Student city Skövde – best 2025

Skövde is Student City of the Year 2025! But what is it that makes Skövde and the Skaraborg region such a great place for students? Melissa Ferm, who served as chair of the Student Union in Skövde during 2024–2025, has the answer.

“The award for Student City of the Year is 100% well deserved! We have an incredible focus on promoting student well-being. This is done through high-quality education, by preparing students and connecting them with their future careers, and by ensuring they have a great student experience,” says Melissa.

Melissa is originally from Stockholm and worked in London for a period before settling in Skövde as a student at the University of Skövde. She has now taken a break from her studies to work as student union chair for a year. This autumn, she will resume her studies in Human Resources, Organisation and Leadership, while also working as a board member for the Swedish National Union of Students (SFS).

The award as Sweden’s Student City of the Year 2025 became one of the highlights of her term as student union chair. And she herself is not surprised that Skövde won the award.

The motivation for Skövde’s win highlights three areas in particular: the introduction of new students, collaboration with the local business community, and efforts to ensure that all students have access to housing.

Introduction for new students and plenty of activities

When it comes to the introduction, Melissa explains that it is divided into three weeks, with the first week entirely dedicated to international students.

“When you come here to study a programme or to spend an exchange semester as an international student, there’s much more than just your studies that you need to get to grips with. In collaboration with the municipality and the university, we organize a full week of activities for those who are new to the country,” says Melissa.

During the following two weeks, all students are invited to take part in various activities on and around campus.

Melissa explains that the student union makes a point of checking what students themselves want when planning activities.

“When people think of student activities, many think of parties, but we’ve seen a shift in what students are looking for. Today, many place a strong focus on mental and physical health, and the demand for activities in that area has increased. Together with our sections, we also organise more study-focused events during exam periods, such as evenings where teachers are available to answer questions. But of course, we also have formal dinners and other classic student activities!”

Student housing in Skövde

That it is not too difficult to get student accommodation is a requirement for a city to win the title of Student City of the Year. In Skövde, the university and the student union work together with both the municipality and private landlords to ensure that everyone can find suitable housing. Melissa explains that there is a staff member at the university dedicated to this issue, and that students can also turn to the union for help if they need assistance finding accommodation.

“My impression is that there are plenty of student housing options, as well as many other apartments that suit both students’ lifestyles and budgets. Of course, it can become a bit stressful for those who find out they’ve been admitted late, for example. But I’ve never experienced a situation where we couldn’t find a solution if someone didn’t get their own apartment right away. Even those who commute from further away usually don’t have a problem finding a temporary place to stay with someone, so they can take part in activities that go on late.”

Collaboration with the business sector

The well-established collaboration between the University, the municipality, the Student Union, and employers in Skaraborg was also a contributing reason why Skövde won the Student City of the Year 2025 award. Each year, on behalf of the University, the Student Union organizes a career fair called Framtid (“Future”). Here, students have the opportunity to meet potential future employers, mentors, or find cases for their thesis projects.

Melissa sees strong collaboration with the local community in Skaraborg as a key issue, but it’s not just about giving students access to employers - equally important is the reverse, she says.

“Society is constantly changing! Companies need to keep up, and students can help with that. In our education, we learn the latest developments in our respective fields, and we can provide new perspectives on companies’ operations. Students often have very creative ideas about what they’re learning, and companies need to be good at making use of the innovation that students can contribute!”

This text has been translated with the help of AI.