Our mission
The Swedish Institute is a public agency that promotes interest and trust in Sweden around the world. We work in the fields of culture, education, science and business to strengthen international relations and development.
- We build lasting relations between Sweden and other countries in order to increase interest in Sweden.
- To this end, we share information, develop skills, promote cultural exchange and cooperation, and provide funding and grants.
- We support and collaborate with businesses, universities, cultural institutions and Swedish embassies around the world.
Partnerships and meetings
We bring to life the narrative about contemporary Sweden and its numerous achievements in the fields of innovation, sustainability and creativity.
We act in dialogue with the opinion- and decision-makers and talents of today and tomorrow. This dialogue is an integral aspect of all our work and takes the form of programmes, projects and digital communication.
Another area of work involves developing cooperation around the Baltic Sea and Eastern Partnership countries. Robust, long-term partnerships improve the chances of achieving sustainable development in the region.
Skills development
We also engage in extensive cooperation with developing countries. The focus is on enhancing the skills of individuals who have the potential to contribute to the development of democracy and rights. By linking them up with Swedish actors in the field, we establish relationships that are of mutual benefit.
We present Sweden as a good country to live in, in order to attract students, researchers and talents.
We operate worldwide
The Swedish Institute’s core activities involve: Analysing how foreign target groups perceive Sweden, and how this affects opportunities for Swedish actors abroad.Providing expert support to both private and public actors wishing to communicate the image of Sweden and Swedish skills.
- Spreading information about Swedish values and experience in the fields of innovation, sustainability, culture and creativity.
- Increasing cooperation in the Baltic Sea region, which is a prerequisite for long-term development in Sweden and the region itself.
- Supporting projects that encourage democratic development in our partner countries.
- Establishing relations between Swedish partners and the decision-makers of tomorrow around the world.
- Actively promoting mobility for students, researchers and skilled labour to and from Sweden.
- Providing funding and other support for Swedish language tuition and knowledge-enhancement programmes focusing on Sweden abroad.
- Running Sweden’s only cultural centre abroad, the Swedish Institute in Paris.
Financing
SI’s operations are financed mainly through appropriations directly through the state budget. SI has approximately 470 million Swedish government funds in four areas: international cooperation, international assistance, education and university research and business.
Of SI’s total funding, approximately SEK 294 million are grants and scholarships, and approximately two thirds of this amount is financed by the Swedish aid budget. SI’s various sub-assignments are closely linked to each other. Strong trust in Sweden and Swedish partners is important for Swedish development cooperation, for Sweden’s contribution to development in the Baltic Sea Region and for increased internationalization of Swedish higher education and Swedish business.
The importance of establishing trust in Sweden and Swedish competencies goes as a guiding principle through all SI’s activities.
Please feel free to contact us at si@si.se.
Want to tell about Sweden abroad? Try sharingsweden.se.
You can read more about our project support, scholarships and other financing.