Almedalen Week a great source of inspiration

The Almedalen Week is over for this year and many are travelling home with new insights and contacts. Jönköping University (JU) was well represented and participants are looking back on a week characterized by important discussions and strong commitment.

“There were lots of young people here, which makes me happy. There is a strong belief in the future and a great commitment to social development,” says Annika Engström, Professor of Work organization at the School of Engineering at JU.

Timur Uman, Professor of Business Administration at Jönköping International Business School at JU, has spent recent years conducting research and collaborative work focusing on Ukraine. He took part in several discussions about the country, and it became clear to him what Ukraine’s struggle is about.

“Ukraine’s struggle is not just about institutions, resources and reconstruction, but also about memory, dignity and documentation. How do we preserve the memory of the soldiers and defenders who have given their lives to defend Ukraine against aggression? That discussion made the issue more vivid and tangible,” he says.

He also points out that Sweden has much to learn from Ukraine, particularly when it comes to how societies function in a crisis.

“This knowledge is directly relevant to Swedish preparedness, and we need to broaden our understanding of crisis preparedness and resilience,” he says.

Enormous commitment

Frida Lygnegård, senior lecturer in occupational therapy at the School of Health and Welfare at JU, took part in discussions on democracy and the role of academia in a turbulent world, as well as on issues relating to the safety of children and young people in digital environments – areas where academia’s knowledge and social responsibility are considered particularly crucial. She was struck by the enormous commitment that characterizes the Almedalen Week.

“Despite a turbulent world around us, there is a strong drive among stakeholders in the public sector, civil society, the business community, and academia to contribute to positive social change. JU has an important role to play here, both through education and research, but also through our collaboration with the wider community,” she says.

Sofia Kjellström, Professor of Quality Improvement and Leadership at the School of Health and Welfare, took part in a seminar on quality development and leadership, which focused on how organizations can manage rapid and unpredictable changes. Among other things, she presented findings from studies on quality improvement and leadership development.

The importance of sharing knowledge

“A recurring theme is that speakers begin by referring to the pace of change and its unpredictability, and we take this as the starting point for our current research, how we can work with change leadership in an integrated way across the entire organization. It’s about sharing with one another what we’ve done, providing feedback on what can be improved, and then experimenting with the lessons learnt to adopt a more exploratory perspective,” she says.

Common to all participants is the value they place in meetings and the exchange of knowledge.

“I’ve met funders and research funders, and they’re incredibly positive about what we’re doing. I also feel that I’ve met companies that are completely different from those I’m used to working with, so I’ve broadened my horizons quite a bit,” says Annika Engström, Professor of Work Organization at the School of Engineering.