Top-up Degrees – A Pathway to an Academic Qualification and International Career Opportunities
Since 2023, FEI has been offering Top-up degrees in collaboration with Coventry University in the United Kingdom. At present, FEI is the university’s only academic partner in Sweden. Top-up degrees enable individuals to build on their two-year vocational (YH) qualification to achieve a Bachelor’s degree in just one year. Studies can be carried out at FEI in Stockholm or online via FEIFLEX. Colin Knapp, FEI’s Academic Director for Top-up Degrees, emphasises the strong value of providing these internationally recognised qualifications.
“Top-up degrees are a fantastic way for us to offer a progression route for individuals with a two-year YH qualification or two years of university studies who want to gain an academic degree and improve their career prospects. It is a high-quality form of education, fully designed to equip students with attractive and internationally applicable competencies across various industries worldwide,” says Colin Knapp.
Colin Knapp has worked at several leading universities in the United Kingdom for over 40 years, primarily in the fields of international business and management education. As Academic Director for Top-up Degrees, he is responsible for ensuring that the programmes provide students with international knowledge that opens new career pathways.
“A Top-up degree leads to a Bachelor’s degree awarded by Coventry University in the United Kingdom. It is an internationally recognised and highly valued qualification, equivalent to a Swedish Bachelor’s degree. Our aim is for students to develop knowledge that enhances their opportunities to work in an international environment. A Top-up degree also creates opportunities for further studies, including postgraduate qualifications such as a Master’s degree, either in Sweden or abroad.”
Colin Knapp also lectures on the module Organisational Behaviour and Leadership in an International Context, which forms part of the Top-up Degree in International Business Management.
“The module focuses on the different perspectives and cultures commonly found in international organisations, such as group dynamics, motivation, and organisational structures. The aim is to provide students with insight and understanding of what is required to work in a global context.”
FEI is the only education provider in Sweden offering Top-up degrees, in collaboration with Coventry University – one of the largest universities in the United Kingdom, with extensive experience in international partnerships. Coventry University has a continually growing global presence, with more than 50,000 students currently studying its programmes worldwide, and collaborates with over 70 partner institutions in more than 40 countries.
“FEI has collaborated with various universities in the United Kingdom for 25 years, and we are very pleased to now offer Top-up degrees with Coventry University, which has a distinctly international profile. In the Swedish system, there is not yet a similar bridging pathway between vocational higher education and university studies. Together, we can provide this unique opportunity to former YH students who want to take their careers to the next level,” says Colin Knapp.
In collaboration with Coventry University, the following three Top-up degrees are offered:
- Previous study background and the completed YH qualification determine eligibility for each Top-up degree.
- Students can attend lessons on-site at FEI in Stockholm or live online via FEIFLEX.
- All studies are conducted entirely in English. It is possible to study full-time (1 year) or part-time (2 years).
- Top-up degrees are eligible for CSN funding, including additional loans for tuition fees.
Published on 17 April 2023