme since 2004, in collaboration with Lund University’s former Dept. of Education (now integrated into the Dept. of Sociology, and the School of Social Work), and the School of Teacher Education, Malmö University. A new contract for another 6 years was signed in 2010. The programme aims at spreading knowledge about the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child – WCPRC and support schools and authorities in ten countries in Africa, Asia and Latin Amerika to develop education focusing on the rights of children. Among the ten countries, two are in South Asia – India and Sri Lanka. In India, special focus has been put on Wayanad districtin the northern part of Kerala state, from where many participants to he programme have been selected. More information. 
    • A training programme on ”Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights – SRHR” runs every year. The target group is persons working with SRHR, in managing position and that have responsibility to develop capacity and knowledge within SRHR. Participants should have a background as midwives/teachers in the health care sector or gynaecologists/obstetricians. From South Asia, persons from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka have been accepted for this programme. The programme is managed by staff from the Division of Social Medicine and Global Health, Department of Health Sciences; Lund University (in Malmö). Deadline for applications: 15 October every year. More information. 
    • A Training Programme on ”Shelter Design and Development” has run every year till 2011. The programme has been organised by the Dept. of Housing Development and Management (HDM). This department had also already, since several years, organised similar International training courses on different themes with funds from Sida. Their short courses have been directed to planners, architects, civil engineers, administrators and others working with construction, housing and human settlements. Earlier a postgraduate training course on Conservation and Management of Historic Buildings was held for a number of years with many participants from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan. It was organised in collaboration with the Department of Architectural Conservation and Restoration, Lund University. 
      More information on HDM’s training programmes.
    • LUMIDLund University introduced a new 120 ECTS (80 Swedish credits) International Masters programme in applied Development and Management (LUMID) in 2006. LUMID is open to students both from Sweden and the rest of the world who wish to prepare for a career in international aid and development cooperation, or wishing to further their academic studies with this profile. Through the assistance of te Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), LUMID is able to offer students field based courses in project and programme management. The two-year programme is hosted by theFaculty of Social Sciences at Lund University, but multidisciplinarity is accomplished through teachers’ teams recruited from a number of faculties. More information on LUMID.
      Contact persons: Dr. Lisa Eklund, LUMID Programme Manager; and Prof. Göran Djurfeldt, Chairman of the LUMID steering group.
    • During the spring 2011, the Dept. of History and Anthropology of Religion (including Judaism and Indic Religions) at Lund University, and the Department of Literature, History of Ideas and Religion at Gothenburg University jointly organises 15 ECTS field course in Religious Studies, including five weeks of field work in India. During the first subcourse (5 credits) devoted to methodological questions, located in Sweden, a plan for the field work is made. The course is divided into two parts: firstly the students explore different methods and theories of conducting fieldwork in Religious studies and prepare minor research projects. Secondly the students carry out their projects in the field and write research reports. The field work can be conducted anywhere, but the two departments at Lund University and Gothenburg University provide supervision for those who travel to India. Students can attend the course at either of the two universities.
      Full information in the course folder (only in Swedish)
      Follow LIR in India on Facebook. 
      Contact persons in Lund: 
      Kristina Myrvold, Pierre Wiktorin and Jürgen Offermanns
    • The Department of History and Anthropology of Religion (including Judaism and Indic Religions) at the Centre for Theology and Religious Studies offers several South Asia related courses. 

      In recent years the Indic Religions Division has offered a 20 credits half-time course for beginners in Elementary Sanskrit a couple of times (taught by Dr. Martin Gansten), and also a number of specialised 5 credits courses on topics such as Bhagavadgita; Western Buddhism; Yoga and Meditation in Indian religions; Tantra and Tantrism; Jainism, Non-violence and Vegetarianism; Indic Philosophies; and Astrology and Divination in Indian religions. Since 2006 a new 5 credits course on Sikhism has been introduced. It was the first course on Sikhism at any Scandinavian university. From 2007 the Indic Religions Division arranges a 7.5 credits course onHinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism in the Fall semesters, and a 7.5 credist course on Hinduism and Buddhism in Europe and America during the Spring semesters. Indic religions are also studied within the framework of the 15 credits course Meetings with World Religions, given every semester. 
      More information on the courses offered. 
      Contact person: Prof. Olle Qvarnström

    • MastersFrom 2007 the Master Programme in Asian Studies at Lund University follows the Bologna model and runs for four consecutive semesters, consisting of 120 ECTS credits. The programme has been successfully run at Lund University since the Fall 2003. It is an interdisciplinary programme, focusing on political, economic, social, and cultural issues in Asia. It is the only English language programme of its kind in the Nordic countries. The programme is aimed at students who after their undergraduate studies want to gain area expertise on contemporary Asian societies. The programme is divided into two tracks, one for East and South East Asian studies, and one for South Asian studies, and is administered by the Centre for East and South-East Asian Studies (ACE) at Lund University. In India, the programme collaborates with the Institute of Social Sciences in New Delhi. 

      The application round for the eighth year programme starting in September 2010 is now closed. More information. 
      Contact person: Dr. Monica Lindberg-Falk, Director of Studies 
      Several of the students from the Masters programme at Lund University have proceeded to doctoral studies at universities all over Europe. More information on these alumni students. 

    • The International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE) offers a 120 ECTS credits Master of Science programme on Environmental Management and Policy. This combined online and onsite programme (details below) aims to prepare professionals with expertise in environmental strategies for careers as executives, analysts, decision makers, researchers and consultants. It concentrates on creating preventative environmental solutions for industry and governments, understanding the public and industrial societal systems, and applying appropriate policies and measures to solve integrated environmental problems. The coming programme starts in October 2011 with online distance courses, followed in August 2012 by 9 months of on-site learning at the IIIEE building in the centre of Lund, then 4 months of thesis research until graduation in September 2013. More information on the programme. 

      mespom.gifIIIEE is also a partner institution in the Erasmus Mundus programme on Environmental Science, Policy and Management (MESPOM), the next programme will be for the period 2011–2013. Like other Erasmus Mundus programmes MESPOM provide scholarships to outstanding students from countries outside the EU. MESPOM is coordinated by IIIEE and operated by a consortium of four leading European institutions for environmental research and postgraduate education which include, in addition to IIIEE, the Central European University (Hungary), the University of the Aegean (Greece) and the University of Manchester (UK) . MESPOM is supported by the Erasmus Mundus programme of the European Commission.Application deadlines for the 2011-2013 study period are January 3, 2011 for the applicants seeking Erasmus Mundus scholarships types A and B or other financial assistance from the MESPOM Consortium or CEU (including fee waivers), and April 30, 2011 for the applicants who do not seek or are not eligible for Erasmus Mundus scholarships or other forms of financial assistance from CEU or the MESPOM Consortium More information on the programme. 

    Royal Institute of Art (KKH), Stockholm

    Mejan ARC – Advanced Studies in Urbanism is a forum for architectural and urban studies at KKH that offers one- year post-graduate courses in three disciplines, including Architecture, Architectural Conservation (both full time courses), and Art and Architecture (a half time course). During the academic year 2011/12, the Mejan Arc KKH organises a 60 ECTS Post-Graduate course entitled ”Inclusive India – Re: Pune”. It will focus on the issues of conservation and preservation of the cultural heritage, its architecture and tales, when re-developing a historic city is a challenge with a multitude of possibilities and resources. The ever increasing pace of urbanization demands new strategies, new actors and new values. The course will start 12 September 2011 and finish 30 May 2012.
    The course will be run in collaboration with the the Indian School of Architecture BNCA in Pune whose students will work in parallel on the same project.

    The course is conducted by Professor Tina Wik, architect and professor in Architectural Conservation, and Dr. Cecilia Sagrén, architect assistant professor. Fredric Bedoire, professor in the History of Architecture will participate as well guest professors and lecturers. 
    Applications must be submitted before 23 May 2011. More information. 

    Stockholm University

    SU

    • The Dept. of Educational Science with an emphasis on Humanities and Social Science (UHS), a new department created after the merger of the Stockholm Institute of Education with Stockholm University on January 1, 2008, organises a 15 ECTS credits course titled ”Changing India and Ourselves” every year during a part of the Spring semester (January–March). The course has been developed out of a course titled ”Changing South” that Jim Walch has run successfully at the Stockholm Institute of Education since 1993. It consists of two parts, first five weeks field studies in Tamil Nadu, India, where the students should confront, analyse and reflect upon the various patterns of poverty and domination that can be found in the South and in the relation to the richer parts of the world; and then five weeks literature studies and seminars in Sweden. The next course will be run in the Spring 2011. Last date for applications is 15 October 2010. More information. 
      Contact persons: Margareta Adolphson and Bodil Nilsson
    • The Dept. of Social Anthropology organised a 15 ECTS credits course on ”China and India: Tradition, Modernity and Power” in the Fall semester 2009. The course was taught in Swedish. Contact person: Dr. Per Ståhlberg
    • The Department of Oriental Languages introduced a new two-year 120 ECTS credits Masters Programme in Asian Studies from the Fall semester 2010. The programme has two branches, one focusing on East Asia, and another focusing on Central and South Asia. Students who wish to join the programme are required to have a BA including at least 60 ECTS credits from Asian language studies (for students to the South Asia branch this means Hindi, Urdu or Bengali), and to have written an Asia related BA thesis. Full information on the Masters programme (in Swedish only).
      Contact person: Johan Fresk
    • HindiThe Division of South and Central Asian Studies (Section for Indology) within the Department of Oriental Languages runs educational courses on the ancient as well as modern languages and cultures of South Asia, with special emphasis on India, up to the level of Bachelors and Masters degrees. The Indology courses are separated into one track specialized on Ancient and Medieval India – with Sanskrit studies, and another track specialized on Modern India – with Hindi studies. 
      More information on all courses run during the Fall 2011.
      Contact person: Director of Studies Mats Lindberg
    • A popular 30 ECTS credits Internet based distance learning Hindi course was introduced in 2009, attracting many students. The teachers are Roberto Menkes and Mirja Juntunen. A new course starts in the Fall 2011. If vacant seats, it is possible to register for the course all up to the course starts in week 35. More information. 

    Södertorns Högskola (Södertorn University)

    The School of Culture and Communication, Södertörns högskola, again organises a 15 ECTS course in History of Indian Philosophy starting during the Fall semester 2011. It is the first course of its kind in Sweden. It focuses on the Buddhist, Hindu, Materialist, and Sceptical traditions that have existed in India for a long time, starting with Vedic metaphysical speculations 3,500 years ago, and ends up with today’s postcolonial theories. The course is aimed at students within the humanities, mainly Philosophy, Science of Religion, and from History of Ideas. Deadline for applications: 15 April every year.
    More information. 
    Contact person: Dr. Anna-Pya Sjödin

    Uppsala University

    • A 60 credits (90 ECTS credits) interdisciplinary Master’s Programme in South Asian Studies – Cultural Pluralism, Political Institutions and Socio-economic Processes, was run at Uppsala University during the years 2002–04. The three semesters programme was located within the disciplinary domain of Arts and Sciences, brings together the disciplines of Indology, Political Science, History, Religion, Cultural Anthropology and Ethnology, Economics, and Peace and Conflict Research (but based at the Section for Asian and African Languages and Cultures, Dept. of Linguistics and Philology). Teachers come from all the disciplines. The programme offered an interdisciplinary perspective in Arts and Sciences, with language studies (Hindi or Tamil), fieldwork in the region and optional internship. Language of instruction was English. 
    • Since 2008, the Dept. of Linguistics and Philology runs a new three-year 180 ECTS B.A. programme in Oriental Studies (Orientalistikprogrammet) focusing on the Middle East, North Africa, Central and South Asia. Half the time is devoted to language studies, and the rest to studies of political, religious, economic, and literary conditions in obth the past and present. The programme is divided into four branches, where the language to study is Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and Hindi respectively. During the second year, one semester should be spent at a language institute in the regions of studies, and during the third year, special courses in language and literature, political science, and economics will be given. More information about the programme. 
      Contact person for the Oriental Studies Programme with Hindi studies: Associate professor Christiane Schaefer

      During the Fall 2009, Professor Heinz Werner Wessler from the Division of Indology at the Institut für Orient- und Asienwissenschaften, University of Bonn, Germany, has been a guest teacher at the department, in charge of the advanced Hindi courses.

    • Every year, the Dept. of Linguistics and Philology also offers separate South Asia related courses and study programmes in Indology (including Sanskrit), Hindi, Comparative Indo-European Philology, and Iranian languages.
    • More information on Indology studies courses (including Sanskrit), which are carried out up to D-level. A new 20 credits A-level course starts every Fall, and includes a 5 credits course in Sanskrit text applications, 10 credits Sanskrit grammar, and 5 credits Cultural history of India. The B level course run during the Spring 2007 includes courses in Sanskrit, Pali and Vedic languages . C-level courses also run during the Fall semesters. 

      Besides being part of the study programmes, 5 or 10 credits orientation courses are also offered every semester in topics such as ”Indian Religions, Culture and History”; ”Indian Languages and Literature”; ”Introduction to Sanskrit”; and ”Introduction to Indic Philosophical Traditions”. For example, the course, run during the Fall 2006, involves studies about the Indic history of ideas (in present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan) from the Vedas up to modern, postcolonial theories, but focusing on the Hindu, Buddhist, and Materialist traditions of ideas.

    • Summer courses are also held every year. In the Summer 2006 a 5 credits course on ”Religious expressions in Indian culture” was arranged, a course consisting of seminars, lectures and films, studying religions and culture in India of today, focusing on Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Islam.
    • The Collegium for Development Studies was a special unit at Uppsala University with its own board, functioning as a link between development research and Swedish development cooperation. It organises seminars and conferences regularly, and publishes newsletters, reports and documents on current issues. 
      The Collegium ceased to exist as an independent unit from January 1, 2009. The activities, as well as its personnel, have instead been integrated in the Uppsala Center for Sustainable Development. 
      More information on Hindi studies courses, which are carried out up to D-level.
      An Internet based 10 credits course has also been run for a few years. A course ”Hindi på Internet" started in the Fall 2005 and was taught by Dr. Mirja Juntunen. 

    Albin Folk High School, Landskrona

    Albins Folk high school in Landskrona offers a one-year full-time course entitled ”Global change – Sustainable world”. The next course starts in the Fall 2011.
    The course content stands on three pillars: First is how globalization affects us. Second is the three aspects of sustainable development, ecological, social and economic. What are the global challenges for humanity? The third pillar is how can we influence the development working through democratic organizations and NGOs? 
    During the course two field study tours are made. In the autumn to meet youth and students active in environmental work in southern Poland during 1-2 weeks. In spring two months tour to India and Bangladesh (Nepal and Sri Lanka also possible) and meet NGOs working with Human Rights, environment, Fairtrade, Trade Unions in textile and garment industry, women empowerment, child rights, organic farming etc. Most time is spent in Tamil Nadu and Uttharakhand but shorter visits are also made to New Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore and Varanasi.
    Albins Folkhighschool is run by 26 regional trade-unions in Skåne in the south of Sweden. It offers a non-formal adult educator which mean that students can influence content and methods through democratic participating in the learning process. Students have access to study loans and grants from CSN. 
    More information.
    Contact person: Anders Ohlsson

    Gejerskolan, Ransäter

    GeijerskolanFolk high school in Värmland, with a long tradition of collaboration with Karlstad University. Organises every year a one-year course entitled ”Filosofi och Världsbild”, focusing on western philosophy and history of ideas as well as Indian history and some of its religions. Besides that the course offers a five week travel to northern India were the students get the opportunity to meet lecturers on Indian philosophy e g Buddhism, Saivism and Advaita. It also includes studies on the political history of India and gender studies, and visits to important historical sites as Agra, Delhi and Varanasi. More information. 
    Contact person: Lina Bernäng

    Hållands Folk High School

    This Christian folk high school in Åre, Jämtland, organises a one year Development studies course (”U-landslinjen”) every year, starting in August. The course includes a two months stay in either India or Tanzania during the Spring semester. The subjects taught include Missionary research, Hindi (or Swahili), Development studies, and Cultural understanding. The next programme will run from 28 August 2011 till 30 May 2012. Deadline for applications was 30 April 2011. More information. 
    Contact person: Hans Bolin

    Ljungskile Folkhögskola

    • Ljungskile folk high schoolA new World course (”Världens kurs med Indienresa 2008”) on Justice, Peace and Environment, including a three weeks tour to north India, will again be arranged by Ljungskile Folk High school during the period 15 August 2011 – 15 January 2012. The tour includes a stay at the village folk high school Jagriti Vihara in Ranchi, Jharkhand. More information. 
      Contact person: Eva Erlandsson
    • The first part of the course consists of nine weeks of studies and preparations at Sida Civil Society Course Centre in Härnösand, upon which follows five months of practical work in India, where the students will work with local organisations engaged in projects to create an ecologically and socially sustainable society. Finally, the students will do six weeks external information work in Sweden. A total number of seven participants will be accepted for the programme.
      Last date for applications was Tuesday 15 April 2011. More information. 
      Contact person: Robert Norman

    Nordens Folkhögskola Biskops-Arnö

    • biskopsarnoA 36 weeks trainee programme on Ecology and Global Solidarity is again arranged during the period August 2011 – May 2012. The programme is intended for students who already have a degree in development studies or environmental studies. It is organised by Nordens Folkhögskola in collaboration with the Swedish NGOFramtidsjorden and its network in India. The costs are fully funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida.

    The first part of the course consists of nine weeks of studies and preparations at Sida Civil Society Course Centre in Härnösand, upon which follows five months of practical work in India, where the students will work with local organisations engaged in projects to create an ecologically and socially sustainable society. Finally, the students will do six weeks external information work in Sweden. A total number of seven participants will be accepted for the programme.
    Last date for applications is Tuesday 15 April 2011. More information. 
    Contact person: Robert Norman

    Österlen folk high school, Tomelilla

    TomelillaA one-year course on India/South Asia is arranged every year since 2001. Till 2007, it was organised as an academic undergraduate social science course in co-operation with the Dept. of Sociology at Lund University, but from 2010 it is run in collaboration with the Global Political Studies programme at University of Malmö. A new programme starts every year in August, with field work in south India during the period January–March coming year. After an initial common course at Kerala the students visit different places in India and Bangladesh where they make individual field work. The students give regular reports through Internet travel diaries.
    Applications can be submitted throughout the year for coming courses. 
    More information. 
    Contact person: Jens Karlsson

    South Asian Studies at Copenhagen University

    • The Tranquebar Initiative of the National Museum of Denmark is an interdisciplinary endeavour and prepared in close collaboration with a number of Indian authorities and Indian and Danish research institutions. The Initiative ranges from various research projects to restorations of buildings from the colonial time and the collecting of ethnographical items to elucidate present daily life, as well as historical and ethnographical exhibit activities in Denmark and India. 
      More information about the Tranquebar projects. 
      Contact person: Dr. Esther Fihl
    • Kulturkurser.dkA new initiative was introduced by the Institute of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies in 2007, courses in Business relations. These courses, called Kulturstudier.dk are concerned with the meeting between different cultures, religions and languages and being designed to cater for businesses or organisations that are establishing themselves abroad, hiring foreign employees or are facing cultural problems in connection with enterprises in the non-Western World. 
      More information about Kulturkurser.dk. 
      Contact person: Dr. Charlott Hoffmann Jensen

    • Researchers and teachers involved in Asian studies at the Faculty of Humanities, Copenhagen University are taking part in a joint project with colleagues at Lund University, and SASNET, to promote possibilities to combine courses in Asian languages and religious studies given on both sides of the Öresund. The so-called ØRNAST educational cooperation project was formally inaugurated with a ceremony at Copenhagen University on Tuesday 14 September 2004. The purpose behind ØRNAST is to strengthen East, South-East and South Asian education and research at the universities and university colleges involved in the Øresund University Consortium. 
      More information on ØRNAST      . 

    • The Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS), based at Copenhagen University, three times a year offers Contact Scholarships for Nordic Graduate Students, as well as Guest Researcher Scholarships for senior researchers and postgraduate students based in the Nordic countries. 
      More information on NIAS, and the scholarships it offers.

    South Asian Studies at Oslo University

    • Asian Studies at the University of Oslo

    – The Faculty of Arts at the University of Oslo offers a variety of programmes in South Asia related Studies. The Institute for Cultural Studies and Oriental Languages (IKOS) offers courses in three South Asian languages: Hindi, Sanskrit, and Urdu.

    – The Institute for Archaeology, Conservation and Historical Studies (IAKH) offers courses in South Asian Studies, covering topics as modern history, religion and political anthropology, with a focus on India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, and with a thematic focus on the emergence of nationalism and ethnic conflict in South Asia. More information.

    • SUMThe Centre for Development and the Environment (SUM – Senter for utvikling og miljø) is a research institution formally under the University of Oslo. Since 2004, every year SUM organises a 20 credits course titled ”Development and the Environment: From Theory to Practice”. Attention is given to the relationship between North and South and to the political and commercial sides of development. A unique aspect of the course is that students will get a view from the South through lectures, discussions and excursions organised by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) during a one month stay in New Delhi, India. There, students are formed into groups and do research that lead to a common group report under the guidance of advisors from CSE. More information about courses offered by CSE’s Anil Agarwal Green College.

    Other important institutions in Norway regarding South Asian studies/development studies

    – Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) in Bergen. One of the largest and oldest independent institutions in Northern Europe for social science research and advisory work on development and human rights issues in developing countries.

    – International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO). Conducts research within three main themes: Conditions of War and Peace, Ethnic and Nationalist Conflicts, and Foreign and Security Policies. The institute also publishes a book series and two journals.

    – The Dept. of International Environment and Development Studies (NORAGRIC), at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences in Ås, has a resource management programme in cooperation with the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme in Northern Pakistan.