Campus Frescati. Photo: Margareta Ohné.

Bachelor's programmes

Like last academic year, the places on BIG's three Bachelor's programmes were largely filled (there are 48 places on the Biology programme, 12 in Marine biology and 15 in Molecular biology).

The Bachelor's programme in Biology is now divided into two study paths. Path 1 includes 30 credits of chemistry and courses in cell and molecular biology and physiology that are based on chemistry. Path 2 does not have compulsory chemistry and therefore the courses in cell and molecular biology and physiology are not based on previous studies in chemistry.

This year, for the first time, the two paths were separate options in the application (in recent years, students have instead had to choose a study path at the beginning of the programme). Nevertheless, there were quite a few students who now wanted to change their study path once they started, and in the end, of the 46 students who are now (in October) registered in the Biology programme, 21 have chosen the path biology including chemistry and 25 have chosen the biology path.

The Master's programmes

Regarding the Master's programmes, there was an increase in the number of registered students by about 10% compared to last year. A total of 85 students have been registered as beginners on BIG's Master's programmes this autumn, of which 16 are fee paying students.

The Master's programmes started as usual with an introduction week, which this year had a couple of new events. In collaboration with the students' sports association SSIF, brännball games were arranged and another day a group of students walked around Brunnsviken under the leadership of Jessica Slove Davidson.

Exchange students

The number of incoming exchange students has fallen compared to last year. In autumn 2022, we had 39 exchange students at BIG, but this year there are only 23. Almost all of them come from other European countries. Through BIG's own agreements, students come from England, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany, and through the CIVIS collaboration, students come from Belgium, France, Spain and Germany. In addition, a student from Australia has come here through a central agreement.

Happily, we have more outgoing students than in autumn 2022, when we had only one student abroad (in Rome). This semester we have seven outgoing exchange students and they are in Italy (Rome), Norway (Tromsø), Spain (Barcelona and Madrid), Singapore and the USA (Illinois and Vermont). In addition, two students are doing internships abroad, one in Portugal and one in Spain (Tenerife).