The Academic Collaboration Chile-Sweden ACCESS Forum 2024, in its fourth edition, was held from June 10 to 14 in Stockholm, Sweden. It was hosted by Uppsala University and Stockholm University. This event provided a unique opportunity for academic communities from various disciplines in both countries to meet, connect, and share experiences, as well as to consolidate and strengthen existing ties.
The Chile-Sweden platform is an initiative that began under the UCH-1566 Internationalization Project. In 2016, a letter of intent was signed between the University of Chile, the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (PUC), and the Swedish universities of Lund and Uppsala. This activity led to the organization of the first forum in the city of Lund, which had the participation of 120 academics.
The EfD-Chile Director, Marcela Jaime, was part of the commission that traveled from Universidad de Concepción (Chile) to Sweden and had the chance to meet with the President of Chile.
A strong forum around SDG’s
The ACCESS Forum 2024 included thirteen parallel sessions covering a wide range of research themes aligned with five Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals encompassed good health and well-being (SDG 3), sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11), life below water (SDG 14), life on land (SDG 15), and peace, justice, and strong institutions (SDG 16). The sessions provided a platform for academics from Chile and Sweden to delve into topics such as health and well-being, urban sustainability, marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and institutional development, promoting interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration.
About the topics of ACCESS 2024
Among the highlighted research themes were those focusing on artistic research and cultural sustainability, biodiversity changes in a changing world, and blue-green innovations for preserving coastal seas. These sessions explored critical issues like sustainable urban development, biodiversity conservation, and the integration of land-sea interactions to mitigate climate change impacts. Participants emphasized the importance of innovative approaches and collaborative efforts in addressing global challenges, as well as the importance of scientific evidence in shaping effective prevention and policy measures.
Additionally, the forum addressed the intersection of environmental health and policy, sustainable agriculture systems, and the politics of low-emission energy transitions. Themes such as environmental exposures and diseases, sustainable lithium mining, and sustainable water use highlighted the need for integrated strategies to ensure food security, environmental justice, and resilience against climate change.
“Participating in the ACCESS Forum was an invaluable opportunity to engage with diverse perspectives and forge meaningful connections across disciplines and countries. It has been a transformative experience that will surely be part of our future research endeavors", said Marcela during the event.
Meeting with the President of Chile
As part of the "Scientific Leadership" initiative, the Chilean presidential tour to Europe included participation in the ACCESS 2024 forum. During this event, President Gabriel Boric Font emphasized the crucial role of science, technology, and innovation in achieving the UN's 2030 Agenda goals and fostering strategic international networks between countries. Additionally, the
In addition, President Boric emphasized the role of universities as creators and disseminators of knowledge, praising the ACCESS Forum for its valuable contribution to Chile-Sweden collaboration and the strengthening of bilateral ties. He commended the Chilean specialists participating in the forum, calling them ambassadors of Chile, with an important responsibility. He also expressed his belief that learning from developed countries can help Chile improve its education system to benefit the people's quality of life.
The Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation, Aisén Etcheverry, contributed to the forum's closing plenary session, and echoed the President’s sentiments, discussing the current challenges in knowledge generation and the intersection of policy and science, and announced that the next ACCESS Forum will be hosted in Chile, providing a platform to showcase the work of Chilean scientists.
If you want to learn more about the ACCESS Forum, we invite you to visit the official website: https://accesschilesweden.org/.