A Christmas message from the vice-chancellor

As usual, Christmas is approaching quickly – only a few more days until the holidays. This year, it coincides with a regular weekend, and I guess more people will choose to work between Christmas and New Year, or New Year and Twelfth Day.

And if you are one of those who will be working, please try anyway to seize the opportunity to slow down, take time to relax, spend time with loved ones, friends and family. Whether you’re spending the holidays at home or someplace else, it’s important to let body and mind recharge before the coming year’s work or studies.

SLU teaches and researches many important subjects that both media and the public are increasingly focusing on, especially how we should handle future food security. Christmas dinner and New Year’s supper both provide an opportunity for reflecting on this. During this year’s final days, a report from SLU on Sweden’s food preparedness in case of a crisis has attracted a lot of attention, and rightly so.   

At the beginning of 2017, we will be launching our four future platforms – the Future programmes – and they are all very much connected to how we should care for the world we live in and manage the resources we need:

SLU Future Animals and Health – focus on animal health and quality of life;

SLU Future Food – focus on Swedish food production and food products in general;

SLU Future Forests – focus on sustainable forestry in general, and

SLU Urban Future – focus on urban inhabitants’ need for green environments, with a broad sustainability perspective.

It’s going to be an exciting year! Much more will happen, such as continuing work on the new research vessel, developing our brand, etc. New students will arrive while those who have now graduated will begin to work. Also, SLU turns 40, an event to celebrate!

But the daily routines go on as well, as they should; lectures and classes, seminars and exercises. The university is an organism, driven by all the people who work here: ambitious students, creative researchers, skilled teachers, technical and administrative staff who lay the groundwork for our core operations.

I want to thank all of you for your great efforts during the year, and I wish everyone at SLU a

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!