"Knowledge makes us curious and willing to explore other paths"

The past week has been a week of joy and pride in Lund – and for me as Dean of LTH. It began with me having the privilege of acknowledging our talented students during two graduation ceremonies and ended with the celebration of our new PhDs, who received their insignia, ring, hat and diploma after years of work on theses that generated new knowledge.

All these individuals are well worthy of recognition for the choices they have made in acquiring a solid education – with all the new knowledge, learning and skills that come with it. An education provides knowledge that no one can take away. Those who graduated and were conferred with PhDs this week have built a body of knowledge that I hope will be put to the best possible use – to benefit the world, as LTH's vision states.

Nelson Mandela is another person who emphasised the importance of education. He argued that education is the most powerful tool for changing the world. And the way the world looks around us today, it really needs to change, both to preserve democracy and peace, and to overcome the climate crisis. This is where our engineers, architects, industrial designers and PhDs in various fields will have an important role to play in the future.

The beauty of education and knowledge is that the more you know, the more you want to keep learning. And there is always more to learn, just as there are great opportunities to contribute to solutions and knowledge that make the world a better place.

Another important thing about knowledge is that the knowledgeable realise and understand that it is not worth believing those who say that everything is easy and that there is only one way. This is an important realisation, given the way the world is today with both the manipulation of public opinion and fake news.

The knowledge we gain through education often gives us enough wisdom to realise that we don't know, and can't do, everything. It allows us to humbly refrain from being absolutely certain, to dare to examine the facts and to question them critically. But above all, it makes us curious and willing to explore whether there are other paths, other perspectives or other ways of thinking. It enriches our lives.

I feel proud that LTH has been able to give you – all the young, knowledgeable and wise individuals recognised during the week – both knowledge and skills that I believe you can use to contribute to solutions that improve the lives of many people.

As you continue on your knowledge journeys, I hope you will stand up for, and share, the knowledge and experience you have gained from LTH. I say this because we live in a world and in a time when, perhaps more than for a very long time, we need problem-solving skills, knowledge based on research, and people who uphold the values of both academia and democracy.

So, continue your winding journeys of knowledge, by being curious, by exploring and creating, with your good and fundamental values intact. Keep learning! You, dear graduates, are our future.

Annika Olsson

Dean of LTH