Funding from the Swedish Institute will help sustain and enhance Swedish language education at UBC.
In May 2026, the UBC Faculty of Arts signed a multi-year agreement with the Swedish Institute to support the Swedish Language Program at UBC. The program is one of the largest of its kind in North America and is housed in the Department of Central, Eastern and Northern European Studies (CENES).
The partnership provides financial support for the Swedish and Nordic Studies Lecturer position in the department, which is currently held by Dr. Karin Filipsson. This lays the groundwork for future partnerships that directly support UBC students who are involved in scholarship, study abroad, and international professional development opportunities related to Swedish language and culture studies.
Our partnership with the Swedish Institute is an exciting milestone for the UBC Nordic Studies Program. In the last year, we have continued to expand our course offerings and have pursued extensive curricular revision to support a thriving Swedish language and culture studies program nestled within it.
This new partnership enables CENES to maintain its Swedish language course offerings and the vibrant community the department has built for over a decade. With this investment in the future of the program, the Department hopes to expand the course offerings and student opportunities in the future.
Contact: Dr. Ervin Malakaj, CENES Head, cenes.head@ubc.ca.
