CIVIS universities

CIVIS brings together almost 600 000 students, academics and other staff members. The alliance is comprised of the following research universities:

Funded by EU

The university alliance is funded by the European Commission‘s initiative 'European Universities' under the Erasmus+ programme.

Purpose of the university alliance

The purpose of CIVIS is to facilitate collaborations across national borders and increase the mobility of students, teachers and other staff. Collaborations within the alliance on education, research and innovation is taking place within five hubs. The hubs focus on five global challenges:  
1.    Climate, environment, energy
2.    Society, culture and heritage.
3.    Health
4.    Cities and mobility
5.    Digital and technological transformations

The hubs are interdisciplinary and joint educational programmes and courses are created within these five different themes closely linked to excellent research in the different universities. The hubs also foster research collaborations with external parties.
Within the alliance new joint programmes and courses are developed for students at and beyond the CIVIS universities. The alliance fosters collaboration within education, research and support services among reachers, researchers and administrative staff within the CIVIS staff community. Local and regional partnership will be opened up for all universities within the alliance. CIVIS universities strengthen the cooperation with other universities, first and foremost in the Mediterranean region and in Africa.

Exchange studies

For students at Stockholm University, the alliance provides excellent opportunities for studying abroad under the Erasmus+ programme at one of the other CIVIS universities, for example either by way of traditional exchange studies or via so called blended intensive programmes, BIP (short courses where a part of the course is taking place virtually and the other part physically during a week on Campus at one of the CIVIS universities).  More information on how students apply for exchange within CIVIS.

All students at Stockholm University can apply for exchange studies at one of the CIVIS alliance universities regardless of subject area, institutional affiliation and whether at first, second or third-cycle level. Students applying for exchange studies under the Erasmus+ programme will be granted a scholarship, subject to all necessary terms and conditions being fulfilled. If you would like to know more about CIVIS exchange and the selection process, please contact Student Services: studentutbyte@su.se.

For staff members working as international coordinator/study and career counsellor/course administrator please see routines for student mobility within CIVIS (in Swedish only).
Students at the CIVIS universities will also be able to benefit from the ongoing project of creating a European Student Card. Providing access to various types of student services at the other alliance universities, the European Student Card aims to facilitate studies abroad.

Traineeship abroad via CIVIS

Another possibility for students is to carry out a traineeship/internship abroad via any of the CIVIS universities or the partners of CIVIS. Students can apply for funding via Erasmus+. Via a so called Erasmus+ traineeship students can undertake an internship, work placement, data collection or for doing your degree project.

Staff mobility

Funding for teaching abroad and staff mobility for training at CIVIS universities is avaible via the Erasmus+ programme. Please see the information on staff mobility for teaching if you are planning to teach abroad, for example within a so called Blended Intensive Programme, BIP. There’s an exchange agreement for teaching abroad within CIVIS, on university level open to all teachers at SU. It is also possible to apply for funding for staff training (for example for job shadowing or taking part in a so called Staff Weeks). Job shadowing at one of the other CIVIS universities is a good way to initiate systematic exchanges with other institutions within the alliance. Please see the information on staff mobility for more information on how to apply for funding.
If you, as an SU employee, are an official member of a group/entity within CIVIS – and if you have questions on participating in different internal meetings within CIVIS – please contact Sara Laginder at the Office of the President for more information.

Blended Intensive Programmes, BIP

Within CIVIS, it is possible to plan and organize Blended Intensive Programmes (BIP), i.e. shorter courses of 3-6 ECTS that contain both a physical and a virtual part - together with other partner universities. A prerequisite for SU to take part in a BIP is that the participation is established according to the procedures and practises in your department.  Another prerequisite for a BIP course is that the course is taught together with at least two other CIVIS universities in so called Erasmus programme countries and that at least 15 students with Erasmus grants from other CIVIS universities participate. Students, teachers and staff participating in a mobility within a BIP can apply for an Erasmus grant. More information on BIP.

Open labs

All the universities within the alliance have established so-called ‘Open Labs’, a structured form of collaborations where the university meets external partners from the city or region such as public authorities, museums, businesses and politicians. Within the framework of the Open Labs, collaborations will take place on important issues for the purpose of implementing different collaborative projects or initiating applications for research funding, for example, from the European structural and investment funds. More about Sthlm Openlab.

 

Multilingualism

The CIVIS universities offer a wide range of courses taught in English, especially at second and third-cycle levels. At the same time, the universities aim to promote and develop multilingualism and proficiency among the students in another language than their own native language or English. Many of the programmes and courses offered at the CIVIS universities are taught in French, German, Greek, Italian, Romanian, Spanish and Swedish. Consequently, different types of language support and language development activities will be initiated to create better conditions for students who would like to study a course or programme in one of these languages. Stockholm University Language Café is available for CIVIS students. Contact: Christine Ericsdotter Nordgren, Director of Språkstudion (the Language Studio).

Africa and the Mediterranean region

Several of the CIVIS universities are located in the Mediterranean region and all universities in the alliance collaborate with universities and organisations throughout Africa. Consequently, the geographical areas of the Mediterranean and Africa are being prioritised by the alliance for collaborations on education, research and innovation.  CIVIS have entered into cooperation agreements with six selected African Universities to work jointly on societal challenges.

Research and Innovation Strategy for CIVIS, RIS4CIVIS

The focus from start in CIVIS has been education, however in order to broaden the scope of work of the Alliance, CIVIS started the project Research and Innovation Strategy for Civis, RIS4CIVIS in the spring of 2021. RIS4CIVIS is coming to and end in 2023, and the results will then be integrated in CIVIS. For more information about RIS4CIVIS.

Contact and administrative support at SU

There are many people involved in CIVIS at SU – the list below only includes administratively employed staff members who could support you as an SU-employee further if you have questions or queries regarding CIVIS.

If you and your department/unit/section/faculty would like to know more about possibilities within CIVIS you are very welcome to contact us for more information and/or to book a presentation.
For general questions regarding CIVIS: civis@su.se

Office of the President;

Johanna Diehl:
- Institutional Coordinator (formerly know as Project Manager)
-General responsibility for SU’s participation in CIVIS
Email: Johanna.diehl@su.se Phone: 08-16 23 84

Sara Laginder
- Deputy Institutional Coordinator/Hub1 Coordinator
- Administrative support to Hub1: Climate, environment and energy
Email: sara.laginder@su.se Phone: 08-16 27 03

Pär Brännström
- Project Manager RIS4CIVIS
- Administrative support to Stream1, WP 2 and 3
Email: par.brannstrom@su.se Phone: 08-16 4717

International Office, Student Services:

Anna Koch Öster
-CIVIS Education Officer
-Support to SU teachers and academics when planning and developing joint educational activities within CIVIS, for example so called Blended Intensive Programmes, BIP
Email: anna.koch@su.se Phone: 08-16 11 80

Erik Rosenberg
- CIVIS Mobility Officer
- Responsible for Mobilities within CIVIS
Email: erik.rosenberg@su.se Phone: 08-16 12 29

Communications Office

Serena Nobili
- CIVIS Communication Officer
Email: serena.nobili@su.se Phone: 08-16 39 17

IT Services

Markus Forslund
-CIVIS Digital Officer
Email: markus.forslund@su.se Phone: 08-16 39 17

For more information