On 20 August, Lund University had the pleasure to welcome over 1700 new international students to Lund on the official Arrival Day in AF Borgen. Today you meet some of the new students who arrived from near and far.
Name: Josh From: Australia Studies: Chemistry Why did you choose Lund University? “It’s a beautiful city and university. It’s bilingual, so I have the chance to learn Swedish.” Looking forward to right now: “Having a shower!”
Name: Elisa From: Italy Studies: Management Why did you choose Lund University? “I have two friends who spent last semester in Lund and they told me many beautiful things about studying here. So, I wanted to give it a try. The School of Economics and Management also offers many interesting courses within my field.” Looking forward to right now: “Actually, I’m looking for new friends. I just arrived and everything feels a little confusing. I’m looking forward to settling in and hope to enjoy my course at the School of Economics and Management.”
Name: Anna From: Finland Studies: Medicine Why did you choose Lund University? “I want to learn Swedish and Lund is a nice town.” Looking forward to right now: “To unpack my bags!”
Name: Davide From: Venezuela Studies: Computer Engineering Why did you choose Lund University? “Sweden is a great country with many opportunities. And you can find good work here.” Looking forward to right now: “I’m looking forward to meeting people! I have been in Lund for some time and it’s been a little lonely!”
Name: Mioko From: Japan (just arrived after a 21 hour long flight) Studies: Media and Communications Why did you choose Lund University? “I wanted to study abroad and improve my English. I had heard that people in Sweden speak English fluently. I had also heard a lot of good things about Lund, and that people are nice, from friends who have studied here. I’m looking forward to connecting with people and meeting a lot of international friends.” Looking forward to right now: “Making new friends and improving my English”
During the summer we will publish popular articles from the Alumni Network newsletter, Lundensaren. This week you will get some useful advice on how to have a happy start at work after the summer holidays.
Become a member of the Alumni Network here to receive Lundensaren on a regular basis.
Text: Britta Collberg
Autumn can be a time of new beginnings and happy expectations, as it is for children on their way to their first day at school. For others, it means throwing oneself back into the struggle for work and recognition with a gnawing sense of inadequacy.
“Both relationships and employment are less stable in our time. We have to try to maintain a feeling for what is important in life”, says sociologist at Lund University Bo Isenberg.
He himself recently returned to work, has held a few introductory lectures and feels satisfied with his efforts.
“I have made a difference by listening to the new students’ questions and explaining to them what sociologists do. On other days, it is not equally clear what I have achieved, and then I feel more insecure.”
He shares that feeling of insecurity with a growing number of people. Sociologists study social change and they observe that society is changing fast, becoming more complex and harder to fathom.
“Terms of employment change, companies get bought up and move. Nowadays, even large parts of the middle class live with uncertain employment and abstract or shifting work duties. People feel replaceable and lack control over their lives.”
Meanwhile, we are expected to interpret change as something positive, thereby demonstrating our flexibility and enterprising spirit.
“The picture isn’t all black and white. Of course there is much that has improved. Gender equality for example – that is a revolution that has happened, to the benefit of all parties”, says Bo Isenberg, who was recently on parental leave himself with his little daughter.
He likes to read to his daughter in the evenings, but sometimes he does check his work emails as well…
“I believe that many people feel they risk missing something if they completely shut down. It can make it more difficult for them to assert themselves at work; colleagues today are competitors to a high degree.”
“In order for change to be positive, you have to feel that you can influence it yourself, but increasing numbers of people are forced to be flexible to conditions imposed by others”, says Bo Isenberg. They don’t recognise themselves in the political rhetoric on freedom of choice. In disappointment, some turn their backs on a reality that is increasingly complex and hard to grasp, becoming drawn to simplistic solutions. Politically, we see this on both the right and the left. It is comprehensible, but dangerous. Bo Isenberg would also like to see more honest public debate about everyone not having the same chances: class, gender, ethnicity and skin colour play a role and the gaps widen.
“We can discuss freedom of choice on a philosophical level, but we cannot get away from the social factors which control and limit choice in reality. A career like Zlatan’s, with Zlatan’s social background, is not the rule but the exception.”
Reboot or flying start? What can we do to avoid losing ourselves in this frenetic rate of change?
Bo Isenberg gives advice from the heart: “Get a dog! Dogs understand what’s important in life: being close, having fun, eating … Then it also becomes easier to say ’no thanks’ to all of life’s impositions: I have to go home and take the dog for a walk”.
An academic quarter is 15 minutes long and means that you start 15 minutes after a scheduled starting time. And, just in front of the university fountain you find the time zone of the “Academic quarter”. The tradition of the academic quarter at Lund University dates back to the 1700’s when only professors could afford wearing a clock. Students and university staff had to rely on the loud church bells instead.
The meridian of the academic quarter
In January 1728 Arvid Moller, a Philosophy professor, was announced Vice-chancellor of Lund University. He experienced that his fellow co-workers and students in general suffered from bad discipline since they kept being late for meetings and lectures. Therefore, one of the first things he declared was a penalty fee for everyone who arrived 15 minutes after a scheduled appointment. The reason 15 minutes or less was the accepted tardiness, was that everyone should have time to hear the church bells, get ready and travel to their destination. As proof of this tradition, the clock bell on the University main building wall tolls both full hour and 15 minutes past.
Being a Lund alumni you will know that it takes approx. 15 minutes or less to travel pretty much anywhere (by bike) in Lund.
The original Sphinx and a lady’s head
In the Botanical Garden, you find one of the original sphinxes that graced the University main building at its opening ceremony in 1882. However, due to the lacking quality in the cement of that time, all four sphinxes had to be removed in 1959 as a safety precaution. Their replacements came in 1993 thanks to generous donations to the university.
If you would have visited the opening ceremony in 1882, you would also have seen four grand female statues by the doors of the university building. The four statues represented the four faculties of that time: Theology, Medicine, Philosophy and Law. The ladies had to be removed in 1902, however, due the bad concrete they were made of. It is also said that they were removed since people were scared when passing them late at night. Today, you can find the head of one of the statues at the Kulturen Museum.
Giant Finn in the Cathedral crypt
Most of you probably know the fairytale about how Lund Cathedral was built by Giant Finn. According to the story, the giant was infuriated (obviously!) when he found out that he was not getting paid for his hard work building the Cathedral. He ran down the Cathedral crypt, clung on to one of the pillars to tear the whole thing down. However, by this point in time the Cathedral had godly protection and Giant Finn instantly turned to stone. If you visit the Cathedral today, you will find Finn holding on to the pillars in the crypt.
If we look past the fairytale, the figure is most likely the biblical figure Simson. If you want to have a look of the giant/Simson online, click here.
The Lagom measurement
Ever wondered how much the typical Swedish expression “lagom” is? Well, head out to Sandgatan and the Paradise park, just above the AF-building. In front of Gamla Kirurgen you will find the perfect measurement and example of “lagom”. It was placed there in 1992 by Uarda-akademien.
The “Lagom” measurement
Fontänen “Fontänen”
Maybe you have passed the tall white poles at LTH, the Faculty of Engineering? This is the last memory of an art project that really didn’t go as planned. This was originally meant to be a fountain, an art piece where water would run as beautiful waterfalls between fountain pools, into the LTH pond. However, just a short time after the inauguration in 1968 the dream and the fountain fell apart when a number of the pool sections broke. Many attempts to restore and save the fountain were made. But, in the 1990’s it was decided that the most sensible decision was to remove the pools, restore the poles and leave it be. The fountain got to present its former glory one last time in 1996. Today the fountain is part of the LTH area and architecture and a piece of university history.
Since 1666 Lund University has been a place for groundbreaking research and innovation. Brilliant researchers, scientists and students have over the years produced fantastic products that help and improve conditions for people and society all around the world (and even in space!). In this blog post you find a slice of all discoveries and innovations that came out of Lund so far.
1813 | Swedish Massage and gymnastics
In 1813 Pehr Henrik Ling, a Lund University student originally from Småland, developed a system for massage and muscle stretching. Today the technique is known as Swedish or classical massage and is one of the most common forms of massage in the Western world.
1944 | The Tetrahedron – milk packaging for the modern era
The “tetrahedron” milk package was the first step towards one of the world’s most successful industrial enterprises. In 1944, laboratory assistant Erik Wallenberg came up with the idea of the package’s four-sided pyramid shape and entrepreneur Ruben Rausing patented it and launched Tetra Pak in 1951.
1953 | Medical ultrasound
Physicist Hellmuth Hertz and cardiologist Inge Edler were the first in the world to see a heart beating. Together, the two researchers had developed the first echocardiogram for ultrasound examination of the heart, a technology which would prove to be revolutionary for diagnostics.
The first successful measurement of heart activity was made on October 29, 1953 using a device borrowed from the ship construction company Kockums in Malmö. On 16 December the same year, the method was used to generate an echo-encephalogram (ultrasonic probe of the brain). Edler and Hertz published their findings in 1954.
Edler and Hertz were nominated several times for the Nobel prize, but had to make do with the next best thing – the American Lasker award.
Asthma medicine (1966) and the inhalator for asthma medicine (1987)
Chemists Leif Svensson, Henry Persson and Kjell Wetterlin at the medical drugs company of the time, Draco, invented the asthma drug Bricanyl in 1966. The drug widens the respiratory passages and facilitates breathing by counteracting muscle cramps in the respiratory tract.
Chemist Kjell Wetterlin and his colleagues at Draco developed the Turbohaler – an inhalator for the dosage and inhalation of asthma medicine in 1987. The product revolutionised asthma medication and currently helps tens of millions of people the world over to control their illness.
1994 | Bluetooth
In a project initiated by Ericsson Mobile, a wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances is developed thereby opening a whole new world for the electronics sector. The technology was introduced onto the market in 1998 and was called Bluetooth after Viking chief Harald Blåtand (Harold Bluetooth). Currently, millions of new Bluetooth products are shipped every day.
2005 | The Invisible cycling helmet
The Hövding cycling helmet is the result of Engineering students Anna Haupt and Terese Alstin’s joint degree project. The invisible cycling helmet – which can be compared to an inflatable airbag – rapidly earned worldwide attention, in part for winning the prestigious European Index Award for design.
The Hövding – the invisible bicycle helmet Photo by Hannes Söderlund/imagebank.sweden.se
2012 | The world ’s most water -efficient shower
Industrial designer Mehrdad Mahdjoubi’s degree project resulted in a shower that reduces water consumption by 90 percent. The shower, which was originally a solution for how to conserve water during a NASA space programme, became the start of the company Orbital Systems.
Source: Click here to reach the website about innovations from Lund.
Want to learn more about how Lund University works with innovation and the link between academia and business? Visit LU Innovation here.
A massive open online course (MOOC) is an online course aimed at unlimited participation and open access via the web. MOOC’s provide an affordable and flexible way to learn new skills and advance your career. Lund University offers a variety of exciting MOOC’s, focusing on business, law and sustainability. The list below is organised after the courses’ starting date. Have a look and take the opportunity to expand your knowledge of the world this summer!
Digital Business Models
Digital business models are disrupting 50-year old companies in telecommunications, transportation, advertising, e-commerce, automotive, insurance and many other industries. This course will explore how software developers are not just the innovators but also the decision makers in modern competitive battles from mobile to cloud, and from consumer goods to enterprise software. This course is offered by the School of Economics and Management at Lund University. Start date: 9 July Click here for course registration.
European Business Law (course 2, see below for 1 and 3): Doing Business in Europe
This course discusses strategic and financial considerations within Company law, as well as Labour law issues such as restructuring enterprises, working conditions and handling crises situations. The course also examines other legal areas such as Tax law, Environmental law and Private International law, and how they tie in to doing business in Europe. This course is offered by the Faculty of Law at Lund University. Start date: 9 July Click here for course registration.
European Business Law (course 1): Understanding the Fundamentals
In this first course we will examine the core structures and principles of the European Union as well as the main sources of law. This course is offered by the Faculty of Law at Lund University. Start date: 23 July Click here for course registration.
European Business Law (course 3): Competing in Europe
This course discusses how to compete on the internal market and protect your brand, product or invention. It includes legal disciplines such as Intellectual Property law (IP law), Competition law and specific branches within Public law, such as public procurement and state aid. This course is offered by the Faculty of Law at Lund University. Start date: 23 July Click here for course registration.
Writing in English at University
Acquiring good writing skills is essential for your success both at university and in your professional life. The course covers different aspects of academic writing, such as how to structure your text and how to convey your argument, as well as how to use sources and how to edit your text. Start date: 23 July Click here for course registration.
Academic writing (course offered in Swedish)
Do you know a bit of Swedish and would like to improve your academic writing? You may be able to take the Swedish-taught MOOC “Akademiskt skrivande”. Start date: 23 July Click here for course registration.
Greening the Economy: Lessons and Experiences from Scandinavia
How do we live a good life on one planet with over seven billion people? This course addresses this question by looking into how individual choices, business strategies, sustainable cities and national policies can promote a greener economy. This course is offered by the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE) at Lund University. Start date: 13 August Click here for course registration.
Greening the Economy: Sustainable Cities
How can we shape urban development towards sustainable and prosperous futures? This course will explore sustainable cities as engines for greening the economy. This course is offered by the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE) at Lund University. Start date: 13 August Click here for course registration.
During the summer we will publish popular articles from the Alumni Network newsletter, Lundensaren. This week you will get some useful advice on how to avoid summer hazards. Become a member of the Alumni Network here to receive Lundensaren on a regular basis.
Text by Anna Mansfeld
Summer is finally here. Everything is a bit prettier and easier, our energy increases, flowers bloom, our garments are lighter, and most people start to think about the joys of summer holidays.
However, life’s not all a bed of roses; there are also risks associated with summer. Lundensaren has asked Professor Margareta Troein Töllborn, Lund alumna and general physician in the regional primary healthcare services, about the major hazards as we approach summer and the summer holidays.
That is because we tend to “live it up” during the summer time, inexpertly riding motorcycles, riding bicycles without a helmet, drinking too much alcohol, exposing oneself to too much sun, having unprotected sex, eating uncooked food despite the risk of infection, and other risk-taking activities. Twisted ankles caused by walking in unfamiliar terrains are also common, according to Margareta Troein Töllborn.
However, the most common cases she, as a general physician, attends to during the summer are often less severe.
“The patients we receive are quite often cases of fishing hooks getting stuck to the skin, or wounds from trying to work with a knife, an axe or a scythe. Other typical problems in the summer are wounds from injuries that occur from tripping and hitting the ground with bare skin, insect bites, allergies and common infections.”
“Then it may be good to know that clean wounds can be sewn together up to 6 hours after they have occurred, so seek medical attention immediately for an assessment to be made. With time, the risks of problematic infections increase”, says Margareta Troein Töllborn.
How should I prepare for and what should I bring on a summer outing?
“I recommend that you bring any medicines you usually take, sunscreen, pain killers, cortisone cream (good for insect bites, eczema etc.), a wound cleanser, bandages, an elastic bandage and an eye rinsing cup for removing dirt from the eye”, says Margareta Troein Töllborn.
“Depending on where you travel, you may need a fluid replacement (available as an effervescent tablet). Anti-diarrhoea and anti-constipation drugs may come in handy, and perhaps also motion sickness drugs. You should also review which vaccinations and preventive medicines you have. It’s a good idea to check whether there is a high risk of malaria, TBE or lyme disease in the place you are going to. There are vaccinations against TBE, but the only way to avoid lyme disease is to wear clothes that cover your skin and be alert”, says Margareta Troein Töllborn.
Midsummer was celebrated on the same date every year, 23 June, until 1952. However, in order to adjust the holiday to the work week, it was decided that Midsummer should always be celebrated on a Friday. Nowadays Midsummer’s Eve takes place sometime between 20 and 26 June. For many Swedes, the Midsummer weekend is the start of a long summer break.
Dancing around the “Midsommarstång”! Photo by Carolina Romare/imagebank.sweden.se
Songs and games became a part of the celebration in the beginning of the 1900’s. The song “Små grodorna” appeared in songbooks in the 1920’s. It is orginally a French song commonly sung by the British troops during the Napolean wars in the 1800’s.
Strawberries – the absolute must-have for the Swedish Midsummer dinner table. Photo by Carolina Romare/imagebank.sweden.se
The typical Midsummer menu features different kinds of pickled herring, boiled new potatoes with dill, followed by an evening dinner with some kind of grilled dish. Strawberries and cream are an absolute must. This traditional Midsummer food was however introduced fairly recently. Pickled herring came about in 1800’s with the canned foods industry and the new potatoes (“nypotatis”) were included on the menu much later. In the former rural communities in Sweden, where food was scarce, it was unthinkable to consume potatoes before they were full-grown later in the summer.
Midsummer in Dalarna. Photo by Per Bifrost/imagebank.sweden.se
“Midsommarstången” (the Midsummer pole) is one of the most famous attributes, sometimes referred to as “Majstång” similar to the English word “maypole”. “Maj” in “Majstång” does not, however, refer to the month of May but to the word “maja” meaning “to dress in leaves”.
Picking seven flowers to put under your pillow. Photo by Alexander Hall/imagebank.sweden.se
The Midsummer night has always been considered to be a time for magical myths and events. This was the night when you should collect healing herbs, roll naked in the dew (for eternal good health) and be able to look into the future. One of the mythical activities that are still practiced by some Swedes today is to collect seven kinds of flowers and put them under your pillow during the Midsummer night. In your dreams you will then see the person you will spend the rest of your life with.
This week we meet Katherine Son, alumna from the master’s degree programme Managing People, Knowledge and Change (class of 2010), who gives a glimpse of her life as Human Resource business partner at Procter & Gamble (P&G) in Seoul, in South Korea.
Katherine with her thesis partner, Na, who recently visited Seoul
Q: You have a master’s degree in business with specialisation in Managing People, Knowledge and Change from 2010. What have you been up to since your graduation? I am very happy to share my stories in the Lund Alumni Network. I cannot believe that it’s been almost 8 yrs since my graduation! After my graduation, I returned to South Korea and joined P&G (Procter & Gamble) Korea as a HR manager in October 2010.
I started my HR career as a recruiting and training manager where I set up a talent attraction and development strategy for the company and moved to HR business partner role supporting various commercial functions.
From this May, I will be on expatriate assignment to Singapore and work as a plant HR manager.
Personally, I met my husband from P&G and I started my second master program in organization counseling at part-time graduate last year. Also, I became a certified ‘Lego serious play’ facilitator and have been utilizing the skills at work.
Q: What does a typical work day look like for you today? It’s difficult to define a typical work day at P&G. Let me share what I did last Thursday.
Here we have flexible working time arrangement so people come to work between 8am to 10am. I usually come to office around 8am and spend 1~2hrs undisrupted time working on something drafting the proposal, mid to long term projects. Since last week, I was assigned to design motivation boost program for a certain group so I was drafting initial plan for the program.
On a weekly basis, there are 3~5 international call meetings or trainings (usually with Singapore where P&G APAC HQ is located) and 7~10 face to face meetings. Last Thursday, from 10am, I had a call which is the part of the coaching certification program, me and one of program participants who is based in Singapore were practicing coaching skills based on what we’ve learned in the previous week. After the call, I went out for lunch with the finance leader and we discussed recent organization issues and next steps, especially focusing on assignment planning and organization action plan status. He is a newly promoted leader and I’ve tried to spend quality time with him on organizational matters so that he becomes more respected leader.
After lunch, I spent some time to read and process emails and joined another call meeting with HR new hire college organizing team. Me and 3 other colleagues, also based in Singapore, had designed and led HR new hire college last month and we discussed post college session execution details during the call.
Before I went home, I bumped into one employee expecting to talk 5-10mins but it ended up 40mins. As HR, it frequently happens and I value unplanned meetings with employees, like this, as they are more open vs. planned, formal meeting with HR.
The pond in the palace
Q: How would you describe the business culture when working in a global company such as P&G in South Korea?
It is very interesting to work in P&G, a American consumer goods company in South Korea. Compared to many organizations in Korea, P&G Korea has ‘P&G’s strong and unique culture’ which you may find it from any P&G office in the world but not in Korean companies’ offices.
Though I haven’t experienced Korean local company culture, I think P&G Korea culture is less hierarchical and flexible. Company encourages ‘speak up’ culture and programs to support employee’s flexible working environment (e.g. flexible working time, work from home, reduced work hour).
There are 7 foreigners working in P&G Korea but many Korean P&G’ers have experienced living outside of Korea when they were young or as an expat and we use English as an official language in the office. This also helps P&G Korea to keep its unique culture while many other foreign company subsidiaries cultures in Korea is quite closer to local Korean company culture.
Fika in Seoul
Q: Has your Lund University education been beneficial in your work? In what ways? Definitely. It especially helped me to sharpen critical thinking and do practical applications of methodologies when it comes to a real problem solving in the business context.
Culture, leadership, change management have always been the hot topics in P&G and these were the main subjects in the ‘Managing people, knowledge and change’ program. So, I was able to easily participate and lead org. related discussion. And the variety of students/professors’ backgrounds I met in the program also broadened my perspectives on different thinking and leadership styles, this has helped me to have a better understanding of human dynamics and effective communications according to those.
Not only about the education, but also living in a very different culture vs. home country transformed my point of view towards the world. I can confidently say that I became a more rounded person after I studied in Sweden.
Q: If you could visit any place in the world, where would you choose to go and why? If I may choose among the places I have been to, I would like to visit Lund in May. I really miss Botaniska trädgården, my corridor – Sparta, small ally ways, Gerdahallen. I would like to introduce Lund to my family how awesome it is. I seriously planned to visit Lund this May but due to unexpected relocation to Singapore, I postponed the plan to next year.
If I choose somewhere new, I would like to go to Tulip festival either in Ottawa, Canada or in Netherland. Tulip became my favorite flower in Lund. Cannot forget the scenery of Botaniska trädgården in April/May. After I returned to South Korea, whenever I found tulip, I took pictures of it anyhow.
… and you wish to continue polishing your LinkedIn and networking skills, you have come to right post! You might recall my previous post about how to become a LinkedIn Pro. This post is also about LinkedIn, but one step further. It will emphasise the importance of networking on LinkedIn and the job opportunities that exist on LinkedIn. Students at Lund University were able to attend a free seminar Wednesday the 23rd of May about just this!
Successful LinkedIn Networking
Anna Persson, the Guest Speaker, is a LinkedIn enthusiast and has a background in HR and recruitment and as a Career Advisor. Here are her tips on how to network successfully on LinkedIn and how to, perhaps, find your next job on the website.
Research your contacts
Before you reach out to the people you want to connect with on LinkedIn, do your research! Pay attention to the changes in their profile, their status updates that they are posting, connections or groups that you have in common, if their company is on LinkedIn, perhaps give them a follow. This will show interest on your part, and can be a good networking asset.
Engage with your new contacts
When you have connected with someone – engage with them to network further. This means staying in touch with them, comment on their updates, write personalised messages, and so on. A tip is to go through your new contacts once per week and see who you have yet to engage with.
Networking with added value
Be smart when networking. Share content that is relevant for the people in your network. Ask questions and encourage discussion. Engage with your audience. Share relevant and valuable content regularly. Position yourself as the go-to-person in your area of expertis. When sharing other people’s content, credit them by tagging their name [at] [their name]. Compliment people and flatter them. This is another networking tip.
Those were three tips about networking on LinkedIn from Anna Persson. But what about jobs then? How can you find the job of your dreams? During the seminar, Anna guided us in the topic.
Successful LinkedIn Networking
Research and follow companies
When following companies of your interest, you will receive relevant updates, news, links and job opportunities. If you present yourself well on LinkedIn and have shown interest in the company (perhaps by reaching out on LinkedIn to people working in the company, or by being engaged in the company’s page on LinkedIn) you may have a shot at the job opportunities the company may present.
Be sure you have done your research about the company. Do you feel a connection to the company? What is the company’s mission, their products or services? How is the company’s culture and what are their skills? What are the tasks of the job? Search for members of the company holding the role, or similar roles and ask them!
Create your job search
Create your job search and narrow down your interests by using filters, advance searches and adding the area code of your interest. Save job advertisements you think are interesting. It can also be a good idea to take a look at the alumni from your alma mater, and connect with alumni working in the area you are interested in. Lucky for you, Lund University has over 100 000 alumni on LinkedIn! If that number should not be enough, there are over 480 million members on LinkedIn to connect with! However, remember that there is a limit on how many contacts you can have on LinkedIn.
May and June are hectic months at Lund University. Lundakarnevalen, the exam and thesis period, the doctoral conferment, graduations and the hottest month of May since the 1940’s, have kept everyone involved in the academic life in Lund very busy.
Greetings from the Alumni Office
At the Alumni Office, Karen and I have been busy setting up the semester’s last activities, welcoming all new alumni into the network and planning ahead for an exciting programme of events for the autumn.
On the 29th of May, we had the pleasure of meeting over 220 international students at the international summer reception. Not only did we get hear speeches from Deputy Vice Chancellor Sylvia Schwaag Serger about the importance of the UN Global Goals and from alumna Ana Devdariani about the privilege of education, but we also announced the happy winner of the My Lund University Experience Photo Contest 2018 – new alumna Tuba Kabasakal, with her lovely photo of tulips in front of the Palaestra building in Lundagård. That same week we were also delighted to meet up with 30 alumni and their children or grandchildren (and, hopefully, future students) for a creative afternoon at Skissernas Museum (Museum of Artistic Process and Public Art).
International Student Summer Reception
We are about to finalise the plans for next semester’s exciting programme for alumni living abroad. Our global alumni events offer opportunities to reconnect (and make new connections) with fellow alumni around the world and below are some of the highlights from our programme of international alumni events this autumn 2018:
London – In a corporation with the Swedish Chamber of Commerce and the Swedish Embassy we meet and mingle with our London-based alumni in the beginning of October.
Tokyo – In connection to the 150th anniversary of Japan-Sweden diplomatic relations and the MIRAI project we organise an alumni event in Tokyo in mid-October, together with several Swedish universities.
Berlin – Living in or close to Berlin? Then you are welcome to join our alumni meet-up in Berlin in the beginning of November.
The Hague – A joint alumni event with other members of the League of European Research Universities (LERU) in October.
and more…
Make sure you get your invitation – update your alumni profile with your current city and country of residence in order to receive invitations to all events near you!
We are, of course, also setting up an interesting programme for local alumni! Stay tuned for more updates about happenings in Lund. 🙂
This week, we meet Hanna Yanova. She is a law alumna, class of 2016, who gives us a glimpse of her life as a human rights lawyer in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
Q: You graduated with a Master’s degree in International Human Rights Law, class of 2016. Can you tell us a bit more about what you’re working with today?
Hanna talking about human rights violations in eastern Ukraine (Geneva, 2017)
I am a human rights lawyer at the NGO, which documents violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in the east of Ukraine. I work with such topics as conflict-related sexual violence, illegal detention, torture, involvement of children in armed groups etc. As a part of my job, I interview victims and witnesses of conflict-related human rights violations, prepare thematic reports, submissions and communications for international institutions and Ukrainian authorities.
UN Headquarter, Geneva 2017
Q: What does your typical work day look like?
I guess there are no such thing as a typical work day at my NGO. There are days when I read and analyze interviews all day long in the office and there are days full of meetings and presentations somewhere in Luhansk or Donetsk regions (eastern Ukraine). Also my work involves quite a lot of travelling. I can travel to eastern Ukraine, close to the contact line, to conduct interviews as well as to Geneva for advocacy meetings and presentations.
Field work in the east of Ukraine66th session CEDAW in Geneva
Q: Has your Lund University education been beneficial in your work? In what ways?
I can say that without the education and vision I got in Sweden, I would not be the person I am today. The whole experience of living and studying in Sweden was life-changing. I grew a lot professionally and personally. The work I do today reflects the ideas, principles and knowledge I obtained during my studies.
I believe Lund University gave me a great platform for further growth, unforgettable memories and great friends.
OSCE HDIM meeting in Warsaw 2017
Q: You recently visited Stockholm for The Stockholm Forum on Gender Equality as one of 18 Swedish Institute alumni from around the world. We are keen to hear about your experiences; what are your top 3 takeaways from the forum?
At the Stockholm Forum on Gender Equality
Swedish dedication to gender equality on different levels is inspiring and worth learning from. It was a couple of really fascinating days with fruitful discussions and food for thought. The Forum was an opportunity to meet with likeminded people, look at my own work from another perspective and plan further activities back home. I learned a lot about the situation with women’s rights all over the world.
And no matter the country it was obvious that gender equality isn’t only the right thing to do, but the smart thing to do everywhere.
Q: What is one of your best memories from your student days in Lund?
This is a hard question, because there are so many good memories. It is really difficult to pick one. Lund has a truly magical atmosphere. It combines great things – one of the best universities in the world, incredible people and long-lasting student traditions. Once a student there, you most likely will fall in love with this city and university. I definitely did.
I still miss that feeling when you bike to the Law faculty and it is one of those rarely warm, sunny days or when you smell fresh coffee at the Juridicum and you have 10 minutes before lecture for fika. Every time I am in Lund, it feels like home.
At last the cold winter has left Lund and hot violet winds are now sweeping through the streets. The wind draws the smell of sawdust from the parade preparations in the north and tones of song from Stora Nöjens preparations. There are but a few in Lund who could have missed the fact that the Lund Carnival is taking place next month. The town is bustling with over 5500 students who are working to make Lund Sweden’s most imaginary place on 18-20 May. It will be a weekend with imaginative shows, comedy shows and delicious food. Regardless of age, humor or dreams, there is no limit to the fantasy of the Imaginal Carnival.
It’s time for Imaginalkarneval!
What does the Imaginal Carnival have to offer?
On 18-20 May, the Lund Carnival takes over Lundagård. The parade will roam the cobblestone streets and spread carnival joy. Within the carnival area in Lundagård, you will be able to try your luck in the tombola booth, eat until you’re happily stuffed and visit Smånöjen (minor entertainments). In the evenings, well-known artists will take the main stage.
There will be 8 “Stora Nöjen” (major entertainments) during the carnival, with performances all 3 days. These include Barnevalen, Spexet, Cirkusen, Filmen, Kabarén, Revyn, Operan and Showen.
Latest news
A few weeks ago, Imaginal Carnival’s very own magazine was sent to the press. Imaginal Journal is a full-fledged magazine and printed copies are available for purchase at Stortorget.
You can now order Lund Carnival drinks – carnival beer and cider (“karnevölen”, “karnevAlen” and “karneciders”) – from Systembolaget. And why not go out and get yourself a unique piece Carnival merchandise?
And finally, in the northern part of town we are building the parade floats and these creations will not resemble anything we have previously seen.
Carnival floats in the making!
Performance schedule for the Main Stage
Every Lundakarneval needs music!
At the center of the karneval area, in front of Universitetshuset, you can find the main stage. This is where artists like The Hives, Den Svenska Björnstammen och Silvana Imam will perform! In the northern corner of the karneval area you’ll find tavern Södersken and our smaller, second stage! This is where you can take a break and just relax between trees and string lights while listening to artists who’re yet to be announced.
All visitors of Lundakarnevalen can see the artists on the main and second stage!
On Friday, performances begin at 17:00 with Louisiana Avenue feat. Gunhild Carling, followed by Kamferdrops, Den Svenska Björnstammen and Räfven. Saturday’s lineup starts at 15:00 with Verklighetens Folk, Beatrice Eli, Panetoz, Sabina Ddumba and Kaliffa. Sunday’s lineup starts at 17:00 with Billie the Vision and the Dancers, Maxida Märak, The Hives and Silvana Imam.
Tickets
Tickets for Stora Nöjen (the major entertainments) are available for purchase online on the Lund Carnival homepage as well as at Stortget in Lund. More information about ticket sales and times can be found here.
General admission tickets for the carnival area can be purchased at the entrance during the carnival weekend or online in advance.
The Parade (“Tåget”)
Don’t miss the parade!
You do not need tickets to watch the parade. For this unforgettable experience, just make sure to grab a good curbside spot along the streets in Lund. The parade (a.k.a. the train) starts in Lundagård at 13:00 on Saturday and Sunday. For the first time, the parade is taking a new path due to all the roadwork and construction. This year the parade will go from Allehelgonakyrkan to Bredgatan and Sankt Petri Kyrkogatan down to Clemenstorget, instead of going along Sankt Laurentiigatan.
Merchandise
More than 30 different items are now available for purchase including some old classics, such as the metal trash bin, and some new items, such as a coffee tin. Make sure you grab your favourites because there is a limited supply of the Imaginal Carnival merchandise! Items are currently sold in the Lund Carnival sales booth at Stortorget on Monday-Saturday, 11:30-18:30.
Get some unique carnival merchandise!
With warm, violet and carnivalesque greetings! We wish you a lovely carnival weekend!
Name: Josh
Name: Davide
Name: Mioko
Most of you probably know the fairytale about how Lund Cathedral was built by Giant Finn. According to the story, the giant was infuriated (obviously!) when he found out that he was not getting paid for his hard work building the Cathedral. He ran down the Cathedral crypt, clung on to one of the pillars to tear the whole thing down. However, by this point in time the Cathedral had godly protection and Giant Finn instantly turned to stone. If you visit the Cathedral today, you will find Finn holding on to the pillars in the crypt.
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