Summer plans during Christmas time

Next summer, SLU will host the 26^th IUFRO World Congress in Stockholm. It is a unique event for our university and an excellent way for us to be visible and showcase our research and many activities. The preparations for the congress have been ongoing for several years, and along the way, we have successfully engaged not only strong partner universities from the Nordic and Baltic countries but also received strong governmental support. The congress is supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers, Formas, KSLA, Sveaskog, SNS, the Swedish Energy Agency, among others, highlighting the strategic importance of the congress to our field of interest.

The interest in the congress is unprecedented. Never before in the history of the congress have so many abstracts been submitted, and there will be nearly 200 sessions with 3,500 presentations and 500 posters, setting a new record for the congress. More than 5,000 participants are expected to come to Stockholm next summer.

I feel proud when I see the list of dedicated colleagues from our side. In addition to organizing the congress itself, we will host several excursions where our research stations will be visited, displaying our research to a global audience. Several of our colleagues also lead many of the scientific sessions taking place during the congress week. Additionally, we have our booth where we are currently discussing the content.

This is an event of the century. The last time it was held in the Nordic region was about 30 years ago in Finland, so it is truly a unique opportunity for us to show our research and forest management practices in Sweden, the Nordic region, and the Baltics.

I hope that you take advantage of the opportunities that the congress offers to our activities and individual researchers. I will certainly be there next summer, and I hope to meet many of you there.

Göran Ericsson, Dean