News
Welcome to the Department Days 2025 at Billingehus in Skövde
Published: 08 September 2025
On December 3–4 it’s time for SLU Aqua’s Department Days 2025. A warm welcome to Billingehus in Skövde. Information about the Department Days will be continuously updated on this page.
For information in Swedish, change language at the very top of the webpage, to the right.
Last update of this page: November 12, 2025.
What: SLU Aqua Department Days 2025
When: December 3–4 (lunch to lunch)
Where: Billingehus in Skövde
Registration deadline: October 6.
“One Aqua – Our Aqua”
The Department Days are intended to strengthen the common thread throughout our work and to create new contacts and collaborations – so that we can work together towards our vision: strong fish stocks in healthy waters. The theme of the Department Days 2025 is “One Aqua – Our Aqua.”
Registration and cancellation
Registration is closed. The deadline for registration was October 6. If you need to cancel your registration, please contact aqua2025@akademikonferens.se as soon as possible to notify them.
Program
The program will start with lunch on Wednesday, December 3, and end with lunch on December 4.
See the full program
Wednesday, December 3
12:30 Joint lunch upon arrival
13:30 Welcome and opening of this year’s Department Days
13:40 From Values to Behavior
14:40 Panel discussion with the management team
15:20 Coffee break
16:00-17.30 Communication – easier said than done
17:30-18.30 Time reserved for internal Aqua meetings
18:30-19.30 Check-in and personal time
19:30 Mingle and Christmas dinner
Thursday, December 4
07:00-08:30 Breakfast
08:30-10:30 Mini fair
10:30-10:50 Mini fair ends and is taken down
10:50 Coffee break and time reserved for internal Aqua meetings
12:00 Gathering and reflections
12:30 Lunch
13:30 Departure
We will be in the conference room Billingen: stora salen on both days.
Mini fair
We are all curious to know more about SLU Aqua’s work! That’s why we are organising a mini fair during this year’s Department Days – a chance for you to show what you’re working on, share results, highlight what you find most exciting, talk about current or upcoming projects, or showcase our shared resources.
Read more about the mini fair
More hands in the water – a collaboration between researchers, fishers, and the public to increase knowledge about coastal fish
Jens Olsson, Stefan Larsson, Peter Ljungberg and Örjan Östman.
Meet the operations support
The heat is on!
Jasper Croll, Enrico Armelloni, Oona Manhala, Benjamin Mooney, Olivia Bell, Magnus Huss and Anna Gårdmark.
SLU Aqua’s environmental objectives
Maja Reizenstein, Carolyn Faithfull and Anne Johansson.
Pink salmon in Sweden
Ida Bergendahl.
SLU Aqua’s databases
The PhD fishbowl
The technology that makes the invisible visible – advanced chemical analysis via Micro-XRF
Yvette Heimbrand, Philip Jacobson and Rebecka Svensson.
One Aqua – One eel
Josefin Sundin, Rob van Gemert, Elin Myrenås, Birgitta Jacobson, Philip Jacobson and Eirik Ryvoll Åsheim.
GAP analysis – what is missing for Sweden to comply with the environmental quality standards?
Andreas Bryhn, Birgit Koehler, Elisabeth Bolund and Noora Mustamäki.
Top predators (seal and cormorant) and their role in the ecosystem
Malin Karlsson, Monica Mion and Karl Lundström.
From film footage to fisheries data: using BRUV and automated video analysis for fish monitoring
Mikael Ovegård.
Claw & Order
Hege Sande et al.
Electronic Monitoring – examples of operation and installation of a complete system
Filip Bohlin and Andreas Lind.
Beneath the surface – what lives on the seabeds in Skagerrak/Kattegat?
Emmelie Hammenstig-Åström.
AquaGenomics Lab
Anti Vasemägi.
Can the absence of seal and cormorant predation in an area affect the recovery of fish stocks?
Maria Ovegård and David Hammenstig.
The shocking development! New input for wading electrofishing
Mikael Andersson.
Gear development in coastal fisheries and reduced bycatch of protected species
Mariela Johansson Vingård and David Hammenstig.
Group meetings
During the Department days it will be possible to participate in smaller group meetings, both on the evening of December 3 (17:30–18:30) and on the morning of December 4 (10:50–12:00). Some meetings are only for specifically invited participants, and for these you will receive personal information and invitation from the responsible organizer. There will also be some open group meetings. See more info below.
Open group meetings
December 3, 17:30–18:30
Thesis Information (Responsible: Örjan Östman), Room Oxen
Information for supervisors and examiners about the requirements for theses at SLU Aqua. Topics include supervision, registration, work plans, compensation, and thesis presentations. There will be an opportunity to ask questions. Please notify orjan.ostman@slu.se if you plan to attend (though you are also welcome to just drop in), especially if there is something specific you wish to discuss. The session will be held in English but can be in Swedish if needed.
December 4, 10:50–12:00
Workshop image and video analysis – How do we move forward? (Responsible: Erika Norlinder och Malin Hällbom), Hall Stenbocken
At this meeting, a summary of the workshop that was held in Lysekil in September 2025 will be presented. We will discuss how we move forward with the work in image and video analysis within Aqua. What should we focus on now? Where do we want to end up? Who does what? How?
The presentation will be in English and the discussions in the language you feel comfortable with. It is a large room (70 people) so no registration is necessary.
Workshop – Thesis Examination (Responsible: Örjan Östman), meet at ‘Billingehus’ (main hall)
We will discuss the grading criteria for theses at the NJ-Faculty and what these mean in practice for us at SLU Aqua when assessing theses. The workshop is open to all interested, but primarily aimed at those who have taken (or plan to take) the examination course. Pre-registration to orjan.ostman@slu.se by November 28 is mandatory, as preparatory material will be sent out. This workshop will be conducted entirely in English.
Acoustic Studies (Responsible: Birgitta Jacobsson), Room Oxen
Those who work with acoustics will have the opportunity to discuss how the operations work at various labs within SLU Aqua. The meeting is open to anyone interested, but is primarily aimed at those who work with acoustics. Please register in advance to birgitta.jacobson@slu.se by November 28, as space is limited. The meeting will be held in Swedish or English. Please note that the meeting will focus on tagging fish and other animals with acoustic transmitters, working with acoustic receivers, and storing acoustic data. The meeting will not cover hydroacoustics.
Please contact Örjan Östman if you have any questions/concerns about this.
Travels
Travel will primarily take place by pre-booked buses. Those traveling from other locations will arrange their own travel, but coordination with colleagues from the same workplace/departure point is encouraged. Each division also have a designated bus host. More detailed information about bus traveli s provided below. Please note that the times below are approximate.
See travel times here
December 3
Bus 1: Öregrund – Skövde
Bus host: Andreas Bryhn, 010-478 41 52
- 05:45: Departure from Öregrund (Skolgatan 6)
- 06:05: Östhammar Station
- 07:15: Radisson Blu Uppsala (Stationsgatan 4)
- 12:00: Billingehus, Skövde
During the trip, the bus will stop for about 30 minutes for coffee/sandwich and restroom break.
Bus 2: Drottningholm – Skövde
Bus host: Richard Yngwe, 010-478 41 50 / 070-684 18 17
- 06:45: Drottningholm (Stångholmsvägen 2)
- 06:55: Brommaplan, Skålpundsvägen
- 12:00: Billingehus, Skövde
During the trip, the bus will stop for about 30 minutes for coffee/sandwich and restroom break.
Bus 3: Lysekil – Skövde
Bus host: Anne Johansson, 076-126 80 17
- 08:30: Havets Hus in Lysekil (Strandvägen 9)
- 09:35: Bokenäs School, Bön 207
- 09:50: Torp Bus Station
- 12:00: Billingehus, Skövde
During the trip, you will be served coffee and a sandwich.
December 4
13:30: Departure from Billingehus, Skövde to all destinations.
Travel times:
- From Skövde to Öregrund: approx. 6 hours 15 minutes
- From Skövde to Drottningholm: approx. 5 hours 15 minutes
- From Skövde to Lysekil: approx. 3 hours 30 minutes
During the return trip, you will receive a sandwich and drink from Billingehus.
The buses to Öregrund and Drottningholm will also make stops for restroom breaks.
Time reporting
- Travel to and from Skövde: KST 1350000, project number 95013516
- Time spent participating in the department days: financed through project funds. If you do not know which project can cover the cost of your working hours on site, please contact your immediate supervisor.
Please note!
You do not need to submit a travel expense report for these days, as all meals are included.
Do you have questions about time reporting? Please contact Jessica Petersson
Accommodation at Billingehus
Billingehus is located at the top of Mount Billingen, with a view over Skövde and close to the city center. It is conveniently located – only one hour from Gothenburg and two hours from Stockholm by train.
- Check-in: from 4 p.m.
- Check-out: by 10 a.m.
- Luggage storage is available at the reception desk, one floor down.
Other information
Drink tickets for beer and wine will be sold at the reception for the Christmas buffet.
Questions
Do you have questions about the Department Days (program, setup, etc.)?
Contact Sann Terje, project coordinator for the Department Days 2025.
Email: sann.terje@slu.se
Phone: 0709-22 33 51.
Unable to attend?
Contact: aqua2025@akademikonferens.se
Questions about accommodation at Billingehus?
Contact: aqua2025@akademikonferens.se
Questions about buses and travel times?
Contact: aqua2025@akademikonferens.se
Questions about time reporting?
Contact: Jessica Petersson