ABSTRACT
Before discussing policy and provision for students with disabilities and learning difficulties, it will be useful to say something about the overall system. Within Sweden there are 33 universities and university colleges run by the state. There are also 26 university colleges for students of heath sciences or who wish to become paramedics. The Stockholm School of Economics is a semi-private institution. In 1994-5, there were almost 218,000 higher education students. The award of a degree in Sweden is defined according to credit points (poang). A Higher Education Diploma requires at least 80 credit points and can be obtained after two years study, a Bachelor's degree requires 120 credit points and takes three years. The system continues and embraces higher degrees. As in some other countries (for example the Netherlands) there is a national system of credit points. One credit point is associated with a weekly workload of 40 hours and corresponds to one week of full time study.
