2008/03/04

Student life


Student life

Lund is known for its particularly active student life, revolving around three central structures: Student Nations, Akademiska Föreningen, and student Unions.

The nations in Lund are a central part of the university's history, initially serving as residential colleges for students, organized by geographic origin. Östgöta Nation, the oldest nation, was established in 1668, two years after the university was founded. While the nations still offer limited housing, today they are best described as student societies. It is required to enroll in a nation to receive grades at the university.

Today students may enroll in any nation, although the nations still preserve their geographic names. In most cases it does not matter what nation one enrolls in, but different nations offer different activities for interested students. The fee of around 350 Swedish krona per semester (which also includes student union membership fees), is the closest thing to a tuition requirement found in Sweden.

Each nation has student housing, but the accommodations in no way meet demand, and they are usually appointed according to a queue system. Each nation has at least one pub evening per week, with a following night club. The solemn peak event in the course of an activity year is the organization of student balls once a year. Most well known of the nation balls (as opposed to balls organized by fraternities or student unions) is the ball hosted by Göteborgs Nation - called the "Gustaf II Adolf Ball" (also known as the "GA-Ball"). Most nations also host at least one banquet per week, where a three course dinner is served. Each nation also has different activities for students interested in sports, arts, or partying. All activities within the nations are voluntary, and most students are not active in them.

The tradition of nations at the university is practically as old as the university itself.

The list is always sorted in accordance with a time-honoured order based on the age of the diocese of the area that the nation was named after. The reason for this was that almost all students earlier came from gymnasiums, and these were only found in diocesan capitals.

Nation

Foundation year

Inspektor

Acronym

Östgöta Nation

1668

Lars Söderström

ÖG

Västgöta Nation

1669

Ole Elgström

VG

Småland Nation


Tiina Rosenberg

SM

Lunds Nation

1890

Thomas Johannesson

LD

Malmö Nation

1890

Magnus Jernek

ML

Helsingkrona Nation

1890

Christer Jönsson

HB

Sydskånska Nationen

1890

Göran Hermerén

SSK

Kristianstad Nation

1890

Lennart Thörnqvist

KR

Blekingska Nation

1697

Pehr-Henrik Enckell

BL

Göteborg Nation


Catharina Svanborg

GBG

Halland Nation

1928

Allan T. Malm

HL

Kalmar Nation

1696

Sten Hidal

KM

Wermland Nation

1682

Andreas Önnerfors

WML

12 of the 13 nations (all but the Småland Nation) have established a cooperation, including being members of a common Academical Union (Akademiska Föreningen).

Akademiska Föreningen (AF).

In 1830, Professor Carl Adolph Agardh formed Akademiska Föreningen (The Academic Society), commonly referred to as AF, with the goal of "developing and cultivating the academic life" by bringing students and faculty from all departments and student nations together in one organization. Prince Oscar I, then Sweden's Chancellor of Education, donated 2000 Kronor to help found the society. In 1848, construction began on AF-Borgen (the AF Fortress), which is located opposite the Main Building in Lundagård. To this day, AF is the center of student life in Lund, featuring many theater companies, a prize-winning student radio (Radio AF), and organizing the enormous Lundakarnevalen (the Lund Carnival) every four years.

Student Unions

Currently each faculty has its own student union. Since 1995, a central organization known as LUS (Lund University's Student Unions) negotiates with the university administration, while most work is done at the faculty level. The student unions that are members of LUS are:

-The Ph.D. Student Union

-Student Union of the Faculty of the Humanities

-Student Union of the Faculty of Medicine

-Student Union of Natural Sciences

-Lunds Socialhögskolas Studentkår

-Sjukgymnastinstitutets Studentkår

-Student Union of Social Sciences

-Student Union of the Faculty of Theology

-Vårdvetenskapliga Studentkåren

-Teaterhögskolans Studentkår

-Malmö Konsthögskolas Studentkår

-Studentkåren vid Musikhögskolan i Malmö

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