(Original Swedish post published 22 November.)
On Sunday and Monday 19–20 November, the U4 network held its tenth Rectors’ Conference. Delegations from the four member universities (apart from Uppsala: Ghent, Groningen and Göttingen) met in Ghent, where the university incidentally is celebrating its bicentenary this year. The Uppsala delegation consisted of representatives of the three disciplinary domains, the administration and the Vice-Chancellor. Student representatives had met students from the other universities beforehand and also took part in the conference.
During the meeting, we looked back on all the activities that have taken place over the years, including mobilities, workshops, summer and winter schools, joint publications, funding applications and joint doctorates and Master’s programmes. We really have seen strong and effective cooperation develop in the nine years that U4 has been in existence.
Looking to the years ahead, we are discussing enhanced cooperation at Master’s and PhD levels, virtual graduate schools, the development of digital learning, peer review in the area of facilities and campus development, and in the area of culture and museums, and much more. I am impressed at what all the clusters have achieved.
Next year, U4 will reach its tenth anniversary and this will be celebrated at the Rectors’ Conference in Göttingen in November 2018, when we will sum up the ten years that have passed and set out the way ahead.
Four U4 vice-chancellors.