högskolan

Högskolan is the Swedish term for institutions of higher education that provide tertiary education and research but are distinguished from universities in Sweden's public system. The Swedish higher education system comprises two main types: universitet, which conduct broad research-led programs and can award doctoral degrees, and högskolor (often translated as university colleges), which traditionally focused on professional and applied education.

Högskolor traditionally emphasize professional and applied education within fields such as engineering, health sciences, education, business, and arts. They offer bachelor's degrees and often master's programs; historically they focused less on research and doctoral education, but many have expanded their research activities and some have gained the right to award doctoral degrees.

Governance and qualification: Högskolor are public institutions funded by the state and governed under national laws. They operate within the Swedish degree framework and participate in the Bologna Process. Quality assurance is conducted by the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ). Admissions are centralized via national portals and degrees are aligned with European credit transfers (ECTS).

History: The term has been used to describe state-supported higher education institutions outside the traditional research universities. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, several högskolor expanded their research profile and were upgraded to university status, while others remained högskola, maintaining a strong applied focus.

International dimension: Högskolor attract international students and collaborate in international networks, offering programs in Swedish and English and contributing to workforce development through applied research and professional education.