06
October
2017
|
19:14
Asia/Singapore

Forging partnerships with Sweden

To explore possibilities for further collaboration between NUS and universities in Sweden, the University was honoured bya visit from Swedish Minister for Higher Education and Research, Ms Helene Hellmark Knutsson, on 5 October. Accompanied by His Excellency Håkan Jevrell, Ambassador of Sweden to Singapore, as well as a delegation of leaders from Sweden’s top academic institutes, Ms Knutsson was hosted by Professor Ho Teck Hua, NUS Deputy President (Research & Technology) and Professor Andrew Wee, NUS Vice President (University and Global Relations).

Delegates in attendance were:

  • Professor Sigbritt Karlsson, President of KTH Royal Institute of Technology
  • Professor Helen Dannetun, Vice-Chancellor of Linköping University
  • Professor Lars Strannegård, President of Stockholm School of Economics
  • Professor Ylva Fältholm, Vice-Chancellor of University of Gävle
  • Professor Karin Dahlman-Wright, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Karolinska Institutet
  • Ms Anna-Lena Paulsson, Head of International Relations Unit at Karolinska Institutet,
  • Professor Stacey Ristinmaa Sörensen, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Lund University      
  • Mr Richard Stenelo, Internal Director at Lund University
  • Ms Maria Engelmark, Director of International Affairs, Head of Division, at Linköping University
  • Mr Rolf Höijer, Senior Advisor, Division for Research Policy, Ministry of Education and Research

NUS already has warm ties with many Swedish universities, through student exchange programmes as well as education and research collaborations. This also includes the NUS Overseas Colleges programme in Stockholm — a collaboration with KTH Royal Institute of Technology.

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The Swedish delegates and NUS representatives discussed possible areas for collaboration and mutual learning

The meeting saw questions and ideas flow quickly between the delegates and NUS representatives on topics including translation of research, key factors for a university’s success, research infrastructure and internationalisation of a university community.

“I think that is why international collaboration is so important, because we can all learn from each other and become stronger when we share knowledge,” said Ms Knutsson as the meeting concluded. She added that she hoped the existing collaborations between NUS and Swedish universities will continue to deepen and strengthen over the years.