Revisiting my Alma Mater

Yesterday afternoon my good old friend Hossein was ceremoniously installed as Professor at Lund University.

Lund University is also my Alma Mater and it was good being back. The ceremony was beautiful. Held in the Auditorium of the main University building in Lundagård, it was steeped in tradition, with plenty of pomp and cirumstance, flags and uniforms, in the presence of the Archbishop of Lund, the Rector Magnificus of Lund University, and Swedish Secretary of Education, my old friend (dressed for the occasion in a beautiful black professor's robe) was installed as a Professor of Economics. A proud moment for him and for his family, and a privilege for me to be allowed to attend.

Very nice speeches by Rector Magnificus Prof. Per Eriksson, and particularly by the Chairmen of the Student Corps, Christian Ståhlman. Given the fact that Lund University has given Sweden many of its Prime Ministers, and that those often were Chairmen of the Student Corps in their student youth, and judging from this excellent speech, I would not be one bit surprised if yesterday I heard a future Prime Minister of Sweden speak.

Also learned that Lund University according to The Times is now ranked nr.67 in the world. This makes it the best university in Sweden and Scandinavia, and puts it on par with the University of Leuven in Belgium, and London School of Economics. Not too bad. Top 3 is held by Harvard, Cambridge and Yale.