On August 1, Mr. Ulf Melin became the new Director General for the Swedish national agency, the International Programme Office for Education and Training.  He replaces Mr Boo Sjögren who retired on July 31. Before starting this position Mr. Melin worked as Executive Director of the Moderate Party at the Stockholm county council. Prior to this he served as a Member of Parliament and member of the Parliament’s Committee on Education. He currently serves as a member of the board for the Swedish Agency of Advanced Vocational Education and has served earlier as a member of several other boards including the Swedish National  Commission for UNESCO and Jönköping University College and as a special commissioner and member of several government commissions in the education and training field in the 1990s.

Mr. Melin says his great interest and involvement in the internationalisation of education and training over the years has led him to strongly believe that increasing the exchange of information and people between countries is a critical factor in the development of education and training. He thinks the agency has performed very well during its 10 year existence, but that we can do even better in regards to mobility issues and increasing participation in projects. This ambition must be forward looking and help the organisation to become a national agency that leads the way.