SLU news

Life-long SLU Alumni relations kicked off successfully

Published: 06 September 2017

During the first week of the semester, SLU Alumni invited new and returning tuition fee students and their Directors of Studies to an informal network dinner. A good opportunity to get to know each other a bit better and ask their questions to SLU.

Astewale Bimr Melaku from Ethiopia attended the event. He studies agricultural economy and is here for his second year.

– I really like this initiative from SLU Alumni because you meet different people from different countries and you exchange different ideas and experiences with each other, says Astewale.

Before he came to SLU he was involved in the development sector in Ethiopia. Astewale is really impressed with SLU so far.

– I think SLU is amazing and I really like the Swedish education system, the way you teach and the opportunity to explore everything in your field.

Karin Bennmarker, SLU's alumni coordinator, explains more about the purpose of the evening.

– We have seen that several of our international master students have received great media attention in their home countries. Several of these students will have important roles within companies and authorities in their home countries. Therefore we want to build a network with them at an early stage for future collaboration, says Karin Bennmarker.

Above all, Karin hopes that the students at this stage feel important and welcome to SLU.

Karin Holmgren, Deputy Vice-Chancellor with special responsibility for Education and Pro Vice-Chancellor for International relations, Ylva Hillbur, were hosts for the event. SLUSS and several programme directors were also invited.

– Research takes place within an international arena and by coming to SLU, you bring the world to us, Ylva Hillbur says to the students in her welcome speech.

One student with a big interest for research is Maria Bunu from Zimbabwe, who studies animal science.

– My expectations for my time at SLU is to be a better critical thinker and also advance my research skills, says Maria Bunu.

Li Wenxiu, a rural development student from China used to work for a nature conservation program in China and is very interested in bio diversity conservation.

– When I first got here I visited an organic farm near Uppsala and I got a really good impression. I am amazed by the many forests and the right of public access. Being able to bring home almost anything you find growing in the wild is really nice, I think.

Before the end of the evening, Sofia Lindkvist, Deputy Chair of SLUSS, concludes by saying that perhaps the most important thing during the time at SLU is to have fun, something that led everyone to burst into laughter.