First things first: welcome back, everyone! Students and employees returning from a well-deserved end-of-year break. New students making their way up north to commence their studies. And all of us already here, ready to welcome them with open arms.
Hans Adolfsson, Vice-Chancellor, Umeå University
Photo: Mattias Pettersson
This spring, I'm looking forward to seeing our campus abuzz with activity from day one. This time last year, we were in the middle of a pandemic, which left the grounds of the University looking rather desolate. But now we're firing on all cylinders again–as we should be! Umeå might still be blanketed in snow right now, but it warms my heart to see all three student unions already planning a smashing Walpurgis Eve celebration together. "Valborg", that herald of spring and symbol of student life, may seem far off today, but it's always surprising to note how time flies, isn't it?
Another event I'm eagerly anticipating is the upcoming opportunity for Umeå to showcase its strengths to Europe. As Sweden holds the rotating EU Presidency this spring, the recurring Conference on Artistic Freedom and Cultural and Creative Industries will take in Umeå in February. Considering the Umeå Arts Campus, our successful incubators and the education and research we conduct, taking part in the event was a given for Umeå University. Especially since the conference's theme is Freedom to Create. Both artistic and academic freedom are essential to innovation. They are also freedoms we as an academy and university active in the fields of science and the arts will forever protect and promote.
In the coming months, we will also make a new application to become a European university, in the framework of the EUI (European Universities Initiative). While this year's application round may be less comprehensive, I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that our efforts with our fellow six Across EU partner universities will prove to be beneficial. Together, we're building new networks and strengthening our positions in Europe.
I also hope that this wretched war in Ukraine will soon come to an end, so the continent may enjoy peace this spring. This past year, our University has welcomed students, researchers and teachers who fled Ukraine: the war made it impossible for them to keep studying, working, living, teaching and conducting research in their home country. This too is an important task for us as a university: opening our doors, helping our colleagues and peers, and giving them the chance to continue their studies and research.
Meeting new people is both rewarding and inspiring. I for one will always make the case for being open to the magic that can happen when human minds meet and think together. Or, as our University's vision puts it: "collaborative development of knowledge". Our vision also stresses how important contacts are to be able to affect the world around us: "...strong networks and [influence] in external bodies where strategic topics are discussed and decisions are made." A goal we can all actively contribute to. See a brief overview of the external forums and committees the University Management is part of.
To round things off, I would just like to comment on a case I genuinely hope we have seen the last of. This autumn and just after the recent holidays, an individual who is neither a student nor an employee of Umeå University has been very aggressive towards both students and staff on our campus, without any provocation whatsoever. The University Management takes this extremely seriously and will be doing everything in its might to prevent any further incidents. As I mentioned earlier, our University is and must be a place of openness, a space in which to exchange opinions and engage in scientific discussions. This is never an excuse for bullying, harassment or acts of violence, though. We can all help uphold those principles by treating each other with respect and speaking out when we spot unacceptable behaviour.
Welcome back to our campuses this spring