SCAS News - 30 September, 2015

SCAS celebrated its 30th Anniversary on 9 September

On the 9th of September, the Swedish Collegium celebrated the 30th anniversary of its foundation
with a combined lecture and concert event in the Thunberg Hall. In the crowded hall, the welcome
address was given by SCAS principal Björn Wittrock, followed by a few remarks made by Eva Åkesson,
the Vice-Chancellor of Uppsala University. Marie-Christine Skuncke, who has previously been a
Long-term Fellow and Fellow in residence at SCAS, then held the anniversary lecture on Carl Peter
Thunberg and Japan, a theme which has close links to the Collegium both in terms of its location in
Linneanum and the research on Thunberg which has been carried out within its walls.* The final part of
the programme contained a musical performance. Conducted by Stefan Karpe, (Barock)ensemblen vid
Uppsala Universitet, along with coloratura soprano Alexandra Büchel, performed works by Johann
Sebastian Bach, Pierre Boulez, György Ligeti and Jean-Philippe Rameau.

In addition, the participants were given the opportunity to see the facilities of the Villa and the exhibition
of photographs of Venice - taken by former SCAS Fellow Piotr Sztompka - which has been on display
since the SCAS Alumni Day took place in April this year. The 30th anniversary audience consisted of both
current and former Fellows, as well as old and new colleagues and friends of the Collegium.

Founded on 9 September 1985, the Swedish Collegium was the first institute of its kind in Northern Europe.
Although some things have changed over the years, core features of an institute for advanced study remain,
such as residential fellowships with communal lunches and regular seminars. Most importantly, however,
there is a sustained commitment to the advancement of scholarship at the heart of all activities of the
Collegium. During these past 30 years, over 400 Fellows have been in residence. Their work has resulted
in some 450 books, many with leading university presses, and some 1150 scholarly articles. The gradual
expansion of the Collegium’s premises – from a few rooms at Uppsala Castle, via the Villa in Kåbo, to the
current location in Linneanum and the Villa in the Botanic Garden – reflects both the expansion of the
activities of the Collegium and a growing number of Fellows. The current efforts to prepare for the
inclusion of scholars also from the natural and medical sciences add to the continuous work to maintain
and develop the vibrant intellectual environment and its community of excellent scholars. At 30, the
Collegium is more vivid than ever and looks forward to the years to come.


* Marie-Christine Skuncke’s book Carl Peter Thunberg, Botanist and Physician: Career-Building across
the Oceans in the Eighteenth Century, was launched in September 2014 and is the first book ever to be
published by the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study. A large part of the book was written during
Skuncke’s time as a Fellow at SCAS.