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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“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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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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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

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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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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

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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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“I can be delivering a speech in the morning, giving a lecture on maritime law in the afternoon, and later visiting a prison.”

Meet Joshua Arteta Gonzalez, a Lund University alumnus from Colombia, currently working as an Associate Programme Officer for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in the Maldives. Joshua studied the Master’s in International Development and Management (LUMID), part of the Department of Human Geography. He was awarded the Lund University Global Scholarship in 2017 and graduated in 2019.

Hi Joshua! What have you been up to since graduation?

Honestly, it’s been the journey I was dreaming to be on. After the summer of 2019, I went back to Colombia, and started applying for jobs in Bogota and abroad like crazy! Luckily, I got several job offers, but ultimately I accepted a United Nations Volunteer (UNV) position in Sri Lanka with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and moved to Colombo in October 2019. I had completed an internship with the same UN agency back in 2018 as part of my master’s at Lund University, so Colombo was familiar to me… and I loved it! I was a Project Support Officer under UNODC’s Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP), assisting the team in the implementation of projects to combat maritime crime.

This was just before COVID-19 hit South Asia. I managed to have a couple of work trips, or ‘missions’, but it was mostly working from home. A decision was made to relocate me to Maldives, so in August 2020 I moved to Hulhumalé, a reclaimed island next to the capital Malé. I was one of the first international attached personnel of my agency to be permanently based here, which meant that there was a lot of work to be done: finding office space, developing good relations with government agencies, team building, proposal writing, you name it. Despite COVID-19 restrictions and countless PCR tests, it has been amazing.

You currently work as Associate Programme Officer at United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)’s Global Maritime Crime Programme in Maldives. Can you tell us more about the work you do and what a normal workday could look like?

This happened somewhat recently, just six months ago. As I mentioned above, I was a UNV. I was offered a full-time position as an international staff member after months of intense work in the middle of the pandemic. I was beyond proud and excited! This is not at all common, especially for a town boy from Colombia!

As an Associate Programme Officer, I am in charge of UNODC’s maritime portfolio in Maldives. The Programme I work for is the maritime arm of UNODC, which means that I work mostly with actors of the criminal justice system to make sure that crimes committed at sea are timely identified, properly investigated, prosecuted and adjudicated in line with United Nations instruments, principles and standards. I work with police, customs and coast guard, prosecutors, judges and corrections. Topics range from international maritime law and respect for human rights at sea, to humane treatment of prisoners in places of detention. This is somehow unexpected for me – I never thought I would be working on justice or rule of law. But it is a fascinating field and I learn everyday.

I feel there’s no such thing as a “normal workday” when one works in international development or peace and security, no matter how big or bureaucratic the organization is. Work can be as straightforward as having meetings with national counterparts, or as dynamic (and I’d say cool) as planning and executing a maritime training on board a vessel out at sea with law enforcement members. I’m still working under a work-from-home scheme, so today I might be wearing shorts and slippers from a café in Malé, and tomorrow I might be wearing suit and tie (yes, in hot tropical weather, yes!) to hand over specialized equipment donated to a government agency. What I can say for certain is that there is always something to do. Always. This kind of work can be boring for some, but this is the exact kind of job I studied for and I was wishing to have.

What do you believe to be the biggest challenges in your everyday work?

I identify at least two challenges: first, being a “lone wolf” at times. My team, who I love working with, is based in Sri Lanka. As Maldives-based staff, this means that I’m responsible for a very wide spectrum of activities, everything ranging from contacting vendors for the procurement of goods, to acting as the representative of my agency in high-level events with ministers and ambassadors. I get to be “the big fish in a small pond”, but office/administrative work is just as important, sometimes even more, and there’s no one else to do it but me. This can be overwhelming. The advantage I got over this is that I really like my job: I can be delivering a speech in the morning, giving a lecture on maritime law in the afternoon, and later visiting a prison.

But too much of anything can be harmful. This links to my second challenge: work-life balance. Maldives has exceptionally beautiful beaches and abundant marine life in every corner (I even became a diver!) but living here is drastically different from being a tourist. Despite its massive maritime space, Maldives’ islands are very small. Male’ is one of the biggest and is only 6.8km2, hosting an impressive 250,000 people. Some estimate a higher number. Space is limited, and so are leisure options, especially if you are coming from a huge Latin American urban centre! If I’m not snorkeling or diving, I’m working, even during weekends.

In a more general sense, the biggest challenge (and at same time achievement!) is taking care of my mental health. I truly enjoy my solitude, but too much of it is simply not good. Fortunately, Maldives has been rolling out a very successful COVID-19 vaccination programme and it has been opening up. I have managed to go to other islands outside of Malé, both for leisure and work, and I have built friendships that I’m sure will last for life. And I’m also diving! I wouldn’t have even considered it if I wasn’t here.

How have your studies and student life at Lund University been beneficial in your work?

The answer is simple: my life in Lund prepared me for this. It sounds almost like an institutional answer, but it is not an overstatement.

Professionally, I’m constantly applying the knowledge I acquired during my studies at Lund. I graduated from the Master’s in International Development and Management (LUMID). This programme includes modules on various topics within the development sector, from agriculture to global health. Although I’m working in a different field, the theoretical knowledge I gained is transferable to my current career path, and I’m a much nurtured professional thanks to LUMID. Also, having an internship as part of the programme, I think it has been proven that it can make a difference in someone’s professional life.

Personally, I’d say that having normalized interacting with people of different backgrounds, nationalities and customs has been one of the biggest takeaways of my experience in Lund. I wouldn’t be able to put into words how important it is to understand our differences, trying to comprehend where a person is coming from with a statement or an opinion, finding common interests through music or art despite being born thousands of kilometers away, or even spotting different accents! I don’t mean this in a romantic way, no; this is a fundamental part of my job and it sometimes requires patience, an open mind and constant commitment. And obviously it’s a must in the United Nations system.

What current fact about your life would most impress your five-year-old self?

I would say the speed at which I accomplished what I’ve accomplished: learning English by myself out of genuine curiosity, having visited more than 20 countries so far, being awarded scholarships during my undergraduate and graduate studies; being one of the first in my family to complete a master’s programme, and holding a position in the United Nations as an international staff… and I’m only 29! At five years old, my biggest aspiration was to be an English school teacher. I could not have possibly envisioned the life I have today. Little Joshua, you have no idea, boy.

I don’t want this to sound like I’m bragging, that’s not my intention. I just grab every opportunity to take great pride as someone from the Global South, because we must work twice, thrice as hard to get to where we wish to go in the international arena. Yes, I have worked hard and I’ve gone through difficult situations to get to where I am, but so have others! So, to Little Joshua I’d also say, “you are very privileged too”, but I’m sure he won’t forget that.

2021-11-22

Maria Johansson

This entry was posted in

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

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Sell your educational background to anyone – This is how Alejandra de Barcena Myrsep did it

The world has changed because our needs have changed. New jobs have appeared on the labor market and new educational programmes have been introduced at universities. Many of those new educational programmes are new and unknown even to employers.

Graduated recently in 2020 and already reached the United Nations.

So, how do you sell yourself if you have studied an “exotic” educational programme that most people have not even heard of? Alejandra de Barcena Myrsep who has a Master’s degree in Applied Cultural Analysis (MACA) from Lund University managed to sell her “exotic” and relatively unknown educational programme to such heavy-weight employers as the European Defense Agency (EDA) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), despite having graduated only in 2020. How did she manage it?

Alejandra de Barcena Myrsep is currently a trainee responsible for research coordination at EDA. Prior to this role, she worked as a research associate at Africa Center for Strategic Progress as well as a programme management intern at UNDRR. Alejandra is also the first MACA graduate that has been awarded the Hydén Award – an annual award to mark the best thesis on socio-economic and political issues in low- and middle-income countries, as presented by a Bachelor or Master’s level student at Lund University.

Her education gave her transferable skills that proved very useful.

According to Alejandra, the Master’s programme in Applied Cultural Analysis prepares you well for the “real world” because it includes practical components such as assignment to companies to develop project management skills in the second semester and work placement in the third semester. The latter gives you the opportunity to gather data for your master’s thesis at the same time as you gain experience and get more or less ready for future employment. Alejandra further notes that in MACA they did a lot of fieldwork, which involved recording, and later transcribing, a great amount of semi-structured interviews. Being trained in transcription, one knows how to listen and how to write, at the same time as one does it quickly. Alejandra remarks that she never expected this skill to prove so useful in her career. In her current role, one of her responsibilities includes taking notes at meetings and conferences which are sometimes not even recorded. This means that the field work carried out during her Master’s studies is paying off in unexpected ways.

Sell your skills, not your education.

Alejandra notes that it took her some time to realise what competencies MACA had given her. However, when she truly understood the advantages that her education had given her, she started marketing herself through what she calls the “holy trinity”: programme management, project management and stakeholder engagement. Prerequisites for all of these three skills are interdisciplinary and cooperation skills, which she further developed throughout her education in Applied Cultural Analysis, not only through tasks such as work placement but also through intensive group work. Nowadays, these skills are her cornerstones. For instance, at the EDA she works with the military on the one hand and the government on the other hand, each with their own agendas. Alejandra helps different parties unite, work together and reach a consensus so that everybody is on the same page.

Alejandra would like to share 5 valuable insights with you:

1. Choose one experience and follow the domino effect when marketing your educational background to a potential employer. For example, I would tell the employers about my assignment to two clients in the second semester, the stakeholder engagement skills I acquired there and how I applied them to my work placement.

2. If you are interested in doing an internship or traineeship at an international organisation, make sure to apply early. International organisations offer internships only to fresh graduates and their application process lasts for a few months, meaning that you have at most one year to be able to work there after graduation.

3. Think of three main words to describe your educational background. Have them as a calling card that you can pull out whenever you need to and adjust it to the role you are applying for. This helps you understand what you really want as well as to present yourself clearly. A very good one for MACA graduates is stakeholder engagement.

4. Put yourself out there. That’s when life happens for you.

5. After graduation, it is very important to have that one person that gives you a chance. I think people might be struggling because they haven’t found that person yet. Have patience.

To sum up, it comes down to your ability to truly understand and re-evaluate what your education has prepared you for and what skillset it has helped you develop so that you can explain its value to your potential employer. As Alejandra was told after one of her interviews, sometimes difference is good. Applied Cultural Analysis is different, and maybe not as known as many other educational programmes, but what you acquire throughout the programme got Alejandra to the EDA and UN. Who knows where it can get you!

Text: Katja Woxell

2021-11-16

Helga Heun

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Career advice

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