New President of KTH installed
Anders Söderholm is KTH’s twentieth president, but the first to be installed in office with a ceremony.
The transition from one president to another was celebrated under formal circumstances in the library at KTH Campus.
KTH’s new ceremony involved KTH’s Academic Orchestra, the Kongliga Teknologkören choir and speeches. In a beautiful parade of massed standards, the two presidents marched in accompanied by KTH’s Chair of the Board Pia Sandvik and Chair of the Student Union Cornelia Haag.
Pia Sandvik was first on the list of speakers and wished the new president the best of success, and also took the opportunity to thank the outgoing president for how KTH has developed during her tenure.
Wish-list from the students
Cornelia Haag then presented the incoming president with a bottle of homemade liqueur and a wish-list from the Student Union. The list included requests for more forms of examination, anonymous grading of exams, and continued development of creative and experimental study environments.
The outgoing president, Sigbritt Karlsson, who introduced the ceremony, wished her successor the best of luck and noted that each president adds a stone to the building of the cathedral.
“Will KTH ever stop growing? Probably not,” she said, emphasising that KTH is constantly developing and evolving.
As a symbol of the transfer and the installation, Sigbritt Karlsson hung KTH’s presidential chain of office around Anders Söderholm’s neck.
Anders Söderholm thanked Sigbritt Karlsson for her fine work as president, and in his speech he gave a general outline of his plans for the next six years regarding education, research and collaboration.
Working together
He touched on the importance of sustainable research that rewards quality, higher basic funding,
and noted that quality development rather than cost-cutting is of the utmost importance, also emphasising the importance of working together.
“A president is part of the team, not a solo commander.”
The master of ceremonies, Hanna Sundelin, was pleased with the first installation ceremony for a president.
“Everything ran very smoothly. I think it was really nice with the speeches and that we could be in the library, which is a bit of KTH's heart.”
It will most likely be another six years before the next installation.
Text: Jill Klackenberg
Photo: Kalle Börjeson