Do you have what it takes to get along in the chilly wilds of Sweden for four days? Students at AP Hogeschool can find out – and get study credits – during Expedition Sweden
Students attending the AP University-College in Antwerp have a new course offering: Expedition Sweden. The course involves surviving four days in the wilderness in the Värmland region of southern Sweden.
“There are no electrical outlets to dry your hair or load your phone,” lecturer Stephen Hargreaves warns the students. “There’s just a backpack and hiking shoes.”
A small group of students take to the forests and lakes of Värmland with a canoe and a mentor. The mentor does not tell them what to do, but afterwards they get feedback on how well they worked together and if they treated nature with respect.
We want to make our students aware that everything we do has an impact on the environment
Lecturer Stephen Hargreaves
“Anyone can do this, you don’t have to be super fit or anything,” confirms Hargreaves, who adds that the students must speak only English during the adventure. “Perseverance and teamwork are what we want to get across to them.”
Every member of the team has a task, like making coffee in the morning or gathering berries for the oatmeal. “But you have to gather twigs and moss to get your fire going,” says Hargreaves. “We want to make our students aware that everything we do has an impact on the environment. Like, if you leave trash behind, you see that a lot better in the Swedish wilderness that you would at home.”
Students must do an oral presentation on why they want to take part in Expedition Sweden. “They have to convince us that the journey will mean something to them.” The first group of explorers went to Sweden last May, and the second group will head out next May. The school is exploring expanding the program to other locations.