Productive NIMUS meeting at Karolinska Institutet
On April 10–11, 2025, representatives from all medical faculties at Swedish universities gathered at Karolinska Institutet (KI) for the spring NIMUS meeting – a forum for national collaboration on international mobility in medical education. NIMUS stands for the Network for the Internationalisation of Medical Education in Sweden.
The meeting, held twice a year with rotating hosts, primarily gathered administrative staff working with student exchanges. During two content-rich days, current issues in international collaboration, student health, and ethical considerations were discussed.
Focus on blended mobility and Student Health
The meeting began with hosts Magdalena Palmqvist and Christoffer Bodforss from KI's international office welcoming the participants. This was followed by an engaging discussion on "blended mobility" – how physical and digital exchanges can be combined to promote increased accessibility and flexibility in international collaborations.
Another important topic was MRSA testing of incoming students, where KI's Student Health presented their routines and experiences. The discussion highlighted the importance of common guidelines to ensure patient safety.
After lunch, Professor Johan von Schreeb from the Department of Global Health gave an inspiring lecture on his work in global disaster medicine. He emphasized what Swedish healthcare can learn from crisis situations worldwide. The day concluded with a thought-provoking discussion on responsible internationalisation and ethical aspects of collaboration with authoritarian states.
Integration and selection in focus on day two
The second day focused on student integration. Representatives from various universities shared experiences on how Swedish and international students can be connected through buddy programs, language cafés, and joint leisure and sports activities.
A special agenda item was a proposed Canvas course for incoming students, where ideas about creating common introductory films or digital resource banks were discussed to better prepare exchange students for their time in Sweden.
The meeting concluded with a presentation by Anna Dahlerus on selection criteria for exchange studies. The discussion was linked to current issues in KI's study programme in Medicine, where there is a need to clarify how merit-based assignments affect selection and how the process can become more transparent and inclusive.
Future plans and continued collaboration
The NIMUS meeting once again confirmed the value of collaboration between medical faculties on international mobility. Participants expressed appreciation for both content and networking and look forward to the next meeting – a virtual gathering planned for autumn 2025.