To start with: Nordpraktik has nothing to do with practice or internships. Instead, the Programme contributes to fostering business development between Ukrainian and Swedish companies. The Programme helps you to find a partner in Sweden and provides initial support by developing the partners’ knowledge of internationalisation process and developing a pilot cooperation project.

Sweden in brief

   Sweden, officially the Kingdom of Sweden is a country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Its capital city is Stockholm just two hours by plane from Kyiv. With the area of 449 964 km² Sweden is the fifth largest country in Europe. Sweden has a low population density of 20 people per square kilometre. The inhabitants of Sweden enjoy a high standard of living, and the country is generally perceived as modern and liberal, with an organizational and corporate culture that is non-hierarchical and collectivist compared to its Anglo-Saxon counterparts. Nature conservation, environmental protection and energy efficiency are generally prioritized in policy making and embraced by the general public in Sweden. It has been a member of the European Union since the1st of January 1995..

   Sweden has long been a major exporter of iron, copper and timber. Improved transportation and communication has allowed for the large scale utilization of remote natural assets, most notably timber and iron ore. In the 1890s, universal schooling and industrialization enabled the country to develop a successful manufacturing industry and by the twentieth century, Sweden emerged as a welfare state, consistently achieving high positions among the top-ranking countries in the UN Human Development Index (HDI). Sweden has a rich supply of water power, but lacks significant oil and coal deposits.

   Modern Sweden emerged out of the Kalmar Union formed in 1397, and by the unification of the country by King Gustav Vasa in the 16th century. In the 17th century the country expanded its territories to form the Swedish empire. Most of the conquered territories, including Finland (part of Sweden proper) and the territories outside the Scandinavian Peninsula, were lost during the 18th and 19th centuries. The last war in which Sweden was directly involved was in 1814, when it entered into a personal union withNorway, a union which lasted until 1905. Since 1814, Sweden has been at peace, adopting a non-aligned foreign policy in peacetime and neutrality in wartime.

Who is behind “Nordpraktik-New Managers for Ukraine”?

   On the mission given by the Sweden’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and financed by Sida (Swedish International Development cooperation Agency), the Programme is carried out by the Norden Association (Föreningen Norden) - a non-governmental organisation with a wide net of branches all over the country.

Swedish Ukrainian Business Club

   In order to give Ukrainian and Swedish companies more opportunities to widen their network and get more access to the each others market Swedish Ukrainian Business Club was launched in June 2006. For more information about the club’s activities, please visit www.subc.org.ua .