Why did you write this book?
“It’s difficult for international researchers to get into the system in Sweden. There’s a lot you need to know when you move here. The book aims to provide the information people need.”
Can you give some examples?
“Many people don’t know how important it is to get a personal identity number as soon as possible when you arrive. They don’t know about the relatively small research funders. They don’t know what higher education institutions and types of employment position there are, how teaching works or what rights you have when you live and work in Sweden. I think that even young researchers who are already in Sweden can learn much from the content of the book.”
How did you get the idea?
“Just before the pandemic broke out, we visited Young Academy of Sweden’s sister organisation in the Netherlands. They had written a similar guide about Dutch academia. I realised then that I would have loved to have such a guide when I moved to Sweden in 2013.”
Describe the writing process.
“There were ten of us involved in writing the six chapters, all of us researchers ourselves. We read the Dutch guide, put it to one side and brainstormed ideas about what a Swedish guide should contain. And then we started writing it about a year ago.”
Where can I find the book?
“It can be downloaded free of charge from the Young Academy of Sweden website.”
