The alumni of the University of Helsinki gathered on the 24th of September 2017 at Nordea’s headquarter next to Kungsträdgården in Stockholm to hold the First General meeting of the Sweden Alumni Club of the University of Helsinki Alumni Association.
Over 60 alumni and friends attended.
After the Head of Investor Relations at Nordea, Rodney Alvfén had welcomed the participants, the President of the University of Helsinki Jukka Kola as well as Board Member of the University, CEO of Hanaholmen, Gunvor Kronman, presented the idea for the Sweden Alumni Club and explained the added value that the Club would have for all parties. The strategic aim for the University is internationalization and quality thinking. The alumni are well integrated in Sweden and the University of Helsinki needs local Ambassadors to enhance the knowledge about the University of Helsinki in Sweden.
The CEO of the University of Helsinki Alumni Association Pia Österman presented the ways that alumni can engage locally giving examples from Beijing and Brussels. At the networking lunch participants mingled talking about their affiliation to the University of Helsinki and shared memories and stories about their experience and career.
After lunch researcher at the think-tank Magma, Kaisa Kepsu, presented the results of her research on the demographic of immigration and emigration between Finland and Sweden “Hjärnflykt eller inte? Flyttning mellan Finland och Sverige idag.” The presentation was very interesting and several questions arose. The distance form Helsinki to Stockholm seems to be shorter than the opposite direction, Gunvor commented.
After the presentation a meeting was held at 13.25 where the participants formally decided on founding the Sweden Alumni Club, decided on the bylaws, and elected a Board of nine people for the Club to guarantee its future success.
At 14.30 the participants walked together to Kungsträdgården to participates in the Finland 100 festivities there. We heard Krista Siegfrieds sing and greeted both His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf The King of Sweden and the President of Finland Sauli Niinistö.