Get to know Goran, the school's controller
The University administration staff
When Goran Seradji is not juggling numbers, he climbs mountains and spends time with his daughter. When he started at KTH last November, he felt that the circle was closed - read why in the article.
As school controller, Goran oversees the finances at school level, which means, among other things, budget coordination, results follow-up, financial management and presentations of the school's finances to, for example, our school management.
”It's about playing tricks with numbers. I like working with numbers because they have no feelings! If you don't like numbers and Excel, being a controller is not for you,” says Goran about his role.
”You also must be a people person because you often meet with different management people and present the school's figures. There are often many questions, and depending on the numbers, you come up with suggestions for improvements.”
The most enjoyable part of the job is getting to make presentations.
”I was not too fond of it at first, but now I'm used to it. I like the excitement and nervousness before. It's fun to see how people react when you show the figures, you see how little lights go on above people's heads, and there are always a thousand questions after.”
Has often hung out on KTH's premises
Before Goran started at EECS, he worked for four years at a non-profit organisation, Stockholm international water institute, which works with water issues worldwide. Before that, he was a consultant.
He often hung out on KTH's premises while studying at Stockholm University.
”The fact is that when I was studying, I always used to sit on KTH's premises and study, both on Valhallavägen and in Kista, so the circle was closed when I finally ended up here – it was fate.”
”I grew up in Husby, so it was close to KTH Kista. I actually wrote my thesis on KTH's premises in Kista.”
Fled to the paradise
Goran comes from Kurdistan and flees to Sweden in 1992 when he was ten.
”After fleeing the war and landing in Sweden in July, it was like coming to paradise. I felt so secure, and I immediately found Sweden amazing. Here you can think and say what you want, people didn't go hungry, and no bombs were falling. That's something I'm grateful for!”
”Before we fled, I experienced three wars: the Iran-Iraq war, the Kurdish revolution and the first Gulf War.”
Practices extreme sports
Goran climbs mountains and spends time with his six-year-old daughter when he is not working. He also works as a climbing instructor at a climbing centre in Akalla and has climbed in Southeast Asia, Europe, and the USA, among other places.
”It's an extreme sport, so I've had to think again now that I'm a father. I make a completely different risk assessment. As soon as I found out I was going to be a father, I bought a helmet and other safety equipment, so now I climb much safer to my mother's great joy,” concludes Goran.
