Kalmar is Student City of the Year 2023
A long period of dedicated work has now paid off. In Kalmar, there is good access to student housing, the environment is welcoming to students, and good skills supply make many students want to stay in the city. Therefore, Kalmar is Student City of the Year 2023.
The award Student City of the Year is handed out by the Swedish National Union of Students (SFS). The award goes to the city that has distinguished itself the most in its work to create a good study and living environment for students during the last year.
Kalmar municipality, the Linnaeus Union, and Linnaeus University jointly received the award at an award ceremony on Monday 16 February. Jacob Färnert, vice-chairman of SFS, handed over the award.
Kalmar offers a great environment for students.
“Kalmar offers a great environment for students. There are good communications for students to get to and from campus, there are many green spaces for recreation, and the city promotes students’ presence and culture in the public space”, Färnert says before the ceremony.
The award is handed out at a time when the financial situation of students is particularly challenging, which affects their situation on the housing market. Johan Persson (S), chair of the municipal board, stresses the importance of Kalmar’s relatively good housing situation for students.
“Our long and dedicated collaboration with Linnaeus University and the Linnaeus Union on questions relating to the city-integrated university has now paid off. Among other things, we offer a housing guarantee for our new students and Kalmar has received a green light three years in a row in SFS’s annual housing report”, Persson says.
Ludvig Malmquist, chair of the Linnaeus Union, mentioned students’ influence on development work.
“The Linnaeus Union would like to highlight the good dialogue between us, Kalmar municipality, and Linnaeus University, which makes it possible for students to exert an influence and make an impact on the municipality as well as on the university. The award Student City of the Year 2023 guarantees that student life for Kalmar students will continue to be good”, says Malmquist.
Linnaeus University’s pro vice-chancellor Niklas Ammert represented Linnaeus University at the ceremony.
“We are very proud and happy about the Student City of the Year award. For a long time, the student union, the municipality, and the university have put a lot of effort into becoming an attractive educational environment and we are now seeing the full picture, not least with our new campus with its central location. The award can truly bee seen as proof of the good work”, Ammert concludes.
About SFS
SFS is an association of student unions at Swedish universities and university colleges that works to promote students’ right to a good education and a good study situation. SFS has some 50 member unions which combined represent about 380 000 students.