Category: Uncategorized (Page 28 of 34)

In accordance with tradition, the Vice-Chancellors of universities and university colleges gathered for 24 hours in January in Steningevik to meet with the Swedish Minister for Higher Education and Research. Minister Helene Hellmark Knutsson introduced her new State Secretary Karin Röding, Anders Lönn’s successor. Karin Röding is familiar to many of us, her most recent appointment was as the Vice-Chancellor of Mälardalen University. In her introduction, the minister spoke about the national situation, and the challenges the Swedish government is facing, with 160 000 refugees arriving last year. The amount of children (under the age of 18) in Sweden is expected to grow by half a million in the coming five years. In comparison, the current total is two million. This places great demands on schools, and the shortage of qualified teachers is expected to grow even larger. Some measures are being implemented, but they are highly unlikely to be sufficient. I think this should be cause for a thorough and long-term discussion of the dimensioning of higher education. As I have said many times before, Uppsala University has the capacity to provide education for many more motivated and engaged students, as long as we are given the task and the required resources.

The minister emphasised the importance of the ongoing validation work and praised several upcoming initiatives, but also called for more creativity, and welcomed further suggestions and initiatives. Uppsala University participates in several projects, and we have appointed a coordinator to handle proposals and coordinate our efforts with other government agencies.

The upcoming research bill scheduled for October was also addressed by the minister. She particularly raised the idea of including more research in teacher education, and mentioned Skola-ALF, a proposal we helped draft. Other emphasised questions included career paths, internationalisation and equality of opportunity. Yet few practical suggestions were put forth.

The minister considers the admission system to be too multifaceted, and there I fully agree. The government is considering launching an evaluation of the admission system, which has grown far too convoluted and complex. The new system is supposed to be simple and easy to grasp, in order to increase the throughput and ensure that applicants have the required prior knowledge, but there was no word on when the evaluation is expected to begin.

As we now have initiated the Q&R 17, I was naturally interested to learn the minister’s view of Fokus — the Swedish Research Council’s proposed national evaluation system. A proposal that Uppsala University has firmly rejected. She said that they want to avoid an unwieldy system, and that they would prefer to have a broad outline of the general direction we are headed under our current policies rather than detailed information. If so, I am fully convinced that Fokus is the wrong tool for the task.

The rest of the Vice-Chancellor meeting involved a heads-up from UKÄ on upcoming events, MOOCs (there will be a report soon), and internationalisation.

As we find ourselves back at the University, we hope you had a pleasant and relaxing holiday season with your loved ones, and that it feels good to return to work.

One of the first decisions of the year was Uppsala University’s response to the FOKUS referral, the proposed national research evaluation in Sweden. Our response is a clear no to this evaluation, for reasons of principle, quality and efficiency. The system would undermine the autonomy of Swedish universities in quality issues, and be of limited value as a basis for quality work and research renewal, as well as a costly and inefficient system for resource allocation.

SUHF’s (The Association of Swedish Higher Education) group of experts for questions of internationalisation, which counts Eva among their ranks, has held several all-day meetings. The chief issues discussed by the group are those of migration and scholarships, as well as the need for rule changes that provide increased autonomy to public universities. The group discusses obstacles to establishing campuses abroad. It is a good thing that SUHF has appointed this group; these issues are not new, and it is high time that they be dealt with in a conclusive manner.

Anders travelled to Gotland to participate in a conference that approximately translates to ‘92 opportunities for all of Gotland to grow’. The 92 opportunities refer to the number of parishes on the island. The theme was growth, with a focus on beneficial collaborations. Anders spoke of the role of the University in the growth of regions. 300 people showed up for what turned out to be an inspiring day. It is thrilling to see that Uppsala University has found a second home region, with a unique set of challenges.

As a wrap up to last week, the University gave 4781 new students a warm welcome and hopefully a good start to their studies here. The beginning of each semester always causes a surge in the demand for housing. If you have accommodation or a spare room to sublet, please do so. Although the demand is usually somewhat smaller in the spring semester than in the autumn, every little bit helps.

One of the groups interested in helping us in various ways is the Friends of Uppsala University. We are pleased to report that the Friends are growing more numerous. At the annual Vice-Chancellor meeting with the Friends, we were treated to fantastic research presentations by Mia Philipsson, Isak Svensson and Maria Tenje. Become a member today!

2015 has been a dramatic year internationally, with wars, refugee crises, terrorism and looming climate change. These issues both affect and engage Sweden—and Uppsala University—in a multitude of ways. In our Mission Statement, we say that the overall objective of Uppsala University is to gain and disseminate knowledge for the benefit of humankind and a better world. We have a moral responsibility, and many people at our University have contributed their expert knowledge.

At the same time, we continue the important day-to-day work of ensuring that both education and research, as the long-term societal investments they are, can be provided the necessary means for the future. Many people have contributed to this:

• Kristina Edström led the work on the University’s input on the upcoming research bill, which resulted in ten recommendations for the Swedish Government.
• Torsten Svensson leads the work on drafting the framework for our University’s upcoming educational evaluation system.
• Hans Ellegren conducted a follow-up assessment of our previous two research evaluations (Quality and Renewal 07 and 11) and pointed the way for the new evaluation (Q&R 17) to be launched next year.
• Mats Larhed heads a team tasked with improving our career system in various ways, not the least of which being how to increase the amount of merited appointments.

To us in the University Management, some of the most pressing matters are those relating to the University’s autonomy and strategic integrity and how we, in the long term, can affect our own development. These questions are crucial when we claim ownership of quality issues against the government. They are also vital when we argue for the need for increased economic freedom of action (that is, increased direct state funding) in order to effectively conduct the strategic renewal requested both by ourselves and other stakeholders. They are also recurrent in the discussions on university governance which have intensified in the wake of Kåre Bremer’s recent report, currently referred to us for consideration.

Uppsala University continues to do well. Our educational programmes and courses remain highly popular. The number of international students from outside Europe is growing steadily. We were named the Student City of the Year in 2015. Our research revenue is increasing, and we keep our position among the top 100 universities in the international rankings. This December, a new type of ranking of the world’s most influential universities was published, based on the quantity of Wikipedia references in 24 different languages. Uppsala University shows up on this exclusive list as number 15 world-wide!

Inside and between our faculties and departments, exciting interdisciplinary research collaborations are increasing—antibiotics, medicinal technology, migration, racism and labour market research are examples of such boundary-spanning areas. The University has launched new policy programmes for sustainable development and internationalisation. We hosted the National Equal Opportunity Conference. We have initiated projects on active student participation and ways of using our cultural heritage as a pedagogic resource. An evaluation of the organisation of Campus Gotland found that there are many positive developments, but also that some organizational issues would benefit from fresh approaches.

We are broadening and strengthening our collaboration with industry and society. Our relationship to the County Council and Uppsala University Hospital is under constant development. Earlier this year, we entered a strategic partnership with ABB and are planning several similar agreements, for instance with the City of Uppsala. Uppsala Health Summit took on antibiotic resistance this year, drawing participants from 33 countries. The cultural collaboration project The Good City, with seminars, workshops, walking tours of the city and ten sold-out performances of West Side Story, captured the attention of many private and public actors in Uppsala. More than 8000 people came to the Elton John concert in the Botanical Garden. Our collaborative partners IK Sirius Fotboll and Uppsala Basket had their best seasons in years. In addition, the University Management defeated SLU (the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) in the Uppsala Academic Rowing Race!

As the University evolves, new premises are needed. We are pleased to see the law students enjoy their new location in the Munken Block, and that the Humanist Theatre in the English Park is on the verge of becoming a reality. The Segerstedt Building is coming along well, and the planning of the Ångström IV is underway. Campus Gamla Torget is undergoing reconstructive work, and in February, renovations are set to begin on the University Main Building. There has also been great progress in the way we plan for and prioritise among new investments in research infrastructure, within Uppsala University as well as nationally.

Uppsala University attracts a good deal of attention in old and new media alike. Some news stories stick out and get global coverage, like the news about the correlation between asthma in children and exposure to dogs, as well as the life expectancy calculator (sometimes referred to as the ‘death test’). It was also great to listen to Maria Strømme and her episode of the popular Swedish summer radio show Sommar i P1. She planted the notion of nanotechnology in the collective Swedish consciousness. Another highlight was the Nobel laureates’ traditional Lucia visit to Uppsala. But our 102-year-old alumnus Gösta Vestlund was perhaps the guest of honour who attracted the most media attention during that occasion.

Through travels and meetings, we promote the University internationally. A collaboration between six Swedish universities entitled SACF (the Swedish Academic Collaboration Forum) involved several trips abroad, for instance to China and South Korea. Sweden’s strong reputation as innovative opens new paths to collaborative ventures. We visited the US to strengthen the bonds with friends and alumni. Back home, we have enjoyed a rapid succession of visits.

This turned out to be quite a long annual chronicle, with reflections both large and small, but then again, many things happen in one year across our broad University. The University owes its fantastic achievements to its competent and devoted staff as well as its talented and ambitious students. It is a privilege to work with and for you all!

Now, a well-deserved holiday break awaits us all, after which we will resume our common goal of advancing Uppsala University’s positions further in 2016!

Eva Åkesson

Anders Malmberg

Katarina Bjelke

Stellan Sandler

Torsten Svensson

Johan Tysk

The third Excellence Seminar of the Swedish Academic Collaboration is now over, held in Shanghai this time. The previous two took place in Korea and Singapore, and more seminars are scheduled for spring 2016 in Brazil and Indonesia. Six Swedish universities are collaborating on these seminars in order to achieve greater visibility and impact than any one of us could accomplish individually. This project, which is supported by STINT, will naturally be evaluated after the fact. However, impressions so far seem favourable just from speaking with our own attending researchers. Themes this time around: Ageing society, Material science, Sustainable development, University management and Education.

We also found the time for a joint alumni event with Lund University in Shanghai, which was greatly appreciated, and drew many visitors from far away.

Now, we and our partners are considering the possibility of arranging something coordinated and more long-term in Japan. As any regular reader of this blog knows, Anders Malmberg took part in a Swedish delegation to Japan earlier this autumn and we in turn have received several large Japanese delegations in the last few years. IVA will embark on a RTM (Royal Technology Mission) to Japan this spring, which I and Professor Maria Strömme will participate in. I am pleased that we are collaborating more with other Swedish universities on the global stage.

Last week came to a tragic end. The festivities surrounding the Inauguration of Professors and the banquet at Uppsala Castle were nearly over when news of the atrocious terrorist attacks in Paris reached us. Our thoughts go out to all those affected. Uppsala University has close ties to France and maintains student exchange programmes with several French universities. Yesterday, the University flew the flag at half mast, and last night, the dome of the Gustavianum was lit with the shades of the Tricolour in condemnation of the incident and in sympathy with France and the victims.

In times like these, the gravity of the University’s tasks are thrown into sharp relief—to educate, research and collaborate. To offer our knowledge in the fight against societal issues, for a better world. One of the tools in this fight is the international collaborations that Uppsala University engages in at every level of the University.

Yesterday, the U4 network came together in Uppsala. That is, Gröningen, Göttingen, Gent and Uppsala. We are four European universities with many similarities, who already enjoy fruitful collaboration in research and in other common issues such as academic leadership and internationalisation. Tonight, I (Eva) will travel to Shanghai to attend a seminar together with researchers from Uppsala University and representatives of five other Swedish universities as part of SACF, the Swedish Academic Collaboration Forum.

We often discuss the need for society to be open and inclusive. At Uppsala University, we consider openness essential to our development and growth.

This Thursday, I spoke at a conference on equal opportunity. In my speech, I highlighted the need to create an atmosphere where everyone feels they can assert themselves, and how this, to me, is a question of quality. If we fail to do so, we will have a hard time recruiting students and researchers in the fierce competition internationally.

On Friday, I participated in a debate in Lund on the topic: Are Swedish Universities Applying the Right Strategy in Research and Education? The debate revolved around how to keep Swedish higher education competitive internationally, and how to face international competition. However, we must also strive to collaborate with the best and brightest to create what we want – a better world.

The Swedish Minister for Higher Education and Research, Helene Hellmark Knutsson, took part in the conference on Thursday. We – she, I and Anders – discussed the University’s needs at length. We delved into our various initiatives, both upcoming and cancelled ones. We had a good talk, always keeping the ideals of internationality and openness in mind.

Naturally, the atrocities committed in Trollhättan were never far from our minds, either. We have all been greatly affected, and our thoughts go out to any students who now fear going to school. The tragedy has already sparked debate on safety and security – on how we are to protect our children.

On my flight home, I tried to summarize my impressions of a few intense and rewarding days in Korea. Yesterday (Tuesday) marked the occasion of the seventh collaborative symposium with Hallym University, this time on the theme of ‘Current status and future perspective of immunotherapy for malignant diseases’. Kjell Öberg opened the proceedings with a lecture outlining the topic: Current concepts in diagnosis and treatment of neuroendocrine tumours. Kjell has been to all seven symposiums, alternately held in Uppsala and Seoul. The first symposium in 2008 was initiated by my predecessor Anders Hallberg and its legacy has been an increasingly deepened relationship between our two universities over the years. Joining us for the trip were Magnus Essand, Anna Dimberg, Alex Karlsson-Parra and Gustav Ullenhag, who all held well-received lectures before a very attentive and appreciative audience. Next time, we’ll see each other at Uppsala University for the eight annual symposium.

The Korea trip had been deliberately scheduled so as to allow me to participate in the OECD Ministerial Meeting Daejeon 2015 World Science & Technology Forum as an invited speaker this Monday. There, I gave a presentation entitled ‘Innovation and research – a local perspective on global challenges’ during a session on the theme: Global Cooperation, Research For All. Sweden is renowned for its creativity and its many innovators. A week or so ago, our Alumnus of the Year Niklas Zennström stated that Sweden is the world’s greatest country for entrepreneurs right now. I tried to showcase a few examples of how Uppsala University contributes to this through our AIMdays, student participation, KIC:s, and our global collaborations which retain a strong degree of local ties.

South Korea has made enormous strides in a relatively short period of time. The transition to higher education is far greater than ours, upwards of 70-80 percent, while the corresponding figures for Sweden are about 40-45 percent. There is still work to be done in gender equality, as few women hold leadership roles in South Korea. Now, the country faces large challenges, with a rapidly ageing population and uncertain economic prospects, as South Korea relies heavily on exports to China.

As I’ve fallen a bit behind with my blogging, I’ll simply touch on a few things from last week in this post.

Last week, we held domain-focused dialogues with all three Disciplinary Domains. It’s part of standard procedure nowadays to hold dialogues in both autumn and spring with the heads of the Disciplinary Domains. The vice-rectors spoke of overall progress and challenges. We discussed how to face them together. We also received input on which questions the Domain wants the University to bring to the attention of the government in the budget proposal for 2017-2019. This also became the start of a discussion for the VP (verksamhetsplan) of the University for 2017.

Last Monday, the Management Council spent the entire morning at a workshop on fundraising. We still have much to learn and room to grow in this area, that much was clear after our trip to the US recently. Our alumni association needs to be expanded as it is a cornerstone of this business, but our work on collaborations and external relations also need a general overhaul to accommodate more ambitious fundraising.

In the afternoon, I received a guided tour of the Munken Block, where the Faculty of Law has moved into the premises. It was a delight to meet with all the happy law students, many of whom were simply gushing about the new study spots. My sincere thanks to Margareta Brattström for an enjoyable tour!

As Vice-Chancellor, meeting with our students is always a joy. Last Wednesday, I met with our chemists at the Ångström Laboratory. For the second year in a row, I had been graciously invited there to talk about my career path from chemist to Vice-Chancellor.

On the following day, the Diplomatic Forum took place, where Chancellor Harriet Wallberg, (UKÄ), Sven Stavström (VR) and I had the honour of presenting education and research in Sweden to an audience of diplomats. A good opportunity to promote our fine University to an international audience. Lena Wallensteen hosts these seminars for diplomats stationed in Sweden.

The week was topped off in suitably grand style with the staff party at Uppsala Concert & Congress (UKK), which brought together more than 600 staff members. This year, the festivities had been relocated from the Royal Castle to UKK and from November to October, as well as rebranded a staff party instead of a November party. As a result, we can fit more people in the same hall, and there’s no risk of the floor giving out as everyone jumps along to the music. We’ve managed to shake the floor of the former Hall of State pretty good these last few years. With a stable floor and room for everyone, Friday’s party was a hit, to my mind.

There, I managed to hit upon a few of last week’s highlights as well. Now, following the return trip from South Korea, the Gender Equality Conference awaits, including a visit from the Minister for Higher Education and Research, Helene Hellmark Knutsson.

I often speak of internationalization as a part of the process of quality development at Uppsala University. Internationalization is a broad and multifaceted term. It is good to widen your horizons, not only as a university, but also as an individual. We need to see how others do things, draw comparisons, adopt new perspectives, seek out inspiration and learn from others. These last few days have afforded ample opportunity to do all those things alongside a delegation from the University, Uppsala Municipality and Uppsala County, as we have spent them visiting Uppsala’s sister city, Minneapolis.

Here, we have met with the University of Minnesota to discuss innovation systems, and found ourselves impressed by their structured work in fundraising, internationalization and pedagogical development. We have had the great pleasure of meeting with President Kaler and several representatives of various parts of the University. In addition, we have also had the opportunity to learn about how the City of Minneapolis, the State of Minnesota and the University collaborate on different projects.

On Sunday, we went to see the Swedish settlements that inspired Vilhelm Moberg’s novel The Emigrants, and its tales of Karl Oskar and Kristina from Duvemåla. Our very own expert on Sweden-America relations, Dag Blanck, offered problematizing perspectives on the notion of Swedishness, identity and migration. This lent the trip additional depth and value.

A particularly rewarding part of the visit has been traveling with representatives of Uppsala Municipality, Uppsala County and Uppsala University. We have met with architects, arena owners, and city developers. This has provided enough inspiration for new collaborations to last us well after our return.

Our trip was fantastically well-coordinated by the American Swedish Institute. They have generously given us their time and knowledge. The institute also has very inspiring offerings of its own. Among them are a delightful museum that includes temporary exhibitions and a very good café – called “Fika”. If you ever find yourself in Minnesota, I highly recommend you to pay a visit to the American Swedish Institute, as it is absolutely worth it. The Institute works with modern-day migrants in an impressive way, such as a large group of Somalians. For instance, they tell the newly arrived Somalians of migrant Swedes’ experiences from more than a hundred years ago. It is a way of using the past to understand the present. For my own part, I believe our history as emigrants to the US can help us to better understand and deal with the current situation in Europe, as refugees flee war zones and brave great danger in search of better lives.

I personally hold the University of Minnesota and Minneapolis dear to my heart. I spent two years here as a postdoc. It was an edifying period of my life. But they are also dear to Uppsala University. Our Faculties of Law have enjoyed fruitful exchanges with one another in education and research for more than 30 years. Now, representatives of the Faculty of Law and I were given the chance to meet with Professor Bob Stein, who played an important part in initiating the exchange. It is inspiring to see glimpses of how new generations of researchers and teachers from both Uppsala and Minnesota will maintain and further our relationship in the future. That the exchange between our universities has meant a a great deal to many people was made evident during the visit. I was privy to a lot of testimony as to just how appreciated and important the exchange and collaboration has been to both students and teachers.

Today, a few members of the delegation are set to return home, while the rest will accompany me to Dartmouth, a partner university in the Matariki Network.

I can still hear the music that was playing outside as the University Building filled up with new students last Monday and Wednesday, as part of the welcoming process for international students. Yesterday, the new students at Campus Gotland received the same warm welcome. This is one of my most enjoyable tasks as Vice-Chancellor – meeting the first year students and getting to welcome them all to their first term. I believe I speak for everyone when I say that the city comes alive at the crack of a new term.

On 28 August, we received a delegation from Korea, which included visits to the BMC and the Ångström Laboratory. Some of the delegates had participated in the seminar held in Korea this spring – the Swedish Academic Collaboration Forum (SACF). It’s good to see our international relations bearing fruit and our collaborations being deepened. The SACF is set to continue this autumn, with seminars being arranged in Shanghai and Singapore.

Eva also found the time to meet with the employees of the libraries during their conference day this Thursday, informing them of current events at the University. Our library is an integral part of our University, and the work there is more varied and multifaceted than is commonly thought. Libraries are changing, with e-media and digitalisation, and there is a constant process of adaptation that is both inspiring and challenging.

Now, it’s time to enjoy the last days of summer!

In Mission & Core Values, we state that Uppsala University is meant to be a local, national and international meeting place for knowledge, culture and critical dialogue. A very apt description of this first week of June.

The state visit from India this Tuesday once again proved that Uppsala University is a player on the global stage. The Grand Auditorium was at maximum capacity as a large delegation headed by the president of India arrived at the University Main Building. H.E. the President was accompanied to Uppsala by two members of the Swedish Royal Family, H.R.H Crown Princess Victoria and H.R.H Prince Daniel. The audience members were entertained by the Uppsala Indian Choir and the mixed choir Allmänna Sången while the guests of honour were received in the Chancellor’s Room. Our procession entered the Grand Auditorium accompanied by organ music performed by the organist Andrew Canning, and Eva opened the proceedings by offering a formal greeting. After this, the Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs Margot Wallström gave a speech, introducing President H.E. Pranab Mukherjee. The president spoke of how a lasting peace must be built on mutual respect. Watch the speech here.

Meanwhile, the Uppsala Health Summit was in full swing, drawing close to 200 experts, policy makers and researchers from every part of the world to discuss antibiotics resistance and future measures. During the conference, we announced that the University will be establishing an interdisciplinary center that will double as a knowledge resource at the local, national and international level – the Uppsala Antibiotics Centre.

At the Wednesday ceremony for the international Master’s students, the University was represented by Göran Alderborn, dean of the Department of Pharmacy. The turnout was large. Between 700 and 800 people had come to the University Main Building. Several of the students had relatives visiting from abroad, and for the first time we had Master’s students from Campus Gotland joining the ceremony.

And on Wednesday and Thursday, representatives of the approximately 20 South-African and European universities making up the INSPIRE project met in the University Main Building. Innovation and entrepreneurship are central to the exchange program INSPIRE, which funds scholarships for student and research exchange between eight European and ten South-African universities. As part of the project, all scholarship holders will be offered a tailored education in innovation and entrepreneurship, and UU Innovation will lead the planning of the course content. In total, the project involves upwards of a hundred people, with the majority being South-African students and researchers visiting Europe. The first round of exchanges to Uppsala University will consist of thirteen scholarship holders, a mixture of Master students, doctorates and post-docs, as well as two staff members on exchange.