First student abroad on ChallengeEU exchange semester
Jenny Bjärne, Tourism & Destination development, is the first student from MIUN studying abroad a full semester within our EUI alliance ChallengeEU. She is spending the autumn semester at Universidad de Europeia in Valencia, Spain.
Jenny Bjärne – MIUN’s first student on an exchange semester with ChallengeEU
Jenny Bjärne is a Tourism & Destination Development student in Östersund, but during the autumn semester 2026, she is studying at Universidad Europea in Valencia (UEV). UEV is one of Mid Sweden University’s partner universities within the European University alliance, ChallengeEU. UEV offers courses in English within tourism and business administration that fit well with Jenny’s exchange studies, though this partner university could also suit other degree programmess that allow the study of these subject areas during an exchange semester.
The university and the city
The semester in Valencia began two weeks ago, and so far, Jenny is enjoying both the university and the city. UEV does not offer student housing, but there are several housing agencies and Facebook groups for student accommodation, so finding housing was relatively easy. Jenny has her own room and a balcony in a shared apartment located centrally, about a 20-minute walk from the university. Valencia is an incredibly bike-friendly city with rental bikes available everywhere, so Jenny usually gets around by bike (or metro). So far, Jenny is pleased with her course choices and finds the teachers to be excellent. One of the teachers—Maria Sanchez de Mora, who is also the program director for the Bachelor’s program in Tourism in Valencia—gave a guest lecture for the tourism program at MIUN last autumn, so both students and faculty in the program were already familiar with her. Aside from the fact that all courses run in paralell (with an exam period for all courses at the end of the semester), the biggest difference in her studies is the heavy emphasis on oral presentations; in every course, students need to be prepared to present in front of the class. The schedule also differs from MIUN, with some classes taking place late in the afternoon or in the evening. Some lectures end at 8:30 PM, for example.
Valencia is a fantastic city with something for everyone. The weather is perfect for those who enjoy sunny and warm weather, there are many museums and historic buildings, as well as fantastic beaches with surfing opportunities and lovely parks. Naturally, there are also plenty of restaurants, cafés, bars, and clubs. Valencia is home to six universities (two public and four private; UEV is private), making for a vibrant student life.
Opportunities for students within ChallengeEU
Program coordinators and others interested in learning more about opportunities for students to study at UEV or other ChallengeEU partner universities are welcome to contact the IRO!