GU Journal 1-2019

The University of Gothenburg has the potential to become a truly great university.

GUJournal ALEXANDRE ANTONELLI PAGE 18

INDEPENDENT JOURNAL FOR THE STAFF AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG #1 MARCH 2019

WHEN WOMEN’S HEARTS BREAK

ELIMIR OMEROVIC RESEARCHES TAKOTSUBO SYNDROME

NEWS

Growing hate speech and threats directed at lecturers and researchers He got a top position in London Climate change is not only man-made

VICE-CHANCELLOR A new minister and a much discussed inquiry N JANUARY, we got a government and

a new minister for Higher Education and Research – Matilda Ernkrans (S).

On February 1, the Government’s Inquiry Chair, and also the University of Gothenburg’s former Vice-Chancellor Pam Fredman, presented the important “Styr- och Resursutredningen” (Governance and Resource Inquiry) to the government, much like a welcome present to the newly-appointed minister. In connection with this, the member universities of the Association of Swedish Higher Education

Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG

Institutions, the minister and various stakeholders were given a presentation of the inquiry, during which the proposals were also analysed and discussed. A basic proposal, which had been known earlier in the course of the inquiry, is that the governance of universities and colleges should be designed so that they manage funding for education and research jointly. The inquiry’s proposals suggest increased autonomy and an emphasis on the long-term perspective that is required.

MANY INTERESTING contributions were

made, and it was interesting to see an inquiry that was met with predominantly positive responses. I am no exception, but my conviction is also that we need increased basic funding as well as higher education institutions with greater independence.

Now we look forward to being part of an important consultation process where we can analyse the proposals together and assess their significance for our university.

In February, we will also summarize 2018 as the annual report will be ready. In short, the university has seen positive developments during the year, but shows an underproduction in education.

AT THE TIME of writing, 13 people from the University of Gothenburg are packing for a delegation trip to the eastern USA. The trip will be undertaken together with four other universities: Uppsala, Lund, Stockholm and Umeå. We will be spending a few days at the Embassy in Washington, where we will be attending round table talks, receptions and alumni events. The aim is to present Swedish research and education.

In connection with this, we will also visit the universities with which the University of Gothenburg relatively recently signed agreements – the University of South Carolina and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The intention is to strengthen ties between us with a particular focus on the fact that the deans accompanying us will have an opportunity to meet their corresponding faculty representatives.

Our ambition is to develop new research partnerships and to create a basis for more lecturer and student exchanges.

EVA WIBERG

MASTHEAD

Few alternative career opportunities for academics THE 2018 ANNUAL REPORT

reveals that the University of Gothenburg is in the black once again, and reports record retained earnings.

So on the surface, things are looking good, but a closer look at the department level shows that several units are struggling with deficits in both education and research.

One explanation is that the number of professors promoted has increased significantly over the past few years; thus

2 GUJOURNAL MARCH 2109

forcing more professors to share the faculties’ funds, which have not increased to the same extent. To make ends meet, some departments are planning to reduce the amount of research for both lecturers and professors, as well as temporarily freezing admissions for doctoral students. The alternative is to start laying off staff. New statistics also show that the number of new doctoral students continues to fall. It has fallen by 21 percent since 2017.

How does that align with the University of Gothenburg’s vision of all lecturers doing research as part of their assignments, and the requirements for complete environments?

In this issue, we interview Alexandre Antonelli who has received a top position in London. He argues that the university must be better at investing in the truly successful people, and that securing employment

for as many as possible will hamper development.

Having everyone contributing equally to lecturing, research, collaboration and administration is another problem, he believes. He is really pointing out the larger societal problem that there are so few alternative career paths for academics. That is the truly serious issue.

THE EDITORS

20

Anders Nordlund inaugurates Physics Play.

Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG

CONTENTS NEWS 04–11

04. Hate speech and threats a growing problem.

05. Major flaws in the University of Gothenburg’s security systems.

06. Anna Wåhlin uses submarine to investigate melting ice in Antarctica.

08. Agnes Wold behind new course in Infectious Disease Control.

10. Risk that the ship will not be ready in time.

PROFILE 12–14

20. Fatal symptoms of heartbreak.

REPORT 15–21

15. Royal visit at GU. 16. The boundless Alexander.

18. Antonelli critical of the University of Gothenburg’s vision. .

20. Louise Biddle wants to learn more about melting ice.

22. Reopening of Physics Play

PEOPLE 22–23

24. New Head of Department for both Valand and the Academy of Design and Crafts.

PERSPECTIVE 26

MARCH 2019 GUJOURNAL

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NEWS Growing hate speech and threats In recent months, hate speech and threats have become a growing problem at the University of Gothenburg. As a lecturer and health and safety representative at the School of Business, Economics and Law, Maria Norbäck sees how employees are exposed to unpleasant situations.

“Hate speech, threats and abusive behaviour can also come “from within” the university, and the perpetrator may be a student. This is something we should talk more about at the university.”

MARIA NORBÄCK researches the or-

ganisation of media companies and employees who work in the media, and is a member of the Press Subsidies Council, which makes decisions on press subsidies for newspapers.

It was in this capacity that Maria Norbäck and the other members were contacted by people belonging to the racist and anti-Semitic YouTube channel, Granskning Sverige. The channel is known for phoning journalists, politicians and researchers in order to then randomly edit the interview in a way that gives a negative impression of the interviewee.

“Last year, the work of the Press Subsidies Council attracted the attention of Granskning Sverige.

They reported the Director General of the Swedish Press and Broadcasting Authority to the police. The Director General is the principal of the Press Subsidies Council. And they believed the scoop was that the Council, on erroneous grounds, had granted press subsidies to left-leaning newspapers.”

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In connection with Granskning Sverige’s phone activities, Maria Norbäck discovered that her name appeared in the channel’s Twitter feed, where she was depicted as a left-wing extremist – a designation that the channel gave her because of her membership in the association “Jag är här” (I am here), which works to counter online hate speech.

“It wasn’t disseminated very widely and the case was closed by the police, but it was still unpleasant.

The other members of the Council were more jaded and advised me to increase the level of privacy on my social media accounts and remove my mobile number from public websites.”

But university lecturers can also be exposed in more subtle ways.

Maria Norbäck believes that the polarization in public discourse is something that has had an effect on the debate about teaching, as it is often a small but verbal group of students who question the content of certain courses.

“WE KNOW THAT a group of stu-

dents are extremely provoked by certain subjects. We have a course in the first year of the Economics Programme called Organisation and Leadership, where we usually have a lecture about gender and diversity.” ”The students are usually young men, and their objections are usually that gender and diversity are about politics rather than science and that the subject does not belong in the programme. But even subjects such as social sustainability and ethics can be met with opposition.

And this leads to recurring discussions about reliable statistics and research methodology, and about

what actually constitutes facts.”

The work of a lecturer is assessed using course evaluations, among other things. As there is frequently a smaller number of students who respond to course evaluations, a few negative evaluations can make a big difference.

“As a lecturer, if you want

Text: MATS LUSTIG Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG

Facts

According to Maria Norbäck the university must stand up for academic honesty and freedom.

In connection with a bomb threat against the Swedish Secretariat for Gender Research in December 2018, individual researchers within the organisation have been subjected to hate speech via email and social media. Such a large amount of abuse was directed at the staff that they were not able to report it all. Just over a month later, staff at the laboratory for Experimental Biomedicine found themselves in the midst of a storm of abuse when animal rights activists launched a protest campaign against animal testing. Animal testing performed on dogs aims to give answers to how inflammation affects dental implants, for example, and after a range of procedures the dogs are put down, which has resulted in strong public reaction. The attention has led to the university and researchers receiving threats and hate speech on social media, while protests have taken place outside the unit. Currently, 29 cases of threats and inappropriate comments on social media have been submitted to the university’s security department.

Report all threats!

Now the university must start working preventively against hate speech, says Jörgen Svensson, Security Director at the University of Gothenburg.

“We must be better at working more systematically with security. Currently, the security personnel often only become involved after something has already happened.”

A GREAT NUMBER of threats and

instances of hate speech have gone unnoticed as personnel have not reported them. Therefore, the university is now taking vigorous steps to get a general picture of instances of hate speech and threats, and determine how to proceed with campus security.

Jörgen Svensson believes that employees have to get better at reporting threatening situations when they arise.

“It can be dangerous to normalize these types of threatening messages. For that reason, we have asked the administrative managers at the various departments to collect everything they receive during the course of a week.”

“The new routines should make it easier to report incidents while also sparing personnel from having to read the material. Instead, it will be sent to the security staff who will carry out an investigation. When we have collected a sufficient number of incident reports, the university will decide how to proceed.”

“When we know the full extent of the problem, we may perhaps consult someone else, or solve it on our own. Hate speech or threats that are directed at employees are reported to the police.”

The university also provides security training for its employ-

Photo: ALLAN ERIKSSON

to avoid arguments and bad evaluations, you can just remove subjects that are a little uncomfortable. At the same time, this is a huge problem, because at university we have to talk about things that may seem controversial, where we need to convey research results and discuss scientific theories.” Therefore, she believes that the entire university must send a message that lecturers must be able to talk about controversial subjects that are important, even if students question them.

“We must not get cold feet and shy away from such subjects, leaving it up to the individual lecturer alone to take responsibility and face the consequences.

This has to be the responsibility of the entire organisation.”

Jörgen Svensson

ees. During the training course, the participants are prepared psychologically to deal with threatening situations and at the same time, they receive an up-to-date overview of the security situation within the university. However, Jörgen Svensson believes that more people need to participate in the training.

“Very few managers participate and that is a problem, because managers are required to handle these matters as they are responsible for health and safety.”

But Jörgen Svensson also believes that there are major shortcomings in the university’s security efforts.

“At the moment, the University of Gothenburg often works reactively with security issues. We need to be better at working strategically and taking a long-term perspective. Furthermore, we need to be involved in the early stages, such as before commencing large research projects that could be controversial. We would like to be involved early to provide good advice and support, and be more proactive in our approach.”

Mats Lustig vara proaktiva i vårt arbete.

MATS LUSTIG MARCH 2019 GUJOURNAL

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NEWS

Seeking causes of melting ice At the moment, Anna Wåhlin is on an icebreaker in Western Antarctica, together with about thirty researchers.

Their work will include the testing of Ran, the University of Gothenburg’s new unmanned submarine, which will eventually be sent under the ice to carry out unprecedented measurements.

“We know far too little about why the ice is melting.

That is why more research is needed,” she explains.

ASTONISHINGLY LITTLE is known

about the oceans, says Anna Wåhlin, Professor of Oceanography, who the GU Journal took the opportunity to interview the day before she set off on her sixth research expedition to Antarctica.

“Every time scientists map depths of the Antarctic continental shelf, they discover major errors. As these errors are fed into models that have been developed for climate change and sea levels for example, these also turn out incorrect results.

We would need to go out and measure much more frequently, but unfortunately it is both expensive and difficult.”

The surface temperature of the oceans is measured using satellites.

In addition, the international Argo project, which has been underway for the past ten years, has involved the deployment of almost 4,000 buoys across the world’s oceans, which can make measurements at depths of 850 metres. That sounds like a lot.

“But the oceans are vast, 4,000 buoys is actually an infinitesimal

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number. Furthermore, they are not located anywhere near the continental shelves, where the biggest changes are occurring. Still, it is obviously a good initiative. In addition, one of the aims of the project is to develop a deep-sea variant that can go down to a depth of 2,000 metres, which is of course even better.”

ANNA WÅHLIN IS critical of the ongoing climate debate. She believes that the media paints an ominous picture of impending disaster, for which there is not much support.

“In connection with natural disasters for example, people are frightened by the fact that they might be caused by climate change.

But there is no evidence that tropical cyclones, for example, have increased or even that they have a connection with the Earth’s average temperature.”

To be able to predict the future, you have to know what conditions were like previously, says Anna Wåhlin.

“But when it comes to the oceans, there are no uninterrupted time series longer than 50 years.

In the absence of better data, we must use the few measurements that exist, but of course they lead to very uncertain predictions.”

THE FACT THAT the Earth’s average

temperature has risen by 0.5–1.0 degree over the past 50 years is indisputable, Anna Wåhlin explains.

“Man is probably responsible for at least part of the increase.

However, sea level rise has not been affected, it has been increasing at a rate of around 3 mm per year for the past 10,000 years. What one might

Right now Anna Wåhlin, professor of Oceanography, is doing research in Antarctica. Among other things, she is testing the underwater vessel Ran.

Anna Wåhlin

be concerned about is whether there is any cut-off point where the climate will start to change much faster or where some other dramatic change occurs. However, all these scenarios are based on very uncertain data.”

However, the increasing air temperature is not affecting the oceans, which function as the Earth’s major climate stabilizer, Anna Wåhlin explains.

“Even if we raise global air temperatures by several degrees, there will always be areas at the Poles where it is colder than –2 degrees in the winter. This is where deep water is formed; warm water stays at the surface, while the cold water falls to the bottom. Not even a very substantial rise in air temperatures will affect the oceans. Furthermore, the fact is that heating water is extremely energy-intensive; it takes over 1,000 times more joules to heat a litre of water

one degree compared to a litre of air.”

Yet the ice is melting. The area that Anna Wåhlin is currently in, the Amundsen Sea, is the part of Antarctica that is melting faster than anywhere else.

“IT MAY HAVE natural causes, but

may also be related to human activity. To understand what is happening requires knowledge. But so far, the oceans under the glaciers are basically completely unexplored. We do not know how deep they are, how thick the ice is or what the processes in the interface between the ice and the sea are like. That is why the new underwater vessel Ran is so important, as it can go under the ice and take a variety of measurements.”

The researcher’s task is to be open about what we know – but also about what we do not know. Then it is up to the citizens and the politicians to

Professor of ­ ceanography, is O on an icebreaker in the Amundsen Sea in Western Antarctica, together with about thirty researchers from Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. Their work will include testing Ran, the University of Gothenburg’s new autonomous underwater vessel, which can study glaciers from below, including completely unexplored ice caves.

The expedition, which is part of the five-year British-American research programme, International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration, will run from January 29 to March 15.

decide how that knowledge should be handled, says Anna Wåhlin.

“Personally, I am more concerned about the climate becoming colder than becoming warmer. Because we are probably at the end of a 10,000year interglacial period that will be followed by a 100,000-year ice age.

And we have no explanation as to why the climate varies in this intermittent way; the theories presented, such as it being connected to variations in the distance of the Earth to the sun, do not provide sufficient explanation. Climate and temperature are very complex things, which require much more data over time to understand. Therefore, resources should be spent on research, rather than on making additional, uncertain climate models.

Text: EVA LUNDGREN Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG MARCH 2019 GUJOURNAL

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NEWS

Nordic course on infectious disease control In the autumn, a unique education programme in Infectious Disease Control and Infection Prevention and Control will commence at the University of Gothenburg. The education programme is being provided on the initiative of the Nordic Council of Ministers and is aimed at both healthcare professionals and people with a Bachelor’s Degree in relevant subjects.

SINCE THE NORDIC SCHOOL of Public Health closed in 2014, there have been few opportunities to train in the field of Infectious Disease Control and Infection Prevention and Control in the Nordic countries. This is according to Agnes Wold, Professor of Clinical Bacteriology, who is one of the people responsible for putting together the education programme.

“The University of Skövde admittedly offers an education programme in Public Health that includes that specialization. However, our programme has a stronger focus on microbiology and basic knowledge of infections, and how infection is spread. For example, the students will learn how antibiotic resistance arises and spreads, and why a group of bacteria can be resistant to certain antibiotics but not to others.

They will also be trained in the

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scientific approach so that they can think critically and not believe the different myths that are disseminated in society.

They should be able to find out for themselves whether nail polish is really unhygienic and whether or not surgical masks during operations provide any benefit or not.”

The education programme consists of four courses and will be part-time.

“THREE WEEKS of homework

assignments will be interspersed with campus meetings from Monday to Friday,” explains Eva Sjögren-Nilsson, administrative coordinator. “We will use modern, interactive teaching methods, including video lectures, group exercises and tests that the students correct themselves. After three weeks, when we meet, the students will have to present what they have done at home before

The new course focuses on microbiology.

we move on. We have been in contact with an inexpensive hotel at Nya Varvet where any students who need accommodation will be able to stay.”

There will be around 30 places on the programme, 20 of which are reserved for contract education and the other 10 are for applicants with a suitable Bachelor’s Degree, who can complete all or part of the programme. How the places will be allocated is not yet clear, but we hope there will be a mix of people from the five Nordic countries, as well as people with different professional experience, such as doctors

and nurses but perhaps also veterinarians and biomedical analysts.

“SINCE THE education pro-

gramme is based on real-life experiences, where theory is intertwined with practice, it is a great advantage if the students have different experiences that they can share,” explains Agnes Wold.

The need for education in the field of Infectious Disease Control and Infection Prevention and Control is considerable, says Anneli Ringblom, hygiene nurse.

“In Sweden, Norway and

JANUARI

I

“The students will also be trained in critical thinking,” says Agnes Wold.

the Netherlands, we have few problems with antibiotic resistance. The situation is considerably worse in the United Kingdom and Southern Europe, for example. But considering how much we travel, and how serious the problem may become in the future, it is important to be well prepared.”

The fact that the Nordic Council of Ministers decided to give the assignment to Sahlgrenska Academy is due to their first-class facilities, the close collaboration with the clinic and, equally important, its lecturers’ high level of skill.

“Over 80 per cent of the lecturers have PhDs and several are professors with combined roles in academia and the healthcare sector,” says Agnes Wold. “We also collaborate closely with clinical microbiology at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, as well as with Vårdhygien och Smittskyddsenheten (Infection Prevention and Control and the Infectious Disease Control Unit) in Västra Götaland region. So the programme has all the conditions in place for achieving excellence.”

Text: EVA LUNDGREN Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG MARCH 2019 GUJOURNAL

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NEWS

Unclear whether the ship will be ready “No, I do not think they will be completely finished by April 2”, says Göran Hilmersson, Dean and chair of the steering committee for the vessel project at the University of Gothenburg, who has just returned from the shipyard in Gdansk.

BUT HE HAS no new information to

contribute.

“No, nothing has changed from before. I was down there to gather more information and have conveyed our concerns to the management of the shipyard. We maintain that the ship must be delivered by April 2. The question is how ready the ship will by then. Will it be enough for us to accept the ship?” says Göran Hilmersson.

He states that work has progressed, but there are still a few important points on the list of actions that need to be ticked off. The most significant problem is the propulsion. Half the time scheduled for the project has past, but an acceptable solution

is still to be presented, he says.

According to Göran Hilmersson, there are two options: One is to take possession of the ship, in accordance with the fifth supplementary agreement, on April 2, 2019 irrespective of how close the shipyard is to completion, and remunerate the shipyard for the work performed up until that date. The other option is to annul the purchase.

“I CANNOT STRESS enough how important it is to maintain our quality requirements. But both options come with different types of risk.

Taking possession of the ship and completing it at another shipyard would require having a good overall picture of the ship’s status. We need to carry out certain basic trial runs and tests, and we cannot do that yet as the ship is still in dock. But the two options also entail different financial risks.”

If we have to annul the purchase, the University of Gothenburg has already invested in a lot of equipment

on the ship, which may be lost, and the risk of a drawn-out legal process is considerable. But completing the work at another shipyard also entails increased costs, which would make it even more expensive to lease the ship.

“Of course, annulling the purchase is not a desirable option for either party.”

SO FAR, THE University of Gothenburg has paid the shipyard SEK 100 million and SEK 30-40 million remains, in accordance with the original quote. But there is some uncertainty as to what the total cost will be, depending on the option taken.

Göran Hilmersson is concerned.

“The situation is very difficult, and there is no simple solution. We must ensure that the researchers have a functioning ship, but not at any price.”

ALLAN ERIKSSON

Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG

I cannot stress ­enough­ how ­important it is to ­maintain our quality requirements.

GÖRAN HILMERSSON

Facts The ship was commissioned in 2013 as a replacement for the almost 50-year-old research vessel, Skagerak. During the procurement process, the Polish shipyard Nauta submitted the lowest bid. But the shipyard had no previous experience of building ships of this nature. The new ship was intended to be completed in 2015.

The project has been hampered by numerous setbacks, including problems with control systems, propulsion, quality of the paintwork and, not least, stability.

In point of fact, the ship was too heavy, and had to be extended by three metres.

In August 2018, Skagerak crashed into the shipyard quay, which resulted in damage to the bulb at the bow of the ship and to the hull. The new delivery date has been set for April 2, 2019. Meanwhile, the old Skagerak vessel has been recommissioned following renovation work.

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NEWS

Another surplus for GU As expected, the University of Gothenburg reported a surplus again this year but the result was lower than projected, SEK 20 million. The low number of applicants, in combination with more employees, is the main explanation.

AFTER HAVING RECENTLY

summed up last year’s results, it turns out that the University of Gothenburg has shown a surplus for the twentieth year running. But dark clouds are gathering. For example, the University of Gothenburg has failed to achieve the government’s funding agreement targets

for the seventh year running.

“We have an underproduction in education that corresponds to around 4 percent of our funding agreement targets. Since we no longer have any saved performances, the University of Gothenburg has started the new year with a deficit of SEK 82 million”, says Peter Tellberg, CFO.

Peter Tellberg

LAST YEAR, only the Faculty of

We have an underproduction in education …

Social Sciences reached their funding agreement targets.

This is also something that concerns Vice-Chancellor Eva Wiberg.

“Of course, we need to deliver on our targets. There are expectations on us to achieve

certain teaching quotas and that the students take their degrees.”

BUT THESE problems notwith-

standing, the finances are looking positive. The surplus of SEK 20 million is entirely within research. But the fact that the result was still worse than expected is mainly due to the number of employees increasing by 3.1 percent, primarily lecturers and administrative staff.

At the end of the year, retained capital was SEK 1.2 billion, of which three quarters is reserved for research. That is the largest amount ever.

THE UNION FOR EVERYONE! Welcome to the Union of Civil Servants at the University of Gothenburg!

We are convinced that together we are stronger! All employees are welcome as members, regardless of their duties, positions or education. We are active within the entire university and can help you with wage negotiations, work environment issues and other questions related to your employment.

• Fika with the Union • Introduction days for new employees • After #metoo – a seminar on sexual harassment • Regional cinema night - A woman among men • Annual meeting for members • Network meetings for work environment representatives • PhD student seminar: Good working conditions

We also arrange different kinds of activities. Many of these are open to non-members.

You can find dates, times and more information about our events at our website: st.org/goteborgsuniversitet.

Would you like to know more about all the benefits being a member? Don’t hesitate to visit: st.org/english.

MARCH 2019 GUJOURNAL

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PROFILE

Research on mo The heart is a mysterious organ; poets as well as cardiologist Elmir Omerovic can agree on that. He researches Takotsubo syndrome, or broken heart syndrome, which was practically unknown in the medical profession until as recently as 28 years ago.

“My hypothesis is that the syndrome, paradoxically, is a defence mechanism initiated by the body in the event of grief or other forms of overwhelming negative stress.”

Text: EVA LUNDGREN Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG

DET HELA BÖRJADE en It all began one afternoon in

January 2005, when Elmir Omerovic, a researcher and cardiologist at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, was attending a 58-year-old female patient. She seemed to have suffered an acute myocardial infarction.

“When we examined her, however, there were quite a lot of things that did not seem to fit. The patient had normal circulation in the coronary arteries and had no major damage to the heart muscle. And yet, surprisingly, over 60 percent of her heart was paralysed! As a medical student, you learn that if 40 percent of the heart has stopped working, the patient dies. So how could this woman be alive?”

In the scientific literature, Elmir Omerovic found something that seemed to fit: broken heart syndrome, also called Takotsubo, after the Japanese word for “octopus trap”, which the ballooning ventricle resembles. And it was in Japan that the syndrome was first described in 1990. The syndrome occurs after prolonged periods of negative stress, such as grief or anxiety.

It matched what the patient described, as she said she had been bullied at work for a long time.

“TAKOTSUBO SYNDROME is an example of researchers’

and doctors’ ignorance. Because despite the many advances of science, there is still a lot we do not know about the body, for example when it comes to the functioning of the heart.”

But it is also an example of how important it is to challenge dogmas, even if you are threatened with intellectual evisceration,” Elmir Omerovic argues.

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“As a doctoral student, I had Åke Hjalmarsson and Finn Waagstein as supervisors. They really challenged medical science in the 1970s when they suggested that cardiac insufficiency could be treated with beta blockers, something that is currently used all over the world.

Encouraged by their example, I investigated the case further.”

DOCTORS OFTEN HAVE to make quick decisions, says Elmir Omerovic.

“If certain symptoms usually indicate myocardial infarction, for example, we might be disregarding things that contradict that diagnosis. And we might suggest the most common treatment instead of exploring what is best in that particular case. Clinical decision-making is also not part of medical school training, which I consider to be a major shortcoming. Because even if it is not possible to examine a patient to the nth degree, medical students should nevertheless be made aware of the risk of overconfidence, when you reach a diagnosis too quickly without considering the alternatives.”

The 58-year-old woman, who was the first documented case of Takotsubo syndrome in Sweden, recovered quite quickly. After a few days, she was discharged from the hospital, says Elmir Omerovic.

“It’s strange, but even though the heart can literally break as a result of Takotsubo syndrome, the disorder normally heals by itself. It is also remarkable that about 85 percent of those affected are women, most of them in their 60s.We suspect that stress hormones are involved, but also the sex hormone oestrogen. My hypothesis

ortal grief

is that Takotsubo syndrome, paradoxically, involves a defence mechanism. When a woman is suffering from overwhelming grief, the heart reacts in a way that ensures that the blood keeps flowing; normally the body heals itself when the danger is over, although sometimes this can go wrong and lead to death.”

Another remarkable feature is that Takotsubo syndrome seems to be most common among Swedish women.

“IN SWEDEN, about 50 cases a month are detected, of

which about one case per week is diagnosed at Sahlgrenska University Hospital. That Takotsubo syndrome seems to be so common in Sweden may be due to our effective healthcare system where all cases are registered, but this cannot be the entire explanation. Is it something to do with genetics or is it due to social conditions? We do not know.”

Although the diagnosis of Takotsubo syndrome is new, the broken-heart phenomenon has been known since ancient times, Elmir Omerovic points out.

“For instance, the Bible mentions people who died of grief, as well as many poets from several different eras and cultures of course. As a child in Croatia, I learned the Hasanaginica ballad by heart, which ended with the main character’s wife falling down and dying of despair because she is not allowed to meet her children.”

Elmir Omerovic came to Sweden in 1991. He was born in Bosnia, but he grew up in a small town in the Croatian countryside.

“As a child, I was good at school, but during my teenage years, I started to pay less attention to my studies. So, when I was 14 years old, my father put me in a military school. It was a total shock to me, having to get up at 6 o’clock every morning and subjecting myself to harsh discipline. But I actually had very good teachers and I learned a lot.”

ELMIR OMEROVIC continued in the military and as a

19-year-old he had advanced to the rank of sergeant.

“But that wasn’t what I was interested in, I wanted to be a doctor. I did not know what to do to get out of the military and was advised to simply desert. I didn’t think that deserting was anything serious, but to my dismay I ended up in front of the Military Court in Split and was threatened with five year’s imprisonment! The whole thing was very traumatic but somehow, I was acquitted and was able to start my medical studies in Zagreb.”

The following year, he got engaged to the woman who is now his wife, Ljiljana. She is from Sweden, but her father comes from Croatia and Elmir Omerovic met her when her family was visiting relatives during the summer. She moved to Zagreb but when the war MARCH 2019 GUJOURNAL

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PROFILE

As I see it, Scandinavian society is the best that ever existed in the world and it is something that we must defend every single minute.

ELMIR OMEROVIC

Elmir Omerovic Works as: Newly appointed Professor of Cardiology and specialist at Sahlgrenska University Hospital.

Lives in: Hisings Backa.

Family: Wife and 9-year-old son.

Has most recently read: Madeleine Albright: Fascism A Warning.

Has most recently watched: Alita: Battle Angel.

Favourite dish: Slavonic soups.

Best/worst personality trait: Naivety when it comes to making the world a better place.

Other interests: Philosophy of science, ethics, politics, history, debates, sports and fiction.

Normal heart

Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy Japanese Octopus Trap (Called Tako-Tsubo)

Left Ventrical

14 GUJOURNAL MARCH 2019

Enlarged Ventrical

broke out in 1991, her family demanded that she return home. Elmir Omerovic accompanied her and that is how he ended up in Sweden.

The Balkan Wars still fill Elmir Omerovic with shame.

“The first thing that happens during wartime is that normal morality dissolves, the enemy is dehumanized, it is considered a duty to retaliate for alleged historical injustices. It often leads to appalling tragedies, such as in former Yugoslavia.”

THE ONLY DEFENCE against barbarism is enlightenment, says Elmir Omerovic.

“Sometimes people talk about a Balkanisation of the world, with Trump in America, Putin in Russia and Orbán in Hungary. It is not an expression I like, but it is about societies fracturing, where people only listen to information that confirms their own perception of reality. Instead, I would like to see a Scandinavianisation of the world, where you never allow gaps between people to become unreasonably large and where problems are solved through dialogue. Because, as I see it, Scandinavian society is the best that ever existed in the world and it is something that we must defend every single minute. Perhaps I feel stronger about this model than Scandinavians themselves because I come from outside: I have personally experienced how bad things can become when society collapses, and I have had chances here that I hardly would have had in Croatia. Therefore, I want to do my best to give something positive back.”

However, his relatives and many friends are still in Croatia.

“My dream is to buy a house in the same rural community where I grew up. Then I could reconnect with relatives and friends and open my home to them for a month every summer. ‘No man is an island,’ wrote John Donne, the 17th century English poet; we need to care about one another and spend time with friends and relatives, because grief and despair can actually be deadly.”■

NEWS Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG

Hi there …

Bethanie Carney Almroth, Associate Professor

of Ecotoxicology! On January 30, the ­Department of Biological and Environ­ mental Sciences received a visit from Crown Princess Victoria.

Why was that?

“I met the Crown Princess in New York in 2017, at the Sustainable Development Goals forum, which Sweden and Fiji hosted. Myself and a colleague had arranged an ancillary event about plastic in the oceans, which Victoria attended. Then we met again last summer when I participated on a panel at the Volvo Ocean Race. At the time, the Crown Princess suggested that we should continue our conversation over lunch, but we did not have the time. Instead, I have been in contact with the Crown Princess’s marshal of the court over the past six months to arrange an on-site visit.

Two weeks ago, I found out that it would indeed take place.”

What did the Crown Princess do during her visit?

“She visited the laboratory in the Zoology building where we spent an hour discussing possible solutions to various environmental issues. I think all participants were very satisfied.

The visit from the Crown Princess was an opportunity to highlight the role of the University of Gothenburg concerning research on plastic and toxins in the oceans. And of course, it is very important that Victoria is able to highlight matters of environmental research in the forums in which she participates.”

Was it stressful to receive a royal visit on such short notice “Yes, it was. But a lot of people contributed to making the event as successful as possible. We even cleaned and scrubbed every nook and cranny of the department.”

In the afternoon, the Crown Princess also took the opportunity to pay a visit to the Agency for Marine and Water Management.

Under eftermiddagen passade kronprinsessan också på att besöka Havsoch vattenmyndigheten.

Above: Crown Princess Victoria, Henrik Aronsson, Anders Danielsson and Bethanie Carney Almroth.

Below: GU staff welcome the Crown Princess Victoria and Anders Danielsson, Governor of Västra Götaland.

MARCH 2019 GUJOURNAL

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REPORT

Gunhild Vidén and Karin Hult are the editors of the book.

The borderless

ALEXANDER

Text: EVA LUNDGREN Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG

He is noble and fair, cruel and arrogant, ascends to the heavens and descends into the deep blue sea.

For 2300 years, Alexander the Great has inspired the most remarkable stories in both the East and the West. Now there is an omnibus edition that provides an account of the most important source of the tall tales told about the Macedonian conqueror – The Alexander Romance.

16 GUJOURNAL MARCH 2019

ONE MIGHT THINK that Alexander the Great’s life was

sufficiently spectacular as it was. His teacher was Aristotle, he became king at the age of twenty, and succeeded in conquering virtually all of what was then the known world before he died in 323 BC., barely 33 years of age. But after his death, his more fantastical life began, as a hero and explorer of unknown worlds, as a champion of Christianity or, alternatively, Islam, but also as a warning of how pride goes before a fall.

“A few years ago, some colleagues at the Department of Languages and Literatures started to hold interdisciplinary seminars on the myths surrounding Alexander,” explains Karin Hult, Professor of Greek. “It turns out that there was so much to say about him and from so many different language areas and cultures. So, the series of seminars was expanded and extended over several semesters. In the end, we thought that we should compile the various Alexander stories into one volume.”

MOST OF THE BOOK is about different versions of the so-called Alexander Romance, written in Greek in the 4th century AD. “Throughout the Middle Ages, the novel was disseminated and translated into different languages, from Persian and Arabic to Icelandic and Old English,” says Gunhild Vidén, Professor of Latin. “Only in the early 1800s did a more historically accurate picture, based on evaluation of the sources, begin to emerge. We think of our own age as being so global in nature, but the Alexander Novel is an example of how stories and myths have always travelled from country to country, and how they have been modified based on new circumstances.”

Alexander is almost godlike in his many achievements.

For example, he manages to fly to the heavens with the help of a pair of griffins, the mythical creature that is half bird, half lion, and he lures them to ever-increasing heights by dangling a piece of meat in front of them on a rod. He also descends to the depths of the sea, sitting in a glass barrel.

However, despite his greatness, Alexander does not succeed in deceiving death.

“IN ONE EASTERN tradition, there is a story of how a chef

cooks food for Alexander,” says Gunhild Vidén. “When he puts the dried fish in water, they become alive and swim away. The chef realises that he has found the Spring of Life and fills a bottle with the water. Unfortunately, he is unable to tell Alexander of his discovery before it is too late.

In an Old Church Slavonic version, it is not fish that swim away but roe, which I find charming.”

The book was written by linguists, literary scholars and an historian of ideas, most of them connected to the University of Gothenburg. In addition to processing the texts, much time has also been spent on finding illustrations for each chapter, says Karin Hult.

“We received a lot of valuable assistance from the publisher. And we are very pleased with the result, we will probably never publish a more beautiful book.”

Facts Editors for the omnibus edition Alexander­ legenderna i tid och rum, Alexander den stores gränslösa historia are Karin Hult and Gunhild Vidén. The other contributing authors are Antoaneta Granberg, Martin Hellström, Folke Josephson, Judith ­Josephson, Bo Lindberg, Mats Malm, Jan Retsö, Lars-Håkan Svensson and Ingmar Söhrman.

MARCH 2019 GUJOURNAL

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REPORT

Make room for the successful ones “The University of Gothenburg has the potential to become a truly great university.

However, in order to achieve this, it is important to invest strategically to deal with mediocrity and to give those who are talented the right conditions to succeed.”

This is what Alexandre Antonelli believes, who now has become Director of Science at the prestigious Kew Gardens in London.

ON FEBRUARY 4, Alexandre Antonel-

li took up his new position as head of about 320 researchers as well as doctors and post-doctoral fellows at the world’s most famous botanical gardens. Some of his responsibilities will include leading the scientific activities, strengthening international cooperation, increasing funding, improving the infrastructure and establishing the strategy and vision.

“It will entail a lot of work, but the idea is that every Friday I will still have time for research. A Director of Science who does not conduct research himself simply loses credibility. But of course, I will not be doing all the work myself. I will have a staff of 26 people and my own assistant, so it will be a little different compared to the University of Gothenburg.”

THE NEW ROLE means that Alexan-

dre Antonelli will leave his former position as the manager of GGBC, the Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, which he was involved in developing.

“I will, however, maintain contact with GGBC in various ways, which

18 GUJOURNALEN MARCH 2019

I am sure will continue to develop in a very positive direction. Also, I greatly appreciate the University of Gothenburg, where I have worked since 2001, with the exception of a couple of interludes. But there are problems too, including the fact that the University of Gothenburg needs to be better at prioritizing. As it cannot, after all, be the University of Gothenburg’s vision to provide secure employment to as many employees as possible.”

The problems Alexandre Antonelli has identified at the University of Gothenburg are also common to the majority of Swedish higher education institutions. For example, he is critical of the fact that researchers to such an extent have to fund their own salaries with external grants.

“IT IS PART OF the universities’ mandate to conduct research. Successful researchers who pull in large grants should use this funding for their research, not for lots of other things.

The university must also be much better at recruiting internationally,” says Alexandre Antonelli.

“I was a visiting professor at Harvard last spring and can compare with how it works there. The management is extremely careful, both in terms of who they employ and which students they accept. In return, the chosen few who succeed in getting through this gruelling process are provided with the optimum conditions to succeed.

In Sweden, employees often stay at the same university where they completed their PhD because there are no incentives to move on. This leads to a suffocating system where all the positions are immediately

filled, and younger researchers who come from outside never have a chance of gaining employment.

Together with other members of the Young Academy of Sweden, I have therefore argued for a tenure-track system, with strict requirements for employment and where it is clear what is required to progress in the system.”

THE FACT THAT Swedish universi-

Fairness is a complex concept but as I see it, it does not mean that all employees must do the same things.

ALEXANDRE ANTONELLI

ties have such difficulty investing in new, promising researchers is linked, among other things, to the lack of alternative careers for many academics.

“In other countries, where academia only retains the very best, there are other good job opportunities for people with a postgraduate education. For instance, in the United Kingdom, it is not unusual for a chemist to work for a bank. In Sweden, the labour market does not work that way, which of course makes it difficult to make people redundant, people who would actually be better suited somewhere else. Personal considerations are important, but they must not go so far as to paralyse the organisation.”

Having everyone contribute equally to lecturing, research and administration, is another problem at the University of Gothenburg, as well as at other Swedish universities, says Alexandre Antonelli.

“FAIRNESS IS A complex concept but as I see it, it does not mean that all employees must do the same things. Instead, everyone should be given the same conditions to develop, but if some people are more successful than others, for example

Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG

when it comes to research and obtaining grants, they should be able to spend time doing so.”

Furthermore, the management structure at Swedish universities, with only three levels – the vice-chancellor, the dean and the head of department – also results in ambiguities, says Alexandre Antonelli.

“The Head of Department, who is responsible for salary discussions and employee appraisals, has far too many employees reporting to them to familiarize themselves with what each one does, and can therefore not use the discussions to guide their employees in the right direction.

Instead, informal leaders often emerge who have neither the mandate nor the resources to make decisions, which creates additional uncertainty.

The unclear leadership makes it difficult to create a common vision.”

AND A COMMON vision and strong

Alexandre Antonelli has received a top job at Kew Gardens in London. This picture is from the Gothenburg botanical garden.

leadership are something Alexandre Antonelli felt was lacking at the University of Gothenburg.

“Where do we want to be in five or ten years’ time? What are the specific milestones for achieving this? What are we doing that is good? How do we allocate research and lecture time and how do we carry out third-stream activities? The leadership must be clear and be capable of making uncomfortable decisions. The University of Gothenburg has great potential and many talented employees, and could become a truly great university. However, to achieve this, a lot of work and quite radical decisions are required from a goal-oriented management.”

As the Director of Science at Kew Gardens, Alexandre Antonelli will have the opportunity to put his management philosophy into practice.

“For someone who is interested in botany and biodiversity, it is not possible to have a more exciting job. I am really looking forward to the work and hope to participate in many international collaborations, including with the University of Gothenburg.”

Text: EVA LUNDGREN Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG MARCH 2019 GUJOURNAL

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REPORT

Measures changes in An ice mass-balance buoy can easily measure the thickness of how the Antarctic sea ice changes over time. Now Louise Biddle, researcher at the department of marine sciences, can buy one of them thanks to a large contribution from the internal climate fund.

What is that you are trying to do in your research?

“Our research focuses on how the freshwater input from sea ice melt (or removal of freshwater as the sea ice grows) affects the mixing in the upper ocean around Antarctica. The upper ocean here is important as it acts as a gateway between the atmosphere and the deep ocean, where heat and carbon can be stored for thousands of years – so the mixing of the waters in the upper ocean affects how (and how much of ) this heat or carbon is transported to long term storage. We still don’t fully understand all of the interactions between the atmosphere, sea ice and ocean, especially during the wintertime when the sea ice makes it hard to collect observations. My research aims to understand the link between growth or melt of sea ice and the resulting mixing in the water column.”

How will this funding from the GU climate fund help you to accomplish your project?

“We are beginning to get more observations from the seasonally sea-ice covered ocean from instruments such as ocean gliders. We can also get information on sea ice concentration from satellite observations, but it’s still difficult to get measurements on the thickness of the sea ice: it can be growing or

20 GUJOURNAL MARCH 2019

melting below the surface, with no change in the satellite-observed surface concentration. This funding from the GU climate fund will allow me to deploy an instrument called an “ice mass balance buoy” into the sea ice itself, measuring how the thickness changes, with associated measurements of the temperature and salinity in the upper ocean.

When we connect this with our ocean glider observations we will be able to associate changes in the sea ice and upper ocean mixing with a higher confidence.”

How will this funding help to decrease the negative effects on the environment?

“Without this instrument, the only way to gather reliable sea ice thickness observations is by manually lowering personnel from research ships onto the sea ice. Over a typical research cruise, this can only provide a handful of measurements and is therefore time and fuel intensive. Deploying this ice mass balance buoy is a quick process and it will then remain in the sea ice until the ice is fully melted, providing measurements up to every hour. In addition to this saving of ship usage, our data will be used by colleagues who are improving remote sensing techniques to estimate sea ice thickness. In the long run, this will heavily reduce our reliance on ship-based observations of sea ice thickness, saving tons of fuel. My research will also help us understand the connections between freshwater, upper ocean mixing and heat and carbon storage, which can be fed into climate models and help us prepare for future changes.”

Text: ALLAN ERIKSSON Photo: PRIVATE

Facts University of Gothenburg has compensated for air travel in service since 1/7 2011. In 2016 ­ the Vice-Chancellor made a new decision that funds from the climate compensation should go to the university’s internal fund for emission reduction ­measures called the ”GU Internal Climate Fund”.

ice

Louise Biddle in front of a Sea­ glider, currently active in a region of recently melted sea ice – see www.roammiz.com and on ­twitter, @polargliders.

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REPORT

What happens if you release the pendulum?

Physical toys for playful learning The most important real activity in western Sweden – that is how Peter Apell referred to the resurrected Physical Toys at the opening ceremony on January 31st.

“The activities are now housed at the Gothenburg Physics Centre and have also changed their name to Physics at Play to emphasize that it is the playing, not the ­objects, that is important.”

PARADOXICAL SCALES, a carousel with weights and a

wheel that may – or may not – be a perpetuum mobile from the 17th century; these are some examples of the objects in the new Physics at Play at the Physics Centre.

Parts from pioneer P-O Nilsson’s collection are on display side by side with completely new material. The newly renovated space, three floors up, is located in Chalmers’s oldest house and previously included a laundry room,

22 GUJOURNAL MARCH 2019

The heads of Department, Måns Henningson, GU, and Thomas Nilsson, Chalmers.

says Peter Apell, Professor of Living State Physics.

“When the cleaning staff heard that we were planning an activity for children, they immediately agreed to leave the room to us. We are naturally very happy about the fact that the toys, which have been moved around for 20 years – most recently they were in the Vasa area – have now finally found a home.”

The toys are for all children, teachers and trainee teachers in the region of western Sweden. The activities are adapted for students who want to be physically active in groups as well as for those who prefer to figure things out by themselves in peace and quiet.

But for the pilot activity that is being planned for the spring, only primary school classes will be invited.

“We will have themes that align with the curriculum and will begin with forces and movement,” Jonas Enger, Educational Developer at the Physics Centre, explains. “It is important that the teacher is at the centre of everything during the visit. They are the ones who should be the heroes, while we university lecturers should stay in the background. After their visit, the teachers get to bring some material with them back to their schools, so that the trip is not only a fun break from the usual teaching routine, but is followed up in different ways.”

An important target group for Physics Play are trainee teachers, says Jonas Enger.

“Parts of their educational training will be located here. Perhaps we can also inspire other subjects to undertake similar ventures that may lead to exciting collaborations.”

In order for this enterprise to work, quite a lot of maintenance is required, Manager Anders Nordlund points out.

“It wouldn’t have worked if we didn’t have technicians to repair things that break. After all, the children must be allowed to play, test and investigate. The material is meant to be subjected to wear and tear.”

There is a long list of people who, over the past two years, have contributed in various ways to the reconstruction of Physical Toys, says Peter Apell.

“It has involved both current and former management at the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers, a steering committee, administrators, caretakers and office cleaners. We had an architect who created the beautiful rooms we see today and a graphic artist who gave the objects a professional presentation.”

But equally important has been the indefatigable work of P-O Nilsson and Kjell Sedig, in moving, cataloguing and developing new toys so that they can be used in slightly different ways than before.

Does the eternity machine work, what happens when the balls hit each other and the tiles fall?

Text: EVA LUNDGREN Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG

MARCH 2019 GUJOURNAL

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PEOPLE

Unifying two institutions Text: EVA LUNDGREN Photo: JOHAN WINGBORG

“My predecessor has set the course, so we know where we are going. Now, all that remains is to sail the ship to its destination.”

These were Troels Degn Johansson’s comments, the new Head of Department at the Valand Academy, who will lead the department’s merger with the Academy of Design and Crafts.

IT IS LIBERATING to come from outside when you are

appointed to a new position, explains Troels Degn Johansson, who was Head of the Department of Product Design at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation (KADK) in Copenhagen before being appointed Head of Department at the Valand Academy.

“The differences between Sweden and Denmark are not so great and my perspective is no better than anyone else’s, but perhaps a little different. The Valand Academy and the Academy of Design and Crafts with Steneby are old institutions, internationally known, with considerable significance for the city, the region and the country. The challenge is to preserve the distinctive natures of the different schools, while also enabling them to develop together. My predecessor, Mick Wilson, and former Dean, Ingrid Elam, have done a fantastic job orchestrating the merger. Now, it is my responsibility to conclude the work that they started.”

THIS IS NOT the first time that Troels Degn Johansson has been involved in a merger of artistic departments.

In 2009, he was appointed Head of Research at the Danish Design School and was involved when the school merged with the School of Architecture and the School of Conservation in 2011 to form the current Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation (KADK).

“Artistic institutions usually safeguard their independence and merging designers with architects involves a lot of discussions. But collaboration means

24 GUJOURNAL MARCH 2019

better opportunities for utilizing resources, coming together across different disciplines and learning from best practice. And I really feel a passion for interdisciplinary research and educational environments, and for change processes.”

The Valand Academy and the Academy of Design and Crafts already have a joint administration. “After the summer, all the teachers and researchers at the two departments will start having joint meetings.” The official merger will take place on January 1, 2020.

“In another five years, the next major change will take place, as the entire Artistic Faculty will be located at Näckrosparken. That is not going to happen for some time, but I am hoping to see a variety of collaborations, both within the faculty and with other disciplines at the University of Gothenburg. Ethics, for example, is an important issue for both art and the entire university.”

IN ADDITION TO collaboration within the university,

Troels Degn Johansson also hopes to increase interest in art in wider society.

“I think that Sweden is better at safeguarding art than Denmark, but the value of art is questioned everywhere. Also, the point of artistic research is often debated. A lot of it is about communication, because if we cannot explain to others what we are doing, we really have problems. However, Gothenburg has a fantastic film festival as well as a large book fair, and that facilitates the provision of different kinds of art to a wider audience.”

What kind of art does Troels Degn Johansson prefer?

“I have quite eclectic interests, but if I were to point to something special, I really like the artist collective group Superflex. My cooperation with them has been important to me, both in terms of my research­­and in my teaching.”

Facts Troels Degn Johansson has a Master’s Degree in Film and Media from the University of Copenhagen, a Master’s Degree in Psychoanalytic Studies in the Humanities from the University of Kent and a Doctorate in Landscape Architecture from the University of Copenhagen and the Danish Centre for Forest, Landscape and Planning.

From 2009–2013, he was Head of Research at the then Danish Design School, and from 2013–2017 he was Head of the Department of Product Design at the newly formed KADK (the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation). He has also worked at KADK’s Department of Arts and Crafts on Bornholm and has held a number of positions of trust, including National Representative and Chairman of the Nordic Summer University 1995–2000, expert on the advisory board for design discipline at Hong Kong Design Institute as well as examiner in Art History at the University of Copenhagen and Aarhus University.

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PERSPECTIVE ➔

REPORTAGE

THIS IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN THE ACADEMIA

VISITING THE USA EXCHANGE. In mid-February, during the winter break, a delegation of 13 people, headed by the Vice-Chancellor, travelled to the eastern United States to visit Gothenburg University’s two new partner universities. On the agenda were more exchanges and research partnerships.

Like the previous occasion, in October 2017, they arrived at the Swedish embassy in Washington, where five Swedish univer-

sities presented themselves as a joint team: Uppsala, Lund, Stockholm Gothenburg and Umeå.

“The aim is to jointly present Swedish research to an American audience and to show that we are a nation firmly committed to education and research. Sweden may be a small country, but all in all, we represent 200,000 students and 30,000 staff, so I think that we are a fairly significant stakeholder”, says Hans

Abelius, Head of Office at the International Centre.

According to Eva Wiberg, it is primarily about strengthening the partnership with higher education institutions with which the University of Gothenburg has already signed agreements: University of South Carolina and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (The first publicly funded university in the USA). Both universities are ranked high in the Shanghai rankings.

The delegation included four deans, two vice deans and a student representative.

“We do so by arranging meetings between the university management teams, but the real value lies in the opportunity for our faculty members to meet their counterparts and discuss partnerships. It is about presenting our research and setting up potential student and lecturer exchanges”, says Eva Wiberg.

CONFLICT. Are you in a difficult situation due to cooperation issues or an intractable conflict? Call this hotline to the University of Gothenburg’s new mediators.

The service is now operational and manned by a number of mediators who will answer your questions and provide advice on how to proceed.

You can also sent an email to the mediators at konfliktvagledare@gu.se. You can book an appointment to obtain advice and the mediators are normally available on weekdays. The conversation is confidential.

EXCHANGE STUDENTS ENCOURAGED TO TAKE THE TRAIN

26 GUJOURNAL MARCH 2019

on a first-come first-served basis; only the first 50 exchange students will be able to apply for a refund.

“We came up with the idea when those of us who travelled by train to Gothenburg heard that those who flew paid less than we did.

So we started a project for refunding exchange students’ sustainable travel”, says Konrad Loimer.

He argues that this is an incentive for more people to choose more sustainable modes of transport, thus reducing our carbon footprint. He

hopes that the pilot project upon evaluation will result in the university making it permanent.

“Of all the activities we can undertake in life, air travel has the single highest impact on the climate.

Gothenburg has excellent connections by train, bus and ferry, and we want to encourage that.”

Would you like to find out more? Go to: https://klimatstudenterna.se.

Photo: PRIVATE

CLIMATE. This spring, we are launching a pilot project for reducing the climate impact from air travel.

Exchange student Konrad Loimer, who leads a project aimed at reducing students’ air travel, has received funding from the University of Gothenburg Climate Fund to grant around 50 scholarships to Erasmus students who choose to travel by train, bus or ferry instead of flying to their European host universities.

Up to 50 percent of the ticket is refunded. But it is

Exchange students (from the left) Thomas Ebenspanger and Konrad Loimer, as well as Josefine Karlsson, who studies at the School of Business, Economics and Law, are behind the Climate Fund Project.