International Education Week: Sweden
UR’s Sweden Week
November 16-19, 2026
Each November, in recognition of International Education Week, the UR community "meets in another culture" here on campus. This year, our community’s engagement is with Sweden -- a growing hub of global connection for UR students, faculty, and staff. Scholars and visitors travel to Richmond to offer their expertise; faculty align their teaching with topics and themes related to Sweden; and there are opportunities for everyone to taste the cuisine, hear the music, and learn about our connections to Sweden.
Header image taken by Cassandra Martin ’21 in Stockholm, Sweden.
Invited Speakers
Laura Carlson
President, University of Delaware
How my Swedish heritage has influenced my leadership: Perspectives from my seat as University President
Teresa Fazio
Freelance Journalist & Marine Corps Veteran
Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
Sweden’s Gender-Neutral Draft in the Era of #MeToo
Jonathan Geib
Faculty, DIS Abroad Stockholm
Panel - Swedish Design
Andrea Larson
Musician
Global Music Series: Swedish Folk Music
Nikolaos Mitsios
Karolinska Institutet Research Specialist & DIS Abroad
A comprehensive multi-omics approach to delineate the molecular architecture of the adult human brain
Amy Russo
Criminal Justice Editor, The Plain Dealer
Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
Child Refugees in Sweden
Jon Serrander
Executive Chair, Promote International
Being an Entrepreneur in Sweden
Kristen Ziegler
Owner & Senior Project Manager of Minima
Panel - Swedish Design
Pre-Week Engagement Opportunities
Provost Global Forum
UR’s Engagement with Sweden
A panel discussion with members of the 2026 Sweden Faculty/Staff Seminar hosted by Provost Joan Saab
September 30, 4:00-5:00pm
International Center Commons
IE Week Calendar
Monday
November
16
SWEDISH BREAKFAST
7:00-10:30am @ Heilman Dining Center
PANEL
Swedish Design
Jonathan Geib (Urban Planning)
Kristen Ziegler (Ikea & Minimalism)
Erling Sjovold
Jeannine Keefer
12:00pm @ International Commons
TALK
Stockholm Resilience Centre
12:00pm @ Gottwald Auditorium (A001)
Tuesday
November
17
TALK
Being an Entrepreneur in Sweden
Jon Serrander, Promote International
10:30am-11:45am @ International Commons
LUNCH (FIKA)
11:00am-3:30pm @ Heilman Dining Center
TALK
Child Refugees in Sweden
Amy Russo, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
1:30pm-2:45pm @ International Commons
MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
Musical Guest: Andrea Larson & Co.
7:30-8:15pm @ International Commons
Wednesday
November
18
TALK
How my Swedish heritage has influenced my leadership: Perspectives from my seat as University President
Laura Carlson, President of the University of Delaware
10:30-11:45am @ International Commons
TALK
Stockholm Resilience Centre
1:30-2:30pm @ International Commons
SWEDEN FAIR, featuring more than a dozen stations
3:30-5:00pm @ Alice Haynes Room, THC
SWEDISH DINNER
5:00-8:00pm @ Heilman Dining Center
Thursday
November
19
TALK
A comprehensive multi-omics approach to delineate the molecular architecture of the adult human brain
Nikolaos Mitsios, Karolinska Institutet & DIS Abroad
12:00-1:15pm @ Gottwald Auditorium (A001)
VIRTUAL TALK
Sweden’s Gender-Neutral Draft in the Era of #MeToo
Teresa Fazio, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
1:30-2:45pm @ International Commons
Weeklong Programming
Opportunities to engage
- The Ninth Annual Ecochallenge: Registration coming soon!
- Library Guide - Curated by Boatwright Memorial Library
- Display of books written by Swedish authors in Boatwright Memorial Library
- Music Library - Playlist, resources, and blog posts
- Dining Hall: Specials Monday-Wednesday
- Swedish Breakfast @ 7:00-10:30am on Monday, 11/16
- Fika @11:00am-3:30pm on Tuesday, 11/17
- Swedish Dinner @ 5:00-8:00pm on Wednesday, 11/18
- Passport Café: Weekly Special
- Faculty Fika by invitation in the Faculty Hub
IEW Fair: Sweden
Richmond’s Many Ties to Sweden
More than a dozen tables/stations will be on display for the fair on Wednesday, November 18, representing a wide variety of Richmond connections to Sweden on such topics as:
Music, sustainability, children’s literature, cuisine, cultural reflection after study abroad, UR study abroad in Sweden, Karolinska Institutet, and more!