Alumni and partner event in connection to the 150th anniversary of Sweden-Japan diplomatic relations
On October 11, Linnaeus University hosted a celebration at the Swedish embassy in Tokyo. 150 alumni and representatives from partner universities in Japan participated and were entertained by the chamber orchestra Musica Vitae.
Vice-chancellor Peter Aronsson and deputy vice-chancellor Ann-Charlotte Larsson emphasised the importance of our exchange with students, researchers and members of staff, and that Linnaeus University wishes to maintain and develop its contacts with Japan.
“People from Småland have been travelling to Japan since Carl Linnaeus’s time and we intend to continue that tradition”, Aronsson said.
Charlotte Skoglund, responsible for Linnaeus University’s collaboration agreements in Japan for close to 20 years, informed that this is the first time Linnaeus University hosts an event that highlights the relations with both its partner universities and its alumni. Many enthusiastic people from our partners attended the event and participants from 13 of the 20 partner universities took part. Our hope is that this meeting between Linnaeus University, Japanese higher education institutions, Japanese and Swedish alumni, and old and new friends of the university will inspire and over time result in new, creative collaboration opportunities between the participants. There is great interest for collaborating with Japan at Linnaeus University; among students as well as among teachers, researchers and other members of staff.
Alumni relations manager Kristina Julin Nyquist states that the relations with international alumni are important to Linnaeus University and to Sweden’s development of collaborations with Japan.
“Our international students are a bridge between Sweden and Japan and have unique knowledge from Sweden that they can contribute with in the relations between the two countries”, Julin Nyquist said.