Mission & History

The Swedish Program was founded in 1987 by Professor Ken Wagner, then a professor at Hamilton College. Ken created the program to give his undergraduate students an immersive academic and cultural experience in Sweden. From its inception, the program emphasized small cohort size and close engagement with social, cultural, and political life in Sweden.

For most of its early history, the Swedish Program was based at Stockholm University. The program built a consortium of American colleges and universities, established Colby College as our School of Record, and developed a flexible liberal arts curriculum with a reputation for academic rigor.

In 2013, the program transitioned its institutional affiliation to the prestigious Stockholm School of Economics (SSE). Through this partnership with SSE, the program has continued its liberal arts mission while expanding opportunities for direct enrollment, allowing Swedish Program students to take select SSE courses and SSE students to enroll in Swedish Program courses. This shift continues to strengthen the program’s academic profile, particularly in economics, public policy, social sciences, and the humanities.

SSE’s close engagement with cultural, political, and social institutions further supports the program’s mission and provides students with unique access to personal and professional opportunities.

The Swedish Program remains an independent, nonprofit academic institution. Over nearly four decades, the program has evolved into a highly-regarded and unique academic experience, bridging American and Swedish higher education with thoughtful opportunities for immersion.