Greetings from the Head of Department, Sara Bergek

I hope we carry that feeling forward and continue working in a shared direction to create the best possible conditions for our operations: One Aqua – our Aqua. For those of you who haven’t yet completed the evaluation of Aqua Days, there’s still an opportunity to do so here.

This year began with quite a few changes in Aqua's management team, as Noél Holmgren started his new assignment as dean at the NJ faculty and Per-Olof and I stepped in as Acting Head and Deputy Head of Department respectively. Much focus has also been on our division in Lysekil, the Institute of Marine Research, where the conditions in the division's management team changed at the beginning of the year. Interviews with candidates for the new unit roles are currently underway. I am very pleased to see that so many people are interested in these positions!

Another major issue shaping this year has, of course, been the closure of Älvkarleby, and it is with sadness that we have now left the premises and operations. Yet another major issue is the ongoing work on a new travel time agreement that is underway at SLU. Since we do not yet know where this will land, the issue is difficult to communicate, and I fully understand the questions that may arise. Another information meeting together with HR is planned for the end of January to update on how the process is progressing.

Looking at the finances, the year began with a reduction in the order from our largest external funder, the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (HaV). However, the final project list and the total scope for the year ended up landing well. Last week we received the so-called indicative list from HaV for 2026, and it looks promising. We won't know exactly which projects are included and how large the budget will be until the final order arrives, but we are planning for an increase compared to 2025. Looking at the actual ordering process and planning, I can note that it is challenging when the information comes so late, but at the same time I feel that the dialogue with HaV has been good, and the conversations have been constructive. I am now planning, together with the management team, a strategic workshop between Aqua and HaV for the spring, and I hope this will contribute to improvements going forward.

At the end of the year, we have also evaluated how the internal communication works at Aqua. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for all the valuable input and comments that will now help us develop our internal communication further. We will present the results and proposed focus areas at an upcoming information meeting next year, but you can already take a look at the evaluation results here.

From an operational perspective, it’s not easy to summarize everything that has happened during the year. Aqua's newsletter and news feed contain lots of interesting information ranging from fresh to saltwater topics. We have had two PhD defenses, our master’s courses had the highest number of registered students ever this year, several new research projects have been granted, and our environmental monitoring and assessment continues to grow. What important work you have all done!

For me personally, it has been an exciting year and a great honor to serve as Head of Department. Thank you so much for a wonderful collaboration! I look forward to seeing you again next year. But first, I hope you enjoy a truly relaxing and well-deserved holiday, and I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!