When I am out presenting Sweden as a study destination, I usually start by saying that Sweden is the most innovative country in the world. It usually surprises the audience.
The fact is that Sweden is ranked as the most innovative country in the world according to the latest Innovation capacity index. Innovative research at Swedish universities and companies has resulted in a number of successful inventions. Some examples are: the computer mouse, Bluetooth for internet mobility, the pacemaker, the ball bearing, the Tetra Pak beverage packaging system, the dialysis machine and internet applications such as the online music streaming service Spotify, and the free internet calling service Skype. The founder of Skype, the Swede Niklas Zennström studied at one of the oldest and most well-known universities in Sweden, Uppsala University.
These fairly recent inventions build on a long history of excellence in academia and research. Sweden is the home of the prestigious Nobel prize, awarded in Stockholm every year.
Did you all know this? Have you used Skype or the music service Spotify or are you as surprised as the audience usually tend to be?
