Popular education (folkbildning) is the free and voluntary education provided through folk high schools and study associations, outside the formal school system. Popular education has a long tradition in Sweden and is built on democracy, participation, and personal development.
Organisation
There are approximately 155 folk high schools and 10 study associations in Sweden. Popular education is funded through government grants but determines its own content. It reaches hundreds of thousands of participants annually through courses, study circles, and cultural programmes.