Do you meet the membership requirements?

17 – the network for women with businesses worth millions

“To become a member of 17 you must be able to show that you have founded one or more companies that have, or have had, an annual turnover of at least SEK 50 million and can verify this with annual accounts or equivalent.”
Source: 17 website

Lund alumna Carolina Faxe (School of Economics and Management, Lund University 1992-1996, Master of Science in Business and Economics, Finance) is one of the 46 successful entrepreneurs in the 17 Network. The network was formed to influence the entrepreneurial climate in Sweden. All told, the members of 17 have 100 companies, 6 000 employees and a turnover of SEK 10 billion. All the members are women (of course).

Sound and sustainable entrepreneurship

The power in Swedish business has for too long been with men at the top of the pyramid. 17 wants to inspire women to build big companies, as big companies affect that power situation. And with power also comes responsibility for sound and sustainable entrepreneurship, which is one of the network’s important driving forces.

Time in Lund was a formative period

Carolina Faxe is the owner of TicTac Learn, the leading supplier of EdTech (educational technology) in the Nordic countries with a turnover of SEK 63 million in 2021. The time in Lund was a formative period for Carolina, in which she learned to think critically, aggregate a lot of information and see connections.

“I have always liked doing business and was involved in LINC, where we had a great interest in shares and were pioneers with one of the first Bloomberg terminals in Sweden. We were a bit nerdy, but things have gone very well for most of those who were in LINC.”

In 2009, Carolina had been CEO of Travelstart for just over three years and profitability was increasing. The company grew from SEK 400 million to SEK 1.8 billion in three years. But when the company’s owners wanted to take back the CEO role, Carolina had to go.

“This event gave me a considerable driving force to build and own a company myself. I understood that it is the owner who has the real power. My aim was to build a company worth SEK 100 million. I usually say that Travelstart was a fantastic schooling in entrepreneurship and I am very grateful for the time I spent there, both as a leader and an entrepreneur.”

Why don’t more women dare to invest the time and effort?

Only 30% of Sweden’s entrepreneurs are women, even though many studies show that companies with a gender-balanced management are more profitable and more sustainable. But why don’t more women dare to invest the time and effort?

Carolina believes there is a change going on. Of course, the more role models there are, the more women will become inspired.

“A lot has happened in recent years concerning the focus on female leadership. I believe the conditions are good, but daring is crucial. Women are generally a little more careful but at the same time are very willing to assume responsibility.”

Go for it!

Carolina’s own company takes social responsibility very seriously. Young people, women entrepreneurs and human rights are particularly close to TicTac Learn. Carolina considers that if Sweden and the world had more female entrepreneurs, the business sector would be more pleasant and more exciting.

“My advice is to believe in yourself and GO FOR IT! As an entrepreneur, you have to solve different situations all the time and that’s something you can’t prepare for or study beforehand. Set up clear goals, be stringent, have patience and surround yourself with a good team.”

17 also has an investor network, which works on highlighting interesting companies in the expansion phase. The investors consist of members plus a number of selected angel investors and VC companies.

The will to achieve gender equality and equal opportunities defines the trajectory of women at Lund University

In 1880, the first two female students, Hedda Andersson and Hildegard Björck, enrolled at Lund University. Andersson was left as the only woman for two years, after Björck dropped out, but soon the number of female students began to rise gradually.

More female students also began to get involved in student life. In 1900, the Lund Female Students’ Association was formed, and during the 1930s, Britt G Hallqvist became the first female contributor to Lundagård, the students’ union magazine. Sweden’s first female doctoral graduate, Frida Palmér, publicly defended her thesis in 1939 at the University, and in 1964, the first female professor, Carin Boalt, was appointed at LTH (the then independent Lund Institute of Technology, now LU’s Faculty of Engineering). One year later, Birgitta Odén became the first female professor at LU in 1965. The University’s first and so far only female vice-chancellor, Boel Flodgren, was appointed in 1992.

The will to achieve gender equality and equal opportunities defines the trajectory of women at Lund University and that same will also defines the way forward. One example of the University’s current projects on these issues is the University-wide initiative for gender equality and equal opportunities. Launched in 2019, under the management of Pro Vice-Chancellor Jimmie Kristensson, its aim is to reinforce university-wide efforts in support of gender equality, equal opportunities and equal treatment.

A project to identify effective working methods in the field of gender equality

Pro Vice-Chancellor Jimmie Kristensson describes the University as having been “a decentralised organisation”; the project was to change how work on gender equality and equal opportunities is organised. He explains that gender equality issues have been addressed with unclear links to decision-making powers and implementation mandates, despite many faculties having several initiatives. In Kristensson’s view, gender equality work in academia requires a cohesive organisation. Money has been allocated for an LGBT network for employees and there is active collaboration with the Tellus project (hyperlink) which works to prevent sexual harassment and to give clear remits to employees. Kristensson hopes that the new organisation will lead to more powerful and effective work.

Four areas identified in the project

• Discrimination-free recruitment and career paths
• Knowledge and expertise in the organisation
• A systematic working method
• Preventive work against sexual harassment

Kristensson’s engagement is strong and he emphasises the need for the University to take a more intersectional approach:

“After all, it is about working for an organisation that is somehow caring, in all its competition and all its excellence, that is capable of showing respect and understanding for the fact that people are different. Those differences enrich us.”

Text and research: Elsa Hilltorp

Alumna of Lund University’s Bachelor’s programme in Gender Studies, 2018-2021. Currently a first-year student in the Master’s programme in Global Studies at Lund University.

2022-02-28

Helga Heun

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International Women's Day Updates

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LU alumni make the Tech50 list of the most influential people on the Swedish tech scene

Source: IDG.se

Congratulations to our alumni who have been named on the Tech50 list of the most influential people on the Swedish tech scene by IDG.se (Här är Tech50 – de mest inflytelserika inom tech 2022).

Five Lund University alumni have made it on this prestigious list for 2022, which highlights those who have made strong contributions to the development and visibility of technology and digitalisation. They engage, educate, inspire and fund.

The list has been determined by representatives for IDG and Techsverige.

At the Tech Awards Sweden in Stockholm on 22 March, one person from the list will be awarded as having made the biggest impact in the past year.

Here are the 5 LU alumni who made this year’s list:

Daniel Akenine, National Technology Officer at Microsoft
Microsoft’s technical spokesperson has influence over more than just technology, whether as an adviser to the government or as a debater and speaker. Nowadays he is even a writer in the field of architecture.

Helene Barnekow, CEO at Microsoft Sweden
Leads one of the industry’s heaviest companies, which has just increased its imprint on Sweden even more with the inauguration of its Swedish data centres. In April, she is leaving the CEO position for a new career as a leadership consultant. Furthermore, she has a strong focus on gender equality and sustainability.

Johan Magnusson, Professor at Gothenburg University
Researcher, educator and driver in digitalisation with a special interest in the public sector. He contributes with important insights and tools for Sweden’s IT leaders.

Katarina Berg, Chief Human Resources Officer at Spotify
Human Resources Officer at one of our most influential employers in tech. Spotify has been a driving force in the efforts to develop the workplace of the future, where employees are now given the right to work from wherever they want.

Staffan Helgesson, General Partner at Creandum
Well-known venture capitalist who was in early on many of the companies that make up the Swedish tech wonder. It has also been clear that Creandum wants to invest in Sweden from Sweden.

Tech50 is part of Tech Awards, which will take place at Sergel Hub in Stockholm on 22 March. There they will also appoint the person on the list who made the biggest impression in the past year, and hand out prizes in another five categories.
The Tech50 list is presented in alphabetical order and should not be construed as a ranking. Members of the jury for the Tech Awards as well as employees at Techsverige and IDG have not been considered for a place on the list for reasons of conflict.

Source: https://www.idg.se/2.1085/1.762141/har-ar-tech50–de-mest-inflytelserika-inom-tech-2022

2022-02-24

Karen Paulson

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“The skills we acquire, the connections we make, the conversations we have, positively influence our future”

Alumna Victoria Gessler strongly believes that it is the combination of experiences, skills and connections that get you somewhere in life. In her own case, her experiences from linguistics, the master’s degree programme in Management and her network brought her a career as Continuous Improvement Manager in Lodz, Poland. And her home office during the pandemic gave her a membership in the business top and pyjama bottom community. 🙂

Hi Victoria! You graduated from the master’s degree programme in Management in 2015. What have you been up to since your graduation?

After the graduation, I returned to Moscow, Russia, and took on a job in education consulting. The scope of duties was similar to the one I had managed before Lund, and in a couple of months I felt I was at an impasse. With a first degree in translation and interpretation, I wanted to use my linguistic expertise and my newly acquired skills to their full potential. I began looking for suitable positions in Russia and abroad, and this is how in October 2015 I started to work for Infosys BPM, a leader in outsourcing services, at their hub in Lodz, Poland.

My Polish colleagues and friends often wonder what made me choose their country out of all in the world and they do not get a satisfactory explanation. I strongly believe that everything happens for a reason, that the skills we acquire, the connections we make, the conversations we have, positively influence our future (well, predominantly). I just embraced the opportunity feeling there is much more to come.

I was not misled. Initially a master data specialist with Swedish, I further moved horizontally and vertically across the company, acquiring new soft and hard skills. I led procurement and business enabling teams, managed client expectations on a daily basis, designed and facilitated trainings, implemented maturity frameworks and quality systems, worked on numerous business process improvements, coached project leaders and organised big-scale events. Having tried various functions, I decided to narrow down my specialisation to process excellence and joined Takeda Business Solutions almost a year ago.

It is important to remember these days that life is not limited to work. I have mastered Polish, studied art history at Sotheby’s Institute of Art and am now learning Danish. I do crossfit, go jogging, participate in charity runs. I find pleasure in taking long walks to relax, reflect and discover something new in familiar places. And I travel whenever an opportunity arises. Last but not least, I am a member of the LU Alumni Network, and I also mentor Master in Management students.

You currently work as Continuous Improvement Manager at Takeda in Poland. Can you tell us a bit more about your average workday?

I work at Takeda’s shared services hub as an internal consultant supporting colleagues from around the world with problem-solving, root cause analysis and Lean Six Sigma project management, as well as driving the overall culture of business process excellence. I am also engaged with corporate frameworks design and implementation. An integral part of my role, apart from leading projects, is facilitating trainings and workshops, which I absolutely love: knowledge sharing is crucial for a company culture, and the more interactive the better. It warms my heart when participants have their aha moments.

We have had home office since the beginning of the pandemics, so I am a proud member of the business top and pyjamas bottom community. Normally, I would have several conference calls during the day, including regular catch-ups with my teammates. Since I support different geographies, I frequently call in very early in the morning or late in the evening, having time around noon to focus on planning and delivering on current initiatives. I enjoy the flexibility my job gives me in terms of the work-life balance.

What do you find are the biggest challenges in your line of work?

Currently – lack of cooler talks. It is a joke by half only, since informal interactions help establish deeper liaisons and speed up things that would be otherwise pending.

Companies worldwide are moving from hierarchy to matrix relationships, and this shift is well reflected in my role. I need to find the ways to influence that go beyond the usual manager-employee model as the colleagues I work with are not my reports. It takes time to learn the art of persuasion, the knowledge of motivation origins, the understanding of internal customers.

Resilience is yet another challenge. Project work goes hand in hand with setbacks, failures, objections. Difficult as it may be, we need to separate business from personal, pause to digest, solve the issues, draw lessons and leveraging this knowledge to move forward.

How has your time as a student at Lund University influenced your life?

Significantly. It was the first time I was away from family and friends for more than a couple of weeks, so I had to establish a daily routine that would allow me to be self-sufficient, on the one hand, and to never miss out, on the other.

Professionally, Lund University was a great kick-start for the career path I have been pursuing. Apart from the lectures that were packed with useful information, I found the group home assignments most valuable. This activity was totally different from my previous academic experience, and a rather challenging one. Reinforced by the ask to write a thesis with a partner, it yielded quite some fruits in the end. I learned how to organise time and manage deadlines, work in and celebrate diverse teams, find common grounds, resolve conflicts, act as a team player and a team leader, stay objective and be resilient. All these skills (which are, on a side note, in high demand among employers worldwide) are essential in my day-to-day work – and private life as well.

In a word, I would say that studying at Lund was about networking. The university allows for plenty of interactions, be it breakfasts with guest speakers, lunches at start-ups, afternoons at student nations, “fika” with peer students and professors or parties (essential element of academic socialisation). I had an amazing time getting to know people from around the globe and making new friends. I am in touch with a few after all these years. What is more, new connections pop up as my alumni network is expanding.

What is the best book you’ve ever read (and why)?

Tough one. The answer to “favourite / best” type of questions is often subjective as the things that work for us will not necessarily work for others. And out of the whole variety, it is challenging to select the one. That is why I have allowed myself to pick three.

1. The White Guard by Mikhail Bulgakov is a novel I have read not once since discovering it in my early teens. It reflects on the collision of the old and the new, the inner choices on what to consider honesty or betrayal. Though the historical events and Bulgakov’s views on them are rather vocal, it is the Home that stands out the most, the idyllic escape where all sorrows and doubts are comforted. Plenty of food for thought.

2. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell is another engaging novel, full of emotional tension and lust for life. I have always admired Scarlett’s resilience and “Tomorrow is another day” is my personal mantra.

3. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman is an absolute non-fiction must-read. The Nobel laureate points out the mistakes in what and how we think, reveals common brain traps and paves a way for readers to get rid of bias. Ultimate eye-opener.

2022-02-23

Maria Johansson

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Inspiring alumni International Women's Day LU Alumni around the world LU Global Scholarship Programme 10-Year Jubilee LUSEM Alumni

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“The only way to get better is to surround yourself with chill people who are smarter than you, but listen to what you have to say.”

Living and studying in Lund can make a big impact on your life. This week we meet alumnus Francesco Pazzaglia, who studied at Lund University during his exchange semester in the autumn of 2018 and he tells us how his time in Lund changed the way he perceived his life and experiences. In our interview, Francesco also tells us about the diverse work he does as a Content Marketer and he reminisces about his time in Lund and how enriching it is to study abroad and explore new cultures.

Hi Francesco! You were an exchange student at the School of Economics and Management at Lund University in 2018. What have you been up to since you left Lund?

Well, right after my experience at Lund University, I got into a whirlwind of emotions: from February to June 2019 I was an exchange student in St. Petersburg, Russia, where I was lucky enough to witness the Northern Lights and White Nights within a few months. In the meantime, I was admitted to one of Europe’s top business schools, and dropped out right before the start of the year.

northern lights — Northern lights in Murmansk, Russia

So, after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in July 2019, I decided to do my master’s degree at an international course of Management at the University of Bologna (Rimini Campus), where I had the opportunity to live and experience the city I was born in with fresh eyes. At the same time, I worked in a consulting company for urban innovation from January to September 2019. Then, I was involved in 2 project contracts as a marketer and art director. Finally, I joined Cubbit, a Deep Tech startup, as a Content Marketer at the end of 2020 and I’m also working to publish an academic paper on Brand Communities soon!

Today you work as a Content Marketer at Cubbit in Bologna, Italy. Can you tell us what a normal workday looks like for you?

“In the world of communications, you never get bored” – a truer statement has never been spoken! That’s why it’s virtually impossible to describe a normal workday for me. Every day is different: a press release, an email copy that converts, a social media post after interviewing some industry expert… and the to-do list goes on!

The variety of things I do is what drives me every day with a smile, and my routine is the boost: waking up an hour earlier than normal for a quick walk/run in nature or at the beach is my daily mantra. Add some fresh fruit/orange juice to the recipe and I’m ready to write kick-ass copy – although I still have A LOT to learn, honestly speaking. This is why we need to surround ourselves with chill people who are smarter than you, but who listen to what you have to say – it’s the only way to improve and it’s what excites me most about working at Cubbit.

What do you enjoy most about your job? And what challenges have you experienced when working with social media marketing?

As I’ve said before, the variety of cool things to do is a big plus when it comes to content marketing. I also find it intriguing how communication is such a great wrapper of the humanities: from psychology and philosophy, to literature and the arts – linked by the math of your and your team’s results. And when nostalgia for high school Latin and Philosophy classes enters through the door, content marketing comes to my rescue – a way to express myself and shape a critical framework of how people see reality, including me.

Speaking of the world of social media, we’re talking about a boundless universe. From the open critique of Netflix’s Social Dilemma, to the inherent mechanisms that keep us constantly addicted to our mobile phones. I honestly go beyond that: I see it as a unique opportunity for us – Millennials and Gen Z – to make sense of this extended reality in which we live and which has now become a natural part of us. A special moment of epiphany in which we can craft a brand new digital personality: I happened to recently read the mind-blowing book A Book About Innocent: Our story and some things we’ve learned by Innocent Drinks and I recommend you check out their social media because their style is an amazing case.

In the end, I’d say the most challenging element for a social media marketer is, beyond the number of likes and organic conversions created, to craft an ad hoc brand voice. One that really tells and gives a soul to your company and your product. One that entertains and educates. One that makes you feel, as a consumer, part of something bigger.

Francesco in the chamber of deputies, Rome — Chamber of deputies, Rome

How has your time as a student at Lund University influenced your life?

I wouldn’t be honest if I said that my experience in Lund was everyday stuff. Honestly, before August 2018, I wasn’t much of an explorer of either travel or life.

In Lund, I learned that there is something incredible and unexplored beyond the front gate. That it’s great to explore new cultures. To discover new places. To be in a group with a Japanese woman and a Frenchman discussing the IKEA case. And that the world remains the same, it’s just us moving within it as we become richer people by discovering new things.

When I think back to my time in Sweden, images pop up in my mind like a dream. A dream that paved the way for me and formed the person I have become today.

We have gone through the coronavirus, isolation, the pre-pandemic and soon the post-pandemic era. What doesn’t change are the frameworks that we have treasured in our past to deal with the reality we experience every day. I used to look for myself in the outside world, but it was actually already inside me.

This is what my time in Lund taught me.

If you had to delete all but 3 apps from your smartphone, which ones would you keep? And why?

This is a really tough question, I would definitely say WhatsApp: it’s addictive – that’s true, but it’s the only way to keep and nurture our real life connections. It doesn’t matter how close or far these people are from us right now.

The key here is to keep a balance and not fall into this imaginary, e-world only, but continue to meet physically (when possible along this pandemic).

Another crucial app – thinking about the bottom of Maslow’s pyramid – is Maps: as much as I can travel now, I could still get lost in my neighbourhood. The one where I was born!

The last one – an internet browser. I chose it to never stop learning: it’s 2022 and by simply using a regular internet browser we can access all the knowledge in the world, for free.

For the last one, I cheated (I know) so I can still access all my social media, email, documents… but with a good, grown-up apology!

2022-02-02

Karen Paulson

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Inspiring alumni LU Alumni around the world LUSEM Alumni Q&A with alumni

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Congratulations to…

the winners of the 2021 edition of the Automation Student competition – Moutoz Abdalrahman and Alistair Brice, from the Division of Production and Materials Engineering LTH, Faculty of Engineering, Lund University!

The two recent graduates investigated how a manual assembly process can be automated. The insights from their Master’s thesis (New era of automation in Scania’s manufacturing systems – A method to automate a manual assembly process) landed them the prestigious award from Automation Region, the centre of excellence that unites small enterprises, large corporations, academia and the public sector in the strife to market Swedish automation expertise, and stimulate innovations.

The jury’s motivation:

With the help of a clear theoretical framework and practical experiments, the authors show how a manual assembly line can be automated. The work offers a credible holistic approach to automation – from needs and demand to mapping and design, to implementation and verification. The authors’ results and insights have the potential to contribute greatly to the Swedish manufacturing industry.

“Our Swedish companies are world leaders and are at the forefront in terms of technology. If we can use automation and technology to create sustainable production locally, we have a great competitive advantage,” says Alistair Brice.

2022-01-26

Helga Heun

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“Graduating from a world-class university, I was on the fast track of progress, but I never took shortcuts.”

Person standing in front of the European Commission

This week we meet alumnus Damjan Grozdanovski who graduated from Lund University with a MSc in European Business Law. In our interview Damjan shares his career journey from graduation in 2017, to the law firm in North Macedonia and to the European Commission where he is working today.

You graduated from the master’s degree programme in European Business Law in 2017. What have you been up to since your graduation?

After graduation, my first goal was to pass the Macedonian bar exam, in order to start practicing law in my home country. To qualify for the bar exam, I needed one year of practical legal experience, so I started working for a law office in Skopje. During this one year, I was constantly reading national laws and judgments, which has helped me refresh my memory about the Macedonian legal system. In this regard, my advice for students in the European Business Law programme is to keep in touch with their respective national laws as much as possible during their studies. The opposite also applies – it is important to keep in touch with EU law after graduation.

As soon as I passed the bar exam, I started working on several big cases and began representing clients in front of the national courts. I worked hard (as always), and used every opportunity to advance in my career as a lawyer. I had many such opportunities, and I am truly grateful for that. I am aware that many intelligent young people are not that lucky. For example, I had the opportunity to work on four big projects co-financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. In addition to this, I have written around 20 applications to the European Court of Human Rights, among which one judgment has seriously affected the Macedonian energy law. Thanks to this case, the whole law office got significant media exposure.

Apart from practising law, I like to share my knowledge. To this end, I am cooperating with a company which organises trainings, and in 2021 I was a speaker at four trainings about the implementation of the GDPR and the Macedonian law on personal data protection. I also remained in touch with EU law by writing an article for (and regularly reading) the Nordic Journal of European Law. Evidently, I kept in touch with Lund University through the Alumni Network 

People sitting in a lecture room — In 2021 Damjan was a speaker at four trainings about the implementation of the GDPR and the Macedonian law on personal data protection

Of course, I understand that there is more to life than work! I regularly exercise, explore nature, run marathons and travel. I believe those activities keep the body and spirit in excellent shape. I also like to take care of other people, especially the people I love – I like to make them smile and I surprise them often. Speaking of surprises, once every year I turn into Santa Claus – the most wonderful time of the year!

You currently work as Blue Book Trainee at the European Commission in Brussels; can you tell us a bit more about the job you do?

Even though I was practising national law in a non-EU country after graduating, I used every opportunity to do EU-related work and research. I read and wrote articles, attended summer schools and worked on projects involving EU law. The goal for many young lawyers interested in EU affairs is the traineeship programme of the European Commission. Likewise, this has been my goal for a few years, and I am glad that I have been selected for this traineeship. I believe most of the trainees feel the same way.

The traineeship is incredibly well organised and is a great experience, both professionally and personally. I am a trainee in the Legal affairs unit of the European Research Council Executive Agency (ERCEA). This Agency was established by the European Commission to execute the annual ERC work programmes, currently as part of the EU Framework Programme for research and innovation Horizon Europe. In essence, I am doing exactly what I have studied for. I read primary and secondary EU law, such as the Treaties, regulations, rules, guides, procedures, judgments and other acts on a daily basis. Together with my supervisor and the other colleagues, we apply these acts in the best interest of both the individuals and the Union as a whole.

Apart from working, you can get involved in other activities related to the traineeship. For example, there is a Trainees’ Committee where you can have an active role, or you can become a Spokesperson of the trainees in your unit. I am the Spokesperson of the trainees at ERCEA, and I am very glad I applied for this position, because it allowed me to communicate with different sectors within the Agency, and to contribute to the quality of the traineeship.

The traineeship also has a social aspect and there are many leisure activities that you can participate in. There is definitely something for everybody, and you get to meet many people from around the world. In addition, if you especially like a certain activity and you are organised, you can become a coordinator of that group. For example, I am the coordinator of the trainees’ Hiking group and we organise a hike every Sunday. Belgium certainly has some nice forests, but I would add a bit of altitude, if you ask me! 🙂

After your graduation, you worked for some years in North Macedonia at a law firm, before moving to Brussels. From your experiences, what is your best advice about starting a career in a new country?

Take it easy. Progress takes time. I know first-hand that taking too much upon yourself does more harm than good. People had high expectations of me immediately after graduating, which added to the initial shock of returning from a longer stay abroad. You may have an international network, but may still need to expand your local network. You may need to build your local reputation as a reliable and trustworthy professional. The general advice is to get involved in as many activities as possible. Start from a lower position if needed, but make sure your knowledge and skills are appreciated.
In this regard, I started from a lower position at the law office in Skopje, but I quickly progressed. Graduating from a world-class university, I was on the fast track of progress, but I never took shortcuts. I felt that starting at a lower position made me more confident as I gradually engaged in more responsible and demanding activities as a full-fledged attorney. In my four years of professional experience, I am certainly satisfied with what I have achieved.

How has your time as a student at Lund University influenced your life?

Being a student at Lund University was an incredibly positive experience. I am not speaking just about the high-quality education – there are also the gained skills, the international network, and the personal growth. All this has shaped my future career, which has so far been nothing but versatile and prosperous. The environment at Lund University is international and it definitely gave me a different perspective on life.

Still, it is up to every student to use the opportunities for growth. I have used many of them: I was part of the student ambassador programmes, wrote an article for Lund Student EU Law Review, was part of the team that represented Lund University in the European Law Moot Court Competition (and reached the finals in Luxembourg!). I am certain these activities made my application to the European Commission stand out. I also had to honour to be student speaker at the graduation ceremony, as you can see below 

If you could learn one new professional skill during 2022, what would it be?

In my four years’ professional experience in law, I have noticed that many lawyers have high cognitive intelligence (IQ), but are below average when it comes to emotional intelligence (EQ). I am no exception. Like doctors, lawyers deal with the (personal) problems of many people every day. In the long run, this takes its toll, and many lawyers become either emotionally numb or emotionally unstable. As a side note, they also lose clients.
This is why I believe it is important for young lawyers to start working early on their emotional intelligence, and I want to start with myself. I am already looking at several programmes. Apart from personal benefits, I am certain that high emotional intelligence will enable me to become a better lawyer, as emotional empathy enables you to establish a deeper connection with other people, including your clients.

2022-01-24

Maria Johansson

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Inspiring alumni LU Alumni around the world LU Global Scholarship Programme 10-Year Jubilee

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A few Christmas treats before we take off

In this digital Christmas goodie bag, we have gathered a selection of holiday-related treats from Lund University to watch and read during the winter holidays.

Did the right house win?
The annual Gingerbread House Contest for international students ended in early December. Here are the tasty creations that won the promised eternal glory and big goodie-bag with Swedish Christmas treats.

Winners in gingerbread house contest — *Creators from top left: Rosa Sillanpää and Viola Karjalainen / Baptiste Lambert and June Lee / Yente Meijers, Linnea, Majbritt, Vendy, Elise and Hanna / Shane Juhasse*

Why we eat what we eat on the Swedish Christmas Smörgåsbord
Lund University ethnologist and food culture researcher, Håkan Jönsson, shares the history of the delicacies on the Swedish Christmas dinner table in a short film.
Click here to watch the film about Swedish Christmas food

Meatballs at Christmas in Sweden – why are they there and why are they so important?
Click here to read our article about why Swedes eat meatballs for Christmas

Feel-good Christmas music
Many people have already tuned in for this year’s Alumni Network Lucia celebration with Carolinae Damkör live streamed from the University auditorium on 13 December. If you haven’t already seen it, or want to tune in again, sit back, relax, take a sip of glögg and enjoy the recorded celebration on YouTube.
Click here to watch the 2021 Alumni Network Lucia celebration with Carolinae Damkör

You can also find last year’s digital holiday concert for Lund University alumni here:
Click here to watch the concert

And some other treats
Five top advices for an alternative Christmas holiday (in Swedish)
Click here to go to the article

Meet current students in the Lundagård advent calendar (in Swedish)
Click here to go to Lundagård’s website

Fun facts and experiments in the LTH Christmas calendar (in Swedish)
Click here to go to the calendar

We wish all alumni and friends a merry Winter Holiday and a very happy New Year!

2021-12-23

Maria Johansson

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“Every successful grand project must involve an efficient team that work together, focusing on what’s common rather than what’s different between its members”

How do a Lund University degree, nail art, crochet and architecture fit together? In Farah Mahmoud Hamasha’s life they seem to be a perfect combination for a successful career in design and architecture. In the last alumni interview of 2021 we have the pleasure of meeting with Farah who works as Architectural Engineering at Jordan Kuwait Bank. Farah is an alumna from the School of Economics and Management (LUSEM) with a MSc in Management, class of 2018 and a Lund University Global Scholarship recipient.

Hi Farah! You graduated from LUSEM in 2018. What have you been up to since then?

After I graduated I came back home to Jordan and immediately started applying for jobs. However, I was hit by the terrible lack-of-jobs situation in Jordan which continues to this day. I managed to get interviewed many times but I wasn’t lucky enough to be employed. While the job hunting continued, I decided to keep myself busy with different hobbies. Since I am originally an architect with a passion for design, I discovered my love for nail art and began creating nail designs on my mini canvases (my nails) @farahhs_canvas on Instagram –You can follow me and show some love there- Through this page I share my talent and culture with the world through nail art. Moreover, I improved my skills in yarn work and started my crochet and knitting business online. That was the case until February 2021 when I applied for Jordan Kuwait Bank, the HR manager at that time Mr. Daoud Issa requested to interview me. Mr. Daoud knew I graduated from Lund University, a university which he knew a lot about and admired. As a result to that interview, he gave me a chance which I am so grateful for… and I was employed as an Architectural Engineer at Jordan Kuwait Bank.

You currently work as an Architectural Engineer at Jordan Kuwait Bank, can you tell us what a normal workday looks like for you?

At first, I kick my day off with a prayer, and then on the way to work I listen to cheerful music to motivate me for the day. When I get into the office I always review my to-do-list –which I prepare a day before- leaving a spare time in case of an urgent task.

After that, I go on with my day as a fulltime architectural engineer. Whenever I feel the need for inspiration, I take a look at some catalogues which I always keep by my desk and I also search the web for the latest updates and trends in the design world. In the meantime, Jordan Kuwait Bank is going into a transitional period in which a lot of new and exciting projects are planned. Some examples are a complete renovation of the HQ, design an extension for the bank’s HQ and a lot of unique interior spaces with different purposes. My role includes providing detailed concepts, designs, constructional blueprints a long with realistic 3D models and VR experiences. I am also studying to be a LEED certified professional and help incorporate sustainable design concepts in my future design projects.

How would you describe the work culture in Jordan?

Work culture in Jordan is completely different from that in Sweden. Hierarchy is highly appreciated, especially that most of the big companies have been founded many years ago and still value the old management style. However, as times are changing many firms are now considering a more open work environment and are loosening the hierarchy ties gradually. Most Jordanians work for eight hours per day, but I think that the work-life balance depends on the employee themselves. For me, no matter what, I always make time to utilize outside of work, whether I go a trip or an outing with family or friends, I even sometimes use to chill and do nothing at all! Trust me it’s essential!

How has your time as a student at Lund University influenced your life?

First of all, let me express how much I miss Lund! My time there was absolutely fantastic! Even a normal walk in the street was a great experience to me! I honestly can’t remember happier times!

I was a part of a highly intensive programme with multinationalities. The differences were big, therefore my eyes were widely opened to other cultures and made me more familiar with different studying and working styles. Also, teamwork, teamwork and more teamwork! We were divided to teams based on our personalities and we did every project together, this prepared me to the real-life work experience and that every successful grand project must involve an efficient team that works together, focus on what’s common rather than what’s different between its members.

Finally, being in Sweden taught me that it’s totally okay and highly recommended to sit back, take a break..breathe..have a fika maybe…reflect and then get back to work instead of working under pressure (which is a thing I tended to do). I am incorporating such a concept in my current designs in order to help provide a better work experience for the employees and clients.

What are your plans and dreams for the new year, 2022?

I read something the other day and I loved it! It said “I don’t have dreams, I have goals which I work hard to achieve and I will”. For the new year, I want to be happy, healthy and be the best versions of myself that I can be! I also want to come back to Lund and appreciate its beauty again!

2021-12-16

Maria Johansson

This entry was posted in

Inspiring alumni International Women's Day LU Alumni around the world LU Global Scholarship Programme 10-Year Jubilee LUSEM Alumni

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Bye bye 2021 – Hello 2022

Now that 2021 is nearing its end, some of the many LU alumni who have intensively worked on dealing with the pandemic in 2021 would like to send you Christmas and New Year greetings.

2021-12-09

Helga Heun

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Featured in Lundensaren Inspiring alumni

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8 insights into living and working in Amsterdam

Curious about living and working in Amsterdam? Every semester we take the opportunity to invite alumni who have established themselves in some of the larger cities around the globe, to share their experiences with current students at Lund University. These events have become a popular part of our career programme. Earlier this year we had the pleasure of meeting with a brand-new alumni panel living and working in Amsterdam.

Photos of alumni residing in Amsterdam — (from left) Grace Lucky Janssen (MSc in Managing People, Knowledge & Change) Matteo Giulio Testa (MA in European and International Tax Law with a specialisation in indirect taxation), Beatriz Oliveira (MA in Entrepreneurship and Innovation) and Thijn Vrielink (MSc in Accounting and Finance, Business Administration)

Our new colleague Katja Woxell has gathered the best insights from the panel discussion.
Click here if you would like to see the recorded version of the webinar (available until spring 2022)

And here they are, 8 insights into what it is like to live and work in Amsterdam

Amsterdam – a city for bikers
Amsterdam is a cozy city where everything is just around the corner, which makes biking an optimal means of transportation.

No need to speak Dutch
In a city home to many nations you can conduct your business or everyday life in English. Dutch is not a must. However, it might be good to speak a little bit of Dutch for buying groceries at the supermarket and for cultural immersion.

Apply for jobs from abroad
Start applying for jobs or internships at the Dutch companies you want to work for early on in your studies, from Sweden. You can often go through all recruitment steps online and come to Amsterdam with a guaranteed job opportunity ahead of you.

Use recruitment companies
Create your profile at one of the Dutch recruitment companies such as Unique or Randstad. They can help you look for vacancies.

Prepare for an extensive interview process
You can expect at least two or three job interviews – one with the HR department, one with the hiring manager and a third one with a panel of potential colleagues. You may also be given an opportunity to demonstrate your skills through a portfolio or a test, including behavioral and technical questions.

Yes to straightforwardness
Giving and receiving feedback, and applying it in practice, is expected and a part of your job description in the Netherlands.

Cheaper to live outside of Amsterdam
It may be difficult to find accommodation in Amsterdam. That is why, it is common, and even cheaper, to rent an apartment in a nearby city. For instance, it takes about an hour to commute from Amsterdam to Rotterdam or the Hague. Although rent is more or less comparable to Swedish prices, goods such as fruit and vegetables are notably cheaper.

Work-life balance
The Netherlands has a good work-life balance. People usually work from nine to five. However, private life and work are strictly separated. When people are done working, they “close” their doors and start their private lives, which can make it difficult to make friends as a newcomer. However, you can still easily make friends with your colleagues as long as you make plans with them in advance.

Text: Katja Woxell
Feature photo from Pexels.com.

2021-12-08

Maria Johansson

This entry was posted in

Career advice Webinar recaps

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The Alumni Book Club – Chapter One

End of November and beginning of December – a quite gloomy and dark time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. One of the best recipes for chasing off the dark weather is a combination of hot cocoa, soft blankets, and good books. We believe that this is a tradition that could be celebrated all over the globe. At least, the part with the good books (and maybe also the chocolate). Research shows that reading has a significant number of benefits (same goes for chocolate) such as mental stimulation, stress reduction and memory improvement.

Over the years, Lund University has produced hundreds of thousands of talented of alumni. Some of you have become talented authors who have produced lots of inspiring, funny, scary or romantic books. Earlier this year we started the Alumni Book Club together with Författarskolan (The Creative Writing Programme) at Lund University to give alumni the opportunity to enjoy some of the literature produced within the alumni community. At this point in time, books and seminars are in Swedish, but we promised to share reading tips for the English-speaking part of the alumni community as well. This blog post is the first chapter in that reading list.

And, if you know of alumni authors with books in English, drop us an email on info@alumni.lu.se.

Click here to learn more about the Alumni Book Club (in Swedish)

Before the River Takes Us by Helena Thorfinn

Thorfinn is a bestselling Swedish fiction writer and journalist, born in Lund in 1964. Her books are noted for their interest in international development, poverty, human rights and ex-pat experiences. Before the publication of her first book, Innan Floden Tar Oss (Before the River Takes Us) in 2012, Thorfinn worked in international development. This followed a career as a journalist in national print and broadcast media in Sweden. She has also produced documentaries for national TV. Before the River Takes Us has been translated into Polish, Norwegian, Icelandic and English.

A Nearly Normal Family by Mattias Edvardsson

Edvardsson is a writer and upper secondary school teacher of Swedish and psychology. In 2016, he made his debut with a book published by Forum entitled En nästan sann historia (An Almost True Story) and he had a major international breakthrough in 2018 with the thriller En helt vanlig familj (A Nearly Normal Family). It was translated into thirty-three languages and was acclaimed by both reviewers and readers. He has recently published a new book, En familjetragedi (A Family Tragedy).

My Brother by Karin Smirnoff

Karin Smirnoff worked as a journalist before she got tired of it and bought a carpentry factory. After a few years, she missed writing and applied to Lund University’s Creative Writing programme with what would become her debut novel: Jag for ner till bror (My Brother). It was received with great enthusiasm and she was nominated for the August Prize in 2018 in the literary fiction category. Book two, Vi for upp med mor (My Mother), was published in spring 2019 and the trilogy was completed in 2020 with Sen for jag hem (Then I Went Home). By December 2020, her series about Jana Kippo had sold more than 500 000 copies. She has recently published a new book entitled Sockerormen (The sugar snake).

Text: Maria Johansson & Helga Heun
Photo from Amazon.com (book covers) and cover photo by Rahul Pandit from Pexels

2021-12-02

Maria Johansson

This entry was posted in

Alumni authors Inspiring alumni

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