Staff exchange – Karolinska Institutet

By: Albertine Ranheim, Division of Nursing, Karolinska Institutet

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When landing in Bodö airport the pilots always do a ‘whoop’ so the plane kind of jumps sideways onto the landing strip- doing it ‘the Bodö way’ they say to adjust to the winds and weather…

A student told me that if it should stop blowing, the people of Bodö would probably fall flat on the ground…as they always lean towards the windJ

I had the opportunity to visit University Nord for a few days in late April, to initiate a possible academic collaboration and to get to know of the activities there. What met me there was a newly built university with modern architecture and a highly technological library- Norway certainly has economic resources!

The University offers a bachelor’s program in nursing which is conducted in 9 different campuses. It has a catchment area the size of Sweden’s Norrlands landscape- Huge!

In campus Bodö, they also offer two Masters programs focusing on clinical Nursing and on research and science training which currently have 22 students. PhD students are also connected. The department offers research training which currently have 6 PhD students. Nursing and caring science have had a period of re-ignition at this University and they have recruited professionals from other Nordic countries to initiate higher education and research. Here, they collaborate with the European College of Caring Sciences (EACS) as well as with the Nordic College of Caring Sciences (NCCS). These organizations collaborate with the intent to provide a pool of expertise and knowledge related to improving health and care. The task of EACS and NCCS is to develop, support and disseminate new scientific knowledge nationally and internationally, and NCCS strives to represent Nordic health researchers’ interests.

During my days in Bodö, there was a meeting when people from all the University campuses gathered for joint work, lectures and presentations, together with researchers and professionals from the Nordic countries. Some flew in from the outer islands in the Lofoten archipelago and others travelled hours by trains or cars over the snowy mountains to join the event.

It is quite exotic as the weather may change 10 times a day and wherever you are positioned in Bodö you have the remarkable sharp and snowy mountains in front of you as well as the wild and powerful Atlantic ocean rolling. A small city with wild nature and lovely culture, and a University that is worth a visit!

Albertine Ranheim, Division of Nursing, Karolinska Institute