Hello Daniel Alvunger, you have now joined the EUniWell Board. How does it feel?
"It's very exciting to be part of EUniWell, and to continue the work together with many others. There are really good opportunities for business development," says Daniel Alvunger, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and, since the turn of the year, the university's representative on the Board of the European University for Well-Being (EUniWell).
What do you envision for EUniWell? Why is it important for Linnaeus University?
“It is a lot. I believe that the university's role in society is to be a carrier of society. EUniWell gives us new opportunities to help build a sustainable future for future generations; locally, nationally, and globally.”
“We have golden opportunities to build strong and life-giving contexts for students, researchers, and staff. I like metaphors and analogies, and I see EUniWell as a door that directly opens ten new doors to ten other universities.”
You are very positive, but what are the difficulties?
“There are of course various obstacles, for example in terms of infrastructure and administrative and technical systems. But we are now working dedicatedly in different teams within EUniWell to try to find solutions to several of these problems," Daniel explains.
“One difficulty is that it feels big and hard to keep track of. It is important to allow yourself to think systematically and move forward with small steps. I think of a song lyric by Bo Kaspers orkester, "small tastes good, less tastes more". It is in the small things that we have the opportunity to actually make a difference.”
He continues:
"Another kind of challenge is to visualise that a lot of what we already do is what EUniWell embodies and stands for, such as our strengths in the Core of Welfare and Forest Values. We need to find what fits really well, and then transfer it to the EUniWell level.”
“Above all, I have been struck by the students' strong commitment to EUniWell. They show the way and are incredibly important for us," says Daniel Alvunger. "I think EUniWell can become a buffet table full of different opportunities for students with programmes, courses, exchanges, workshops... Well, there you go. There's another analogy!”