Astrid Söderbergh Widding
Astrid Söderbergh Widding, University President. Photo: Anna-Karin Landin

The Stockholm University Sustainability Forum on 22 April will address the extremely topical theme ”From crisis to sustainability”.

The pandemic, which we are still in the middle of, has brought about rapid changes and created major challenges for various socio-economic systems. The University is no exception. Many people are being affected in the here and now, but the long-term effects may also be significant. Other crises, such as climate change, are more insidious, but nevertheless bring a series of direct and indirect effects on both the environment and society. It is important for the University to improve understanding of how crises arise and how they can be managed. A crisis may, if well-managed, provide new knowledge and experience, which creates the conditions for sustainable change. The forum will highlight the abilities of society to manage crises and how preparedness needs to be increased going forward, while also focusing on the importance of collaboration between different groups in society.
 
Stockholm University will be at the forefront with its sustainability work, and by signing up to the UN agreement on Sustainable Development Goals for Higher Education, Stockholm University has committed to being carbon dioxide neutral by 2040. The University also strives to be at the forefront of education and research on the environment and sustainability – an important basis for being better prepared for future crises. During the forum we will, therefore, engage in a deeper discussion on what role academia can, and should, play in developing and strengthening the knowledge and competence needed to achieve the global goals – and thereby contribute to sustainable development.  


This article was written by Astrid Söderbergh Widding, President of Stockholm University. It appears in the section ”Words from the University’s senior management team”, where different members of the management team take turns to write about topical issues. Words from the University’s senior management team appears in every edition of News for staff which is distributed to the entirety of the University staff.