Dalarna University

Since being founded in 1977, Dalarna University has experienced rapid growth and today is one of Sweden's fastest growing universities with approximately 18 000 students and 800 employees. Our two campuses - one based in Falun, one in Borlänge - offer a wide range of educational opportunities. Many courses and programmes are developed in close collaboration with regional business and industry, as well as other social sectors. The result of such collaboration is that over the last few years, students from Dalarna University have found employment in higher numbers than students from most other universities in Sweden, this according to Högskoleverket, The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education. Here, tradition and innovation in pedagogical development work in unison. Although many of our students take our campus-based courses, over 50 percent of all students are registered in web-based distance learning courses, for which Dalarna University is nationally recognised as a pioneer. Accessible and open on a 24-hour basis, these web-based courses - our virtual campus - offer open lectures, seminars and lessons in which participants can interact with one another using pictures, sound and text. These are just some of the features of what is termed Next Generation Learning, and our goal is to be a leader in this innovative pedagogical field.