Ulrika at the Radboud International Staff Training Week

"For me a staff week is all about networking, meeting new people and to share good practice"

What is your position at Uppsala University, Ulrika?

I work as an Exchange Student Coordinator at the Department of Information Technology. So on departmental level, which means that we have our own agreements with our partners and I take care of everything for our in- and outgoing students. I am also the scheduler for our department.

What made you decide to participate in the first International Staff Training Week here at Radboud University? And when was that?

The reason why I decided to participate at the ISTW 2015 was that we had a “sleeping“ agreement with Radboud University. I didn’t know anything about Radboud or Nijmegen and it made me curious and very excited when I saw that there was a Staff Week. So I applied and decided to find out more and to try to meet some of the staff and discuss what we could do to wake the agreement up.

After that first time, why did you decide to come back twice more?

Oh – the people, the university, the city, the wonderfully organized ISTW! Soo many reasons !!! I never thought they would let me though, haha!

What is for you the essence of such a week?

For me a staff week is all about networking, meeting new people and to share good practices. You sit in your office and do things your way – at a staff week you realize that your way might not be the best or it might be a great way of doing things. You meet people from all over the world and you grow so much as a person and as a professional when learning, listening and laughing.

Which knowledge/experience/added value did you concretely take back to your home university from your ISTW-stay?

Oh, tricky question. In 2015 we had a workshop where we learned how to make a map of our partners that we could use on our website. That was a great idea and I implemented that when I got home. I am sure there are things I have forgotten. When you arrive home from a staff week you head is bursting with ideas.

Any remarkable or funny facts related to one of your visits here that you would like to mention?

Haha, when I was part of the winning team at the pub quiz!  The Pannenkoekenboot is wonderful. Nijmegen has a remarkable history. And, every time I leave Nijmegen I promise myself to start studying Dutch !!

The Campus is really beautiful and I always try to meet my students who are there and the students coming to Uppsala. It’s a very nice feeling to have met the students already when they arrive here in Uppsala.

AND – all the wonderful people at Radboud that I now consider my friends!