I hope you have seen notices, posters and calendar events online of some interesting events that will take place at Umeå University soon on the topic of society-related issues. But what role does our campus have as a place to meet for knowledge-driven stakeholders in society?
Two tangible examples of events that will take place soon are Skellefteå – in the midst of change and Climate change mitigation – what role does the University have? Both of these events are the result of a strategy in place to create an attractive campus. If we want Umeå University to become a venue for knowledge-driven stakeholders, it is necessary to offer arenas for academically informed public debate where differing perspectives can meet and be discussed.
Dieter Müller, Deputy Vice-Chancellor.
Photo: Mattias Pettersson
The pandemic forced us to transfer physical meetings to online solutions, and I doubt that I'm the only one thinking the electronic formats don't necessarily offer the same opportunities for spontaneous exchange of ideas and debate. And now that our campuses are open again, we want to make use of that.
Vision for Umeå University states that knowledge is generated through collaboration between researchers, students and organisations in society. While this may sound simple, not least most researchers know that border-crossing collaboration (regardless of the type of border) is in fact demanding and time-consuming. Experiences from the recent pandemic – or from the ongoing debate on which forestry method is most suitable – show that researchers can interpret and value research findings differently. Reaching consensus is tough. In some scientific fields, clear paradigms will never be reached, simply because researchers do not always share the same belief about the state of various phenomena, and in which way these may be studied.
What's proven to be a generally successful way of improving the quality of research and thus reach heightened success is to systematically expose ideas and results to critical peer-review. When differing perspectives meet, it breeds the need for reflection. Sometimes, previous ideas need to be reconsidered or discarded. And sometimes, new arguments need to be developed to meet questions or criticism. This also applies when theoretical perspectives are to be applied in a given field. Debates on appropriate interpretations of phenomena and methods on how to achieve a desirable future is a natural part of solidifying theory.
Given this, Umeå University is now investing in a new conference and event series under the name of Perspectives. These events offer the chance to discuss community development and research. In 2023, the ongoing societal transformation in northern Sweden will be in the limelight. The first activity welcomes Head of Administration Kristina Sundin Jonsson at Skellefteå Municipality and Peter Larsson who is the national coordinator of the major industry investments in northern Sweden. At this event, they will present their perspectives on the ongoing transformation and can also answer questions. The event takes place on 8 March in Rotundan, Universum.
Several activities offering new perspectives on the same theme will be organised this year, culminating in a conference on 30 November until 1 December. Save the dates now to ensure you do not miss all interesting perspectives – and why not contribute with your own perspective?