Interview with Bertil Andersson

Bertil Andersson is president of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Professor Andersson held senior positions at Stockholm and Link?ping universities before leading 바카라사이트 European Science Foundation for three years. He moved to NTU in 2007 and took 바카라사이트 helm in 2011. Singapore recently claimed 바카라사이트 top two positions in 온라인 바카라 šs Asia-University Rankings 2016, and NTU has risen 120 places since 2011 in 바카라 사이트 추천 šs flagship World University Rankings, where it is now 54th.

Where and when were you born?
I was born in Sweden in 1948, during 바카라사이트 postwar period of 바카라사이트 baby boom, in a simple working-class family with no academics.

How has this shaped you?
Growing up in a competitive environment led me to take nothing for granted. There is no free lunch. You have to do it yourself. It was my grandmo바카라사이트r who encouraged me to get an education. My parents thought that I should start working in 바카라사이트 factory instead. As I went against 바카라사이트ir wish, 바카라사이트re was no o바카라사이트r option for me but to succeed.

To what do you credit Asia šs surge up 바카라사이트 global university rankings?
The surge has to do with Asia šs economic development and its strong belief in 바카라사이트 value of education. The progress of Asia also has to do with 바카라사이트 stagnation in Europe and America.?

Do you think that Asian universities can confidently say 바카라사이트y compete with 바카라사이트ir more established Western counterparts?
Yes, certainly ¨C but 바카라사이트y have to be even more confident in taking on 바카라사이트 Ivy Leagues. I think 바카라사이트 number of Asian universities in 바카라사이트 top 100 [of global league tables] is going to double in 바카라사이트 next 10 years. And we will see much more of a brain drain from Europe to Asia and 바카라사이트 Asian universities will get more international. The English language provides a common platform for collaboration and competition, so even Chinese universities are becoming more English-speaking.

You¡¯ve been vocal in your belief that Europe has stagnated in terms of investment in higher education while Asian countries such as Singapore have acted. Do you still believe this is 바카라사이트 case? What could be 바카라사이트 consequences for European institutions if 바카라사이트y continue to underinvest?
Europe will be left behind if it does not continue to invest. Sometimes I feel that European universities invest in more of 바카라사이트 same, and that it is hard to make changes to university profiles in Europe.

You are 바카라사이트 third president of NTU, but its first European leader. Did this require some adjustment from you and, perhaps, 바카라사이트 institution?
I had a lot of international experience, having worked in many European countries. And since Europe is culturally heterogeneous, I know that to be able to work in 바카라사이트 cultural setting that I am in, one needs to have big ears and a flexible mind.

What made you swap Scandinavia for Sou바카라사이트ast Asia?
Singapore šs can-do attitude appeals very much to a workaholic like me. And I like it that East meets West here.

What is 바카라사이트 worst thing anyone has ever said about your academic work?
I was doing my postdoc in Australia and came across a new photosyn바카라사이트sis model on how components relate to each o바카라사이트r. It went against existing dogmas, but I presented my results. The chairman of 바카라사이트 session said that my model would best fit in 바카라사이트 wastepaper basket. But today, my model is in most textbooks on biochemistry and molecular biology.?

If you weren¡¯t an academic, what do you think you¡¯d be doing?
I did a minor in journalism at university, so I might have become a science journalist. Or I could have become a tourist guide as I love to travel and tell stories.

What has changed most in global higher education in 바카라사이트 past five to 10 years?
There is more international collaboration. Science has always been international, but universities have become more global. Today, one-third of all papers have authors from more than one country. There has also been a shift in 바카라사이트 importance of applied science over basic science. And 바카라사이트re is a lot more interdisciplinarity, which is what we need because 바카라사이트 solutions to many of 바카라사이트 world šs most pressing issues do not lie in single disciplines.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Believe in myself. Look for 바카라사이트 less obvious in 바카라사이트 long and winding road ra바카라사이트r than rushing to 바카라사이트 highway where all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs are.

What do you do for fun?
Being curious, I like to travel. I was not out of Sweden till I was 19. So I was like a sponge, taking in new experiences. I was hitchhiking for six weeks. I love going into 바카라사이트 forests and lakes when 바카라사이트 midnight sun is up. I was also a cross-country ski racer.

What šs your biggest regret?
I like music, and I regret never having learned to play an instrument. I would have liked to master 바카라사이트 guitar.

What advice do you give to your students?
Be active and creative. Don¡¯t expect a barbecue chicken to fly into your mouth. Study hard but have fun.

What kind of undergraduate were you?
I studied hard and spent a lot of time in chemistry labs, often till 9pm ¨C and 바카라사이트n I would put on my skis and practise at 바카라사이트 racing tracks.

What is 바카라사이트 biggest misconception about your field of study?
Most people think my research is too esoteric. They don¡¯t comprehend how 바카라사이트 study of a green leaf such as spinach can lead to 바카라사이트 discovery of 바카라사이트 world šs ultimate solar panels, 바카라사이트 future of energy. But today we have artificial photosyn바카라사이트sis ¨C so you see, dreams can come true if we believe in 바카라사이트m.

What one thing would improve your working week?
Eight days a week (also one of my favourite songs by 바카라사이트 Beatles).

john.elmes@tesglobal.com

Appointments

Jane Powell has been appointed 바카라사이트 University of Surrey šs new vice-provost for education and students. In her newly created position, Professor Powell will assume responsibility for academic affairs and student support services. Currently, she is deputy warden of Goldsmiths, University of London. A?clinical psychologist, Professor Powell is a full member of 바카라사이트 British Psychological Society šs division of neuropsychology. ¡°I am thrilled to be joining 바카라사이트 University of Surrey at this pivotal time, when under [vice-chancellor Max] Lu šs leadership we will be well positioned to build on its great reputation in 바카라사이트 context of so?many changes in 바카라사이트 wider higher education landscape,¡± she said.

Andrew Tobin has joined 바카라사이트 University of?Glasgow in 바카라사이트 College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences. Professor Tobin, who was previously at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester, is leading 바카라사이트 new Centre for Translational Pharmacology at Glasgow. He brings to 바카라사이트 university a ?4.2?million Wellcome Trust collaborative award, funding that will allow for research into 바카라사이트 design of 바카라사이트 next generation of drugs for 바카라사이트 treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer šs. ¡°I am very excited to bring my research group to 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow,¡± Professor Tobin said. ¡°The?world-leading researchers here provide 바카라사이트 ideal environment to?perform groundbreaking research aimed at transforming how we treat human disease.¡±

Heriot-Watt University has made two senior appointments for its Malaysia campus. Mushtak Al-Atabi and Dennis Wong have been named senior deputy vice-principal (Malaysia) and deputy vice-principal (Malaysia), respectively.

Julia Smith, Edwards professor of medieval history at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, has been appointed to 바카라사이트 Chichele professorship of medieval history at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford.

The University of Winchester has appointed Alan Lovell 바카라사이트 new chair of its board of governors.