Teaching style and learning environment

Source: https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/study/your-academic-experience/teaching-style-and-learning-environment Parent: https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/study/admission-degree-studies/applying-studies-when-apply

Many international students find that the teaching style and learning environment are different from what they are used to. This page summarises what to expect.

Learning experience

Here's what you can expect from the teaching and learning environment.

An informal and collaborative environment

Students experience an open, informal study environment with teachers and students usually on a first-name basis. The traditional academic hierarchy is replaced by a more collaborative approach, where students are respected as junior colleagues and their opinions valued and encouraged by more experienced peers. This approach encourages dialogue and collaboration between students and teachers and creates opportunities to bring forward new ideas and innovations.

Student-centred education

The student is at the centre of the education provided at Lund University. There is a lot of support in terms of pedagogy and the teachers make themselves available to help students and ensure course content is fully understood. There is a focus on enabling students to develop their critical and analytical thinking skills, independent research skills, group work, problem-solving and leadership skills to prepare them for their career.

International classroom

Lund University is proud to have a strong international profile – we attract students from over 130 countries. This creates global classroom environments where students encounter different cultural perspectives and start to build their international network.

Education based on research

Education at Lund University is closely aligned to current research, often drawing on the interdisciplinary research approach that has helped secure Lund University’s place as Sweden’s strongest research university. Lund University educates some 45,000 students per year, and close to 60% of the University's budget goes to research, illustrating our commitment to being one of the world's top research-intensive universities.

Sustainability across education

Sustainability is an important part of the educational offerings at Lund University. The University is ranked number one globally in the QS Sustainability Rankings 2026. Our programmes and courses offer diverse perspectives on sustainable development across disciplines, ensuring that students encounter sustainability themes throughout their studies.

How teaching works

Here's how teaching is organised in practice.

Lectures

The most common form of instruction is lectures to groups of 25–30 students. Attendance at lectures is required, but students are also expected to work independently and develop an in-depth knowledge of their subject through independent study. Some courses, mainly in engineering, have as many as 30 formal lecture hours per week as well as laboratory work, while some, for example in the social sciences, may have as little as 10 hours, and rely more on the students' individual reading.

Independent study

A large part of the learning process takes place outside the classroom as students read and discuss the course material with each other. Students at Lund University are trained to efficiently assess large amounts of information. Study techniques are taught in the classroom and also by study advisors and through workshops.

Group work

Group work is common for many of our degree programmes. The goal is for students to practise teamwork in small groups, across different cultures within the class, and also to develop problem-solving and leadership skills. Group work is an important aspect of the learning experience in order to simulate the real dynamics of an international workplace.

Case studies and guest speakers

The teaching methods used focus on the critical analysis of the course content with the use of real case studies wherever possible. International guest lecturers and speakers from business, government, NGOs and research regularly feature as part of the curriculum to further connect studies to the professional world.

The University is located in the dynamic Lund–Malmö region; Malmö was named one of the most inventive cities in the world by Forbes. The region hosts an impressive breadth of global companies and a unique, world-class environment for technology, knowledge, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Course load

Courses at Lund University are organised in different ways depending on the programme and faculty. Some are studied individually during a specific period, while others are taken in parallel (often two courses at a time). They last between 2 and 20 weeks – most run for 5, 10 or 20 weeks. Courses typically end with an examination or a written assignment.

Academic mindset

Critical thinking and freedom of mind are the cornerstones of academic life at Lund University and are stimulated in all activities.

Students analyse and present solutions to given problems and assignments in seminars, workshops and experiments. Theoretical concepts are tested in practical situations and practical experience is used to develop theory.

Critical thinking

By critical thinking we mean to:

be able to assess information on different topics and to form independent and well-informed opinions
scrutinise and question beliefs that are sometimes taken for granted
revise opinions in the light of new evidence or knowledge
give and receive criticism in a constructive and generous manner
be ready to engage in discussion with fellow students and to learn from others.

Freedom of mind

By freedom of mind we mean the ability to:

liberate oneself from narrow-minded and conventional wisdom
value the authenticity of ideas and experiences in whatever shape they may come
appreciate and seek fresh perspectives on old ideas – in short, the ability to think ‘outside the box’.