Education at Swedish universities is mainly based on the tradition that students take responsibility for their own studies with the support of the teaching faculty. It stresses the student's responsibility and individual performance. Teaching is carried out in different forms: lectures, seminars, group work, laboratory work, independent study, etc. The students are expected not only to remember the facts from a lecture, but also to summarize, evaluate and analyze them in order to draw their own conclusions.

Students raise questions and discuss during the lectures. In addition, they have to write small essays, solve specific problems in the laboratory and describe the procedure applied. Examinations seldom require that students reproduce exactly the material presented during the lectures.

Practical exercises are integrated in the courses, closely following theoretical information. At Uppsala University, science courses present newest research data and practicals train new methods as well as well established ones. Discussion and presentation techniques are also trained in every course. The distinction between theoretical and practical parts is thus less distinct than in other countries where these two moments are well separated in time.

The final degree projects give a deep knowledge in how to plan, realize and present a research project within a set time.

To many foreign students, the Swedish academical environment seems very informal. The teachers and the other members of staff dress informally and speak in a familiar style to the students. Although no formal tutor system exists, teachers engage in the students, and are willing to help these to overcome problems or failures. A well develop student-counselling system also helps students to plan for future studies.