President Måns Svensson elected Chair of EULiST

Måns Svensson, president of Jönköping University, has been elected as the new Chair of EULiST (European Universities Linking Society and Technology). The decision was taken unanimously by the alliance’s presidents and announced at the General Assembly.

“It’s a great honour and an inspiration to take on this role,” says Måns Svensson, president of Jönköping University.

On 11–13 May, the universities within the European University EULiST (European Universities Linking Society and Technology) gathered for its annual General Assembly, this time at LUT University in Lappeenranta, Finland, to review progress, discuss strategic issues, and set the direction for the future. In addition, a new leadership team for the alliance was to be presented.

The new Chair, succeeding the outgoing Ladislav Janíček, is Måns Svensson, president of Jönköping University, and the new Vice Chair, succeeding Juha-Matti Saksa, is Jens Schneider, president of TU Wien. EULiST has less than two years remaining of the project period that currently accounts for a large part of EULiST’s joint funding, and it is therefore clear to Måns Svensson what he needs to focus on in the near future.

Translate work into tangible benefits

“To create the right conditions for continued funding, we need to be able to demonstrate clear results. That is where much of my focus will lie. So far, much of the work has been about building the organization and structure. Now, we need to translate that work into tangible benefits for students and staff to an even greater extent,” says Måns Svensson.

EULiST aims to support long-term collaboration in the areas of education, research, innovation and service to society. Membership provides opportunities for JU to network with colleagues and students from across Europe, share experiences and collaborate on various courses, research projects and social initiatives.

The idea of European university alliances was launched in 2017, with the aim of enabling students to study across national borders, study in multiple languages and move naturally between European campuses. Today, there are 73 such alliances funded by the EU. However, many believe that the number will decrease in the next funding round, which will make competition tougher.

“To ensure EULiST maintains a strong position, we need to be responsive to the EU’s priorities and the developments we see in the wider world. This includes Europe’s long-term competitiveness, resilience, and skills supply. At the same time, we must not lose sight of our core mission, which is to create better opportunities for students and staff to move between our universities and benefit from each other’s environments and expertise,” says Måns.

Strengthen international presence

Måns also points out that this mission is in line with Jönköping University’s growing work on international collaborations and EU funding.

“For us, this is an important part of strengthening our international presence. We are establishing both a Brussels office and our support for EU funding, and EULiST plays a central role in this. Several of our partner universities within the alliance are also very successful when it comes to EU funding, which creates excellent opportunities for learning and development for us too,” he says.

As far as Jönköping University is concerned, he believes that involvement in EULiST will benefit both students and staff, and that it will strengthen JU’s international academic network and capacity for development.

“We have a fantastic team at JU working on developing EULiST. I think their professionalism and drive are clear in the collaboration and this strengthens JU’s position within the alliance,” he says.