A summer to remember – young people from Mexico in Gränna
Between 30 June and 25 July, 27 Mexican young people aged 16–18 took part in Jönköping University Youth Summer School. The four-week summer course gave them an introduction to Swedish culture, sustainability issues, how Swedish companies work with sustainable development and, not least, memories for life.
“I really loved the country and the culture is fantastic. What’s more, Sweden’s technology and innovations never cease to amaze me. I think the country itself is very ‘green’ and there are many technical solutions that could be applied in Mexico,” says Carlos López de los Santos, one of the participants in the summer course.
For the fourth year in a row, Jönköping University Enterprise (JUE) organised a summer school for Mexican students from the Technológico de Monterrey school in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
JUE operates at Jönköping University's (JU) Campus Gränna, which is also where the summer school and its closing ceremony were held on 25 July.
Christina Dahlén D'Cruz is an English teacher at JUE and one of the people who helped organise the summer school.
“For many of the young people, this is the first time they have been away from home on their own without their parents. For most of them, it is also their first visit to Sweden,” she says.
Carlos López de los Santos och Dulce Sofia Silvia Garcia var två av studenterna som uppskattade sommarskolan.
Sustainability a recurring theme
The four weeks of the summer school were divided into different themes, all of which had to do with sustainability.
"The first week was about sustainability and entrepreneurship. During that week, we had some guest lecturers from Jönköping International Business School and we looked at how Swedish companies work with sustainability," says Christina.
She explains that the idea behind the summer school, in addition to providing academic knowledge, is also to introduce the young people to what it is like to be a student in Sweden and how we as a country work with sustainability.
"There is a lot of academic work during the course, but it is also a time for students to have fun and experience a new place. I hope we can inspire them to become more sustainable when they return to Mexico,” says Christina.
Inspiring students to study at JU
During the four weeks, the students also worked on an entrepreneurship project where they created their own product and their own company. At the end of the course, they presented their projects.
In addition to the teaching, the students also had the opportunity to see a little of Sweden.
“We took them on trips to Stockholm and Gothenburg. We also visited the Husqvarna Museum and the Match Museum in Jönköping. They gained an insight into Swedish history and how Sweden became the country it is today,” says Christina.
Now that the students have completed the course, they are returning to finish high school at home in Mexico, but the hope is that the summer school will spark their interest in perhaps staying in Sweden and continuing their studies at JU.
One of those who really enjoyed the summer school was Dulce Sofia Silva Garcia.
"I have mixed feelings today. I'm really happy to have been here, but also sad that it's time to leave now. This experience has been one of the best in my life, getting to know new people and a new culture. It's so valuable," she says.
