Rector Magnificus Anders Hallberg opened the conference with the following words:

Dear colleagues,

Welcome to Uppsala University and the Second Rectors’ Conference of the Baltic University Programme.

It is almost exactly three years to this day that many of us last met here in Uppsala to discuss the Baltic University programme and the future of our cooperation. I am happy to say that we are now in our 18^th year of operation, and I hope that this conference will secure and develop the means for a reinforced partnership. The Declaration of Cooperation, as you are aware, will guarantee the next five-year period of the programme, as well as serving as a foundational document for the participating university’s separate and mutual running of the programme.

The Declaration of Cooperation, in my view, contains two key words: “exchange” and “cooperation”. These are vital words to any activity within a university, but I believe it necessary that we from time to time reflect upon the meaning of these words.

”Exchange”, the dictionary tells us, is the “act of reciprocal giving and receiving.” But it is also a verb defined as “to give something whilst receiving something else in return.” The definition of the word “cooperation” is “working together towards the same end, purpose, or effect.” Today, 58 rectors, vice-chancellors or university presidents – the titles vary as you know, but the burdens of office are similar – have gathered here, in all, representatives from 74 different universities and university colleges in the Baltic Sea region, in order to work together towards the same end, purpose, or effect. In total, we are 120 people, with the common interest in furthering our region’s higher education and research activities.

As university leaders, we – all of us – hold a great deal of responsibility in making the vision of a common Baltic Sea region becoming a reality within our field. As an important part of Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea region must relate to the European Union’s vision of higher education and research. In particular, over the course of the next days, we will discuss this relationship between the EU and the Baltic region, as well as how we relate to the visions – and realities – of education of sustainable development.

Your presence here in Uppsala today has a practical reason and a symbolic meaning. The practical reason is the ambition that we will be able to sign the Declaration of Cooperation tomorrow here in our University Hall. The symbolic meaning of your being here is of course that in participating in today’s and tomorrow’s events, you show faith in the values and visions of regional cooperation in higher education and research. For that faith, I thank you, and, once again, wish you a warm welcome to this meeting and to Uppsala University.