Summer greetings from Dean Ruth Mannelqvist

This academic year has now ended and the Midsummer weekend lies ahead. Maybe you have a few exams to grade, an article to complete or some last details for this autumn to plan, but after that a well-deserved summer holiday lies ahead.

This year can be summarised by COVID-19, working from home and practically conducting all our activities online – for both students and staff. It has been a challenge and the situation has taken its toll on all of us. But even if this academic year has been special in many ways, not only has the education and research at the faculty continued in the best way possible – with a maintained high quality – but the educational assignment has also been expanded, more external funding has been granted and the number of staff are increasing. This is truly impressive! As dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, it has been a privilege to be a part of such a well-functioning and successful organisation, together with all students and staff.

I am looking forward to the upcoming year, with hopes that we will be able to spend it on campus where we can meet our students in the classrooms and our colleagues in the corridors again. But before then, I hope you will enjoy a sunny and warm summer. I have personally filled my phone with audiobooks, pumped my bike tyres and packed my beach bag. I am ready for holidays, and I'm sure most of you feel the same way.

Finally, I would like to send a huge thank you to everyone for all your efforts over the past year. I wish you a pleasant and relaxing summer, and welcome back when the autumn semester comes.

Ruth Mannelqvist, Dean