Margareta Uusijärvi, originally from Stockholm, is about to begin her third year in the Music Teacher Education Programme at the Ingesund School of Music. Instead of settling in at the school for the upcoming autumn semester, she has chosen to study abroad through EUNICE, the European university alliance of which Karlstad University is a member together with nine other European universities, during the coming academic year.
“Since the third year of the Music Teacher Education Programme is designed around a great deal of independent study, I decided to take the opportunity to broaden my horizons abroad. I have chosen Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) Cottbus-Senftenberg in Cottbus, Germany, which is part of EUNICE. One of the reasons for my choice is that I have previously lived in Germany as an au pair and speak German. During that time, I lived with a German family, sang in a choir in my spare time, and also took German lessons. Studying at a German university will be more formal. People still address teachers formally and use surnames. I am a little worried that I might forget that, but they know German is not my native language, so I am sure they will understand. I am also looking forward to having the opportunity to socialize with people my own age.”
It can sometimes be challenging for music teacher students to find suitable exchange opportunities in Europe. What are your expectations for the autumn semester?
“I will be taking courses that correspond to the ones I would have studied at Ingesund if I had remained in Arvika. As I mentioned, the third year consists largely of independent study in order to make opportunities such as studying abroad possible. Therefore, I will focus on practice on my principal instrument, the flute, as well as ensemble performance.”
How are the preparations for studying abroad going? What do students need to keep in mind?
“When I received my admission letter, it did not mean that I had been officially enrolled at the university. It only meant that they had reserved a place for me. I needed documentation for that, and there is a lot of formality and bureaucracy in Germany that you need to have in order before you leave. Finding accommodation can also be quite challenging. I have been looking for housing all summer and still have not found anything, even though I plan to leave on 1 October. There are many shared housing options in Cottbus, as well as places that rent to students. However, these are often unfurnished, which means I would need to arrange furniture as well. I hope to have it sorted out within the next few days.”
“If you want to go on an exchange, you need to take ownership of the process yourself. Of course, you can ask for help, but you must be the driving force. It is great fun to try living abroad, and you should definitely do it if you get the chance. I chose Germany because I speak the language and Germany is quite similar to Sweden in many ways. However, it would also have been exciting to experience another country. If you are considering studying abroad, do it!”
You now have a whole year ahead of you at another university in another country. What do you hope to bring back home?
“I hope I will have the opportunity to practise my instrument a lot, have fun, meet new people, expand my network, and perhaps travel around Europe a bit. There is a lot I hope to fit into these two semesters.”
What happens after your year at BTU?
“I enjoy studying at Ingesund very much, so after this year I will return to Arvika to complete my degree. That is one of the great advantages of this exchange programme. Since I am taking equivalent courses to those I would have studied at Ingesund, I am not losing a year by studying abroad. I can continue my studies as soon as I return from Germany.”
The collaboration with BTU began two years ago when a small delegation from Ingesund visited the university.
“Following our visit, Gregor Fuhrmann, Professor of Music Education and Head of the Music Teacher Education Programme at BTU, visited us at Ingesund,” says Kicki Liljedahl, Programme Director of the Music Teacher Programme at the Ingesund School of Music. “We compared our course content and programme structures and found many similarities as well as some differences. Several parts of the programmes match very well, and we believe the exchange will work smoothly, even if the programmes are not perfectly aligned semester by semester. The greatest challenge is the language. Margareta, who is our first student to go on exchange at BTU in Cottbus, speaks German, so there is every reason to believe that everything will go well. It is valuable for our students to experience different environments and gain new perspectives. It is not only about a different educational setting and study structure, but also about encountering another culture, another language, and much more. It can also provide a reflection on how things are done in Sweden, both within education and in society more broadly. I am really looking forward to following Margareta’s exchange year.”
During spring 2026, filmmaker Ralf Schuster from BTU visited through the Erasmus programme to produce a film about the collaboration between BTU and the Ingesund School of Music within the framework of EUNICE.
EUNICE (European University for Customised Education) is the European university alliance that brings together Karlstad University and nine other European universities. Its purpose is to inspire and facilitate collaboration between universities, education and research disciplines, and the wider community.
Student exchanges within EUNICE are financed through Erasmus+ scholarships.
