Court ruled Connie Askenback’s finance education had ‘no practical value’, and ordered Mälardalen University to refund her

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

A Swedish college has been ordered to refund tuition fees to an American business student for giving her a poor economics education.

The Västmanland court ruled on Tuesday the Mälardalen University’s two-year programme in analytical finance that Connie Askenback attended from 2011 to 2013 had “no practical value”.

The court noted Sweden’s higher education authority in 2013 criticised the programme. It ordered the college to pay back tuition fees of 170,182 kronor (£14,000) plus interest.

“It really feels good. It is an important vindication and now I can finally continue studying as I originally thought,” Askenback said in a statement issued by the independent, non-profit Center for Justice group that took the case.

Marie Eriksson, head of the college in central Sweden, said administrators would consider the implications.

The 14,000-student college said on its website that analytical finance graduates would get “competitive qualifications” for the business world.

The group said Askenback was “one of thousands of students” from outside Europe who went to Sweden each year to study.

“It is important that the country’s colleges receive a clear sign that the education they provide and charge for must comply with laws and regulations,” organisation head Clarence Crafoord said.