SLU Youth Institute hosts engaging week of learning and collaboration

The week started with a visit to Stockholm Environment Institute and SIANI to learn more about how Swedish organisations work towards improved food security globally. Rebecca also met Huda, a SLU Youth Institute alumni who did an internship at the International Potato Center in Peru, all thanks to WFPF’s internship programme.

On Tuesday, Rebecca and Anna-Klara Lindeborg, project leader for SLU Youth Institute, visited NTI and Lundellska High School for Rebecca to meet the teachers engaged in the programme, learn more about how they apply the Global Challenge task in the education and learn about the Swedish school system.

As the highlight of the week, 30 high school students visited SLU’s Uppsala campus for interactive roundtable discussions with experts from SLU and other organisations. The students also met, among others, Zeb Strömberg, SLU Youth Institute alumni, who talked about his journey from writing the Global Challenge to be part of the international conference Global Youth Institute. To finish an inspiring afternoon, the high school students met two SLU researchers to learn firsthand about the importance of pollinators and bee research, their contribution to agricultural productivity and why protecting them is crucial for a sustainable future.

Thursday was dedicated to high-level meetings focused on collaboration and policy. Rebecca met with representatives from SLU’s Future Food platform, gaining insight into cutting-edge research on sustainable diets and food innovation. This was followed by discussions with Sara Gräslund, head of the unit SLU Global, which coordinates the university’s international development work. The day concluded with a strategic session with Pro-Vice Chancellor for Internationalisation, Ylva Hillbur, to discuss future development of the programme and collaboration with WFPF and other upcoming Youth Institutes in Europe.

As the final part of the visit, Rebecca got a guided tour of the Baltic Sea Science Centre in Stockholm, where adults and children explore marine research, ecosystem conservation, and interactive exhibits highlighting the fragile balance of the Baltic Sea.

This inspiring week underscored the power of youth engagement in science, strengthened connections between SLU and Swedish high schools, and deepened conversations about building a more sustainable and food-secure world.