At the end of this month, Ulf Melin, one of Sweden’s most deserved and prolific public figures, enters into retirement. Since 2005, Ulf’s focus has been education. On 1 August of that year, he became the head of the International Programme Office for Education and Training (IPK), which was the country’s national agency for the EU’s Socrates and Leonardo Progammes and also administered many Swedish programmes for international mobility and cooperation. After a merger with another Swedish body in 2013, the organisation became the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR). Ulf Melin became the Director General of this body as well. 

Importantly, Ulf Melin was a strong supporter of ACA and so were the two organisations he led - both ACA members. Twice, Ulf was the Treasurer of ACA. As was his case in all respects, he fulfilled his duties as Treasurer with dedication and observed the highest standards of quality. He helped ACA to constantly develop further by novel ideas and proposals.

Ulf Melin had been a public figure already before 2005. Before starting his position in IPK, he had been the Executive Director of the Moderate Party at the Stockholm County Council. Earlier, he had served as a member of Sweden’s national Parliament and of its Committee on Education. Throughout his professional life, he had been a member of many boards, including that of the Swedish National Commission for UNESCO and of Jönköping University College. 

The team of the ACA Secretariat and all ACA members wish Ulf all the best for his new phase of life. We all want to express our deep gratitude for everything he has done for ACA and for Swedish higher education. ACA also renews its best wishes to Karin Röding, who will succeed Ulf Melin as Director General of the UHR as of 1 April 2018.