Jonkoping University

Jönköping University

Jönköping University is a young professional-oriented university characterised by a high degree of internationalization, an entrepreneurial spirit and extensive collaboration with surrounding society. It is one of three Swedish private, non-profit institutions of higher education with the right to award doctorates.

Jönköping University has around 12,000 students, of which 2,400 are international students. The university is one of the top universities in international student exchange and among the best in Sweden in terms of attracting international students. Campus has a truly international and academic environment with students and staff from all parts of the world.

Both within education and research, Jönköping University has a close cooperation with business and society.

Jönköping University  is one of three Swedish private, non-profit institutions of higher education with the right to award doctorates. JU operates on the basis of an agreement with the Swedish Government and conforms to national degree regulations and quality requirements. 

The university is organised as a non-profit corporate group with Jönköping University Foundation as the parent organisation and six wholly owned subsidiaries: the School of Health and Welfare, the School of Education and Communication, Jönköping International Business School, the School of Engineering, University Services and Jönköping University Enterprise.

History

• 1897: The first nursing students received their degree qualifications in Jönköping by Jönköping County.
• 1947: An elementary-school teacher's training college was established in Jönköping.
• 1963: A pre-school teacher's training college started in Jönköping.
• 1968: The elementary-school teacher's training college becomes "Jönköping Teacher School" and moves house to Västra Torget. The county's central school for the caring profession moves to new premises on Munksjö beach and in 1971 changes its name to "Munksjö School".
• 1970: The Institute for Gerontology and the "Ortos" Laboratory were started by Jönköping County, they later became part of the School of Health Sciences.
• 1975: Higher Vocational Education started in Jönköping.
• 1977: Reform of Swedish higher education. Jönköping University College is set up as a state university college. The "Jönköping Teacher School" and the pre-school teacher's training college merged into the university. A two-year economic education started, become three-year in 1978. The Communication Officer (Informatör) programme started this year, it later became the Media and Communication programme. Some of the caring programmes at the Munksjö School become university programmes.
• 1979: First international student exchange; teacher training in Liverpool.
• 1981: Single subject courses relocated to the municipalities in the county.
• 1983: The Munksjö School starts a Prosthetics and Orthotics programme, focus: orthopedic technician, which is still now the only in its kind in Sweden.
• 1987: The Munksjö School's university educations within the health sector are renamed the School of Health Sciences.
• 1988: First engineering programme starts at Jönköping University College.
• 1994: Jönköping University Foundation was founded, with three schools; the School of Education and Communication, the School of Engineering and Jönköping International Business School as well as University Services. A joint faculty for the three schools is founded and the first right to award master's degrees are given to Jönköping University. Host company activities start at Jönköping International Business School and the School of Engineering.
• 1995: Jönköping University is given the right to award doctorates in four business school subjects. Research education is started at Jönköping International Business School.
• 1996: The first professors' inauguration at Jönköping University. Organized support for student business ventures is started by two students.
• 1997: The new campus is opened (Stage I) which includes the President's Office, Jönköping International Business School and University Services. In 1998 the School of Engineering moves to campus. First doctoral thesis defence. 1999: First conferment of doctoral degree at Jönköping University. The School of Health Sciences is given the right to award degrees in Social Science.
• 2000: The School of Education and Communication's new building stands ready (Stage II).
• 2001: Education in vocational education is started at the School of Education and Communication. Science Park Jönköping opens near the university and takes over, among other things, the support of student enterprises.
• 2002: The School of Health Sciences becomes the fourth school within Jönköping University. The Students' House is opened.
• 2004: The university is given the right to award doctorates within the Humanities and Social Sciences. First international scientific magazine published in Jönköping, the Journal of Media Business Studies.
• 2005: The University Library is named Library of the Year in Sweden.
• 2007: 1 January 2007 Ingenjörshögskolan (the School of Engineering) is reorganized as Tekniska Högskolan i Jönköping (JTH). The name is not changed in English. A long term collaboration with Chalmers and KTH (The Royal Institute of Technology) is set up.
• 2010: The university is given the right to award Licentiate and Doctoral Degrees in Engineering, research area: Industrial Production, Machine design, Material and manufacturing processes, and Production systems.
• 2011: The first fee-paying international students from countries outside the EU/EEA are welcomed to Jönköping University.
• 2013: The university’s sports centre, Campus Arena, is inaugurated.
• 2015: As the first business faculty in Sweden, Jönköping International Business School received both AACSB and EQUIS accreditation.

Jönköping Student Union (JSU)

JU has mandatory Student Union membership, which was decided by the university. Exceptions from this rule are the PhD students and students not studying at university level (preparatory programmes). The Student Union works with the four Student Associations from each faculty:

• LOK - School of Education and Communication
• HI-TECH - Jönköping School of Engineering
• Hälsosektion - School of Health and Welfare
• JIBS Student Association (JSA) - Jönköping International Business School

The Student Union works on the following areas: Monitoring of education quality, Student welfare issues, Integration, Student health, Housing issues and Services.[27]

The Student Union has one annual meeting (Swedish: årsmöte) per year and it is the highest decision-making body of the union. During the annual meeting students elect representatives as well as votes on budget, goals, strategies and visions for the next fiscal year.[28] Two of the elected representatives work in the Student Union full time as the presidium. The student associations have their own meetings to elect local representatives and vote on their budgets, goals, strategies and visions.

Student activities

The Student Union has a nightclub called Akademien, which translates to The Academy. It is exclusively for JU students, with the exception of students from other higher education institutions if they are admitted to a guest list. The Student Union also hosts the following activities over the year: Trips, Language Café, After School and Culture Day. The Student Union also plans and executes the Kick Off along with the university and the Student Associations. The Kick-off takes place in the start of the autumn semester for ten days, and the spring semester for five days. There are also JSU associations based on interests.

Student boilersuit

The university students are part of the Swedish culture of the Student boilersuit. Different Student Associations, the Student Union employees and one student association have different colours on the boilersuit