Would you like to gain international experience that you can show in your degree certificate? If so, the Certificate of International Merits (CIM) is perfect for you! CIM provides a unique opportunity to boost your academic, personal, and professional development.

Engage in intercultural activities locally and/or abroad, and reflect upon your learning in relation to your personal growth, education, and future career. After completion of your activities and submission of your reflection, you will receive a CIM diploma. The activities will be documented in your Diploma Supplement (an annex to your degree certificate).

Remember that intercultural experience and global engagement can be crucial for your future career!

Information

Currently, students at the Faculty of Health and Society, the Faculty of Odontology, the Faculty of Education and Society, the Faculty of Technology and Society, and the Department of Urban Studies at the Faculty of Culture and Society can apply for the certificate.

This is how you do it!

There are two paths for obtaining CIM: Mostly in Sweden or Mostly abroad. You can start your journey towards CIM on one path, but you can change to the other if that suits you better. CIM is flexible and allows you to plan according to your situation.

CIM mostly in Sweden

This option is for those who do not plan to engage in any approved CIM activities abroad during their study period. It is mandatory to participate in our Buddy Program, where you will have the opportunity to meet incoming students from around the world. Additionally, you need to take part in three more CIM activities of your choice.

Buddy programme 

CIM mostly abroad

Select CIM mostly abroad if you intend to participate in at least one CIM activity outside Sweden during your study period. This could include exchange studies, a summer course, an internship/field work, or collecting data to your thesis.

In addition to this international activity, you are required to take part in two more CIM activities. The period spent abroad should be a minimum of 10 days.

About exchange studies

About internship abroad 

Degree projects abroad

Create your own CIM activity

CIM activities are internationally focused activities linked to your education or future profession. You have the freedom to create your own activity, but keep in mind that the activity must be approved by the CIM coordinator at your department.

Suggestions

You can find suggestions for activities on the Canvas page, which you will gain access to after registering. These activities can range from international conferences, workshops, and lectures related to your future profession and internationalization, to volunteering opportunities.

How to register for CIM

To enroll in CIM, please contact your international coordinator (details below). Once your registration is confirmed, you will be granted access to a Canvas page containing all the necessary materials for participating in activities leading to the Certificate of International Merits (CIM).

Education and Society: Register by email to Maria Pihel

How Matilda got her Certificate of International Merits

For Matilda Öreberg, who studied to become a nurse, it was an obvious choice to go for a CIM. She wanted to cultivate her interest in global health and also be able to present her acquired international experience to future employers.

How Matilda got her Certificate of International Merits

For Matilda Öreberg, who studied to become a nurse, it was an obvious choice to go for a CIM. She wanted to cultivate her interest in global health and also be able to present her acquired international experience to future employers.

– The international profile was one main reason for me to choose Malmö University, so it was obvious to me that I should aim for a CIM as well. I wanted to take the chance to go abroad during my clinical placements and I also wanted to continue to cultivate my interest in global health. The opportunity to gather my knowledge, experiences and commitments in a CIM was valuable to me, as it is a convenient way to show my experience to future employers.

– CIM gives the opportunity to choose between activities that takes a few hours of your time and bigger projects that lasts for month – both at home and abroad. There's something for anyone interested in internationalization. My first CIM activity was a lecture on medical care at the scene of a catastrophe with Johan von Schreeb, the founder of the Swedish Doctors without borders. This was an activity that I found myself and got accepted as part of my CIM after speaking to my CIM coordinator. The following activity I participated in was a 4-week exchange to southern India during a clinical placement in primary health care. I travelled together with two other nursing students, and together we got a good insight into Indian health care, society and culture. I also got an opportunity to practice my English. In addition, I also made new friends and valuable contacts with Indian nursing students and local faculty members as well as fellow exchange students from around the world.

– Due to the corona pandemic, I wasn’t able to fulfill my plans to do my bachelor’s thesis as a MFS* in Ethiopia. Nor was I able to go to Slovenia for another exchange clinical placement during the last semester. Instead, I participated in a digital exchange project with nursing students from Hong Kong and Australia. We worked together during a couple of weeks with a patient case, and I got insights in how my international nurse colleagues deal with patient-related matters. I also learnt more about similarities and differences between our societies and health care systems.

– Altogether, I believe that the CIM activities has broadened my perspectives on the world in general and on global health in particular. I have started to build a valuable international network of contacts and gotten a chance to practice my English skills. To participate in CIM, which sometimes is challenging and take both courage and patience, makes you grow on a personal level. I would recommend giving CIM a chance to anyone interested with an aim for an international career or just an interest in global matters. It is fun!

* MFS = Minor Field Study. This is an eight-week field study as part of a thesis, founded by Swedish SIDA. 

How Mustafa got his Certificate of International Merits

Mustafa Aljamal was in his final year of dental education when CIM became available at the Faculty of Odontology. He has now graduated and works at Wasa Dental Clinic and Avesta Dental Care. Through CIM, Mustafa gained new perspectives and experiences that benefited him in his work as a dentist.

How Mustafa got his Certificate of International Merits

Mustafa Aljamal was in his final year of dental education when CIM became available at the Faculty of Odontology. He has now graduated and works at Wasa Dental Clinic and Avesta Dental Care. Through CIM, Mustafa gained new perspectives and experiences that benefited him in his work as a dentist.

– I became interested in internationalisation early on during my studies. When I heard that the Faculty of Odontology had implemented CIM, I didn't have to think twice about participating. One of the most rewarding events was a five-week intercultural communication course at Shanghai International Studies University (SISU). It was an informative, evidence-based course that I can highly recommend. The main goal was to gain important insights to understand intercultural interactions. Among other things, we based our work on interactions one can have with people from different cultures, such as social dynamics, social standards in cultures, and various phenomena.

– Another activity I participated in was the international Osstell Symposium. The event focused on dental implants and provided CE credits (continuing education credits). In some countries these must be met annually by dentists to maintain their dental license. During the event, I had the opportunity to listen to several world-renowned speakers. I gained insight into current research on the subject and different approaches to the profession than those we are used to in Sweden.

– I thought it was too good to be true when I found out that the 'Buddy Programme' was also a CIM activity. It enables one to have fun while also getting a credit. The programme involves students welcoming new international students to Malmö University. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, all meetings with the new students were held online, but it was still a fun experience. We met online and talked about student life in different countries, as well as traditions, cooking, and more. I also created new friendships with our international students from the Student Union Board.

– Participating in CIM can benefit both your personal and working life. International events provide good networking opportunities that can lead to new opportunities. For a dental student, they can offer new perspectives on approaches, technologies, and treatment options in dentistry, which in turn leads to professional development. My international experiences have enabled me to develop my communication skills with international students and people from different cultural backgrounds. Being interculturally competent leads to more individualised and patient-centered dental care.

– I was surprised when I learned I was the first student from the Faculty of Odontology to get my CIM. I hope my participation will inspire more students from the Faculty of Odontology to apply.

Contacts

Related content

Thesis abroad

For some programmes and courses, there is a possibility to travel abroad to collect data for your thesis or degree project. To...

Internship abroad

Doing an internship abroad is a great way to gain international work experience, and to boost your CV. This page helps you to...

Exchange studies

Depending on what you study, the opportunities for study abroad with exchange studies vary. Make sure to find out what your...