SI celebrates 280 SI scholarship graduates with diploma ceremony at Stockholm City Hall

Every year, the Swedish Institute organises a diploma ceremony to celebrate the great achievement of its scholarship holders and wish them luck in their further pursuits of contributing to sustainable development in their home countries.
A group of graduates holding their diplomas and posing for the camera.
A group photo of the SI Scholarship recipients who studied at Karolinska Institutet. SI Diploma Ceremony 2025. Photo: Magnus-Liam Karlsson

The SI Scholarship for Global Professionals provides professionals from around the world with a fully funded scholarship to study a master’s programme in Sweden. This year, 280 graduates from 40 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, MENA and Latin America were celebrated for completing their studies in a wide variety of fields—from environmental engineering and digital innovation to public health, entrepreneurship, and international relations.

In mid-May, the graduates were invited to Stockholm City Hall to mark the end of their academic journey in Sweden. The ceremony was filled with joy, reflection, and a shared sense of purpose.

In his speech, Kurt Bratteby, Head of the Department for International Relations at the Swedish Institute, congratulated the graduates and encouraged them to look ahead:

“I know that your accomplishments are just the starting point. Outside of these magnificent halls is a world waiting for you to make great and lasting contributions. Congratulations and good luck.”

The evening also featured inspirational speeches by graduating scholarship holders Thelma Kaliu and SebastiĂĄn DĂĄvalos, who reflected on their experiences and encouraged their fellow classmates to use what they have learnt, dream big and continue striving for positive change in their communities. Thelma finishes her speech by reminding the participants of one key principle to hold dear:

“”One of the first things we learned from our kick-off ceremony was the principle of ‘Lagom’ the idea of just right – not too much and not too little. When pressure is building up it’s not just about pushing through it but managing each day with care. It’s about knowing when to pause and how to protect our wellbeing. So, in the spirit of ‘Lagom’ may we never be too fast to listen, and never too slow to act. May we never be too strong to be soft and never too soft to stand firm in what we believe in. May we never be too educated to stay curious, and never too inexperienced to contribute. Congratulations to all of us!”

Keynote speaker Thelma Kaliu during SI Diploma Ceremony 2025. Photo: Magnus-Liam Karlsson

Among the distinguished guests were the Ambassador of Ukraine to Sweden Andrii Plakhotniuk and Svitlana Pinchuk, board member of the SI Alumni Network in Ukraine, representing the broader Sweden Alumni Network and its commitment to long-lasting connections between Sweden and its global alumni.

Last updated: