Per Risberg Memorial Fund Scholarship to be awarded for the first time
Per Risberg
Anders Melander will be the first recipient of the Per Risberg Memorial Fund Scholarship, because of a strong commitment to collaboration between Jönköping University (JU) and the business community in the Jönköping region.
Per Risberg (1937 - 2009) was the CEO and a founder of the Saab Combitech group between 1982-1997. At the same time, he was involved in the creation of Jönköping University and was the foundation's first chairman for 10 years. He was also active in and for a few years chaired the Jönköping Chamber of Commerce. One of his driving forces was the collaboration between JU and the business community. This year, JU has received Per Risberg Memorial Fund Scholarship, which will be awarded to those who excel in this collaboration.
Anders Melander, associate professor at Jönköping International Business School (JIBS), has been employed at JU since 1995. The nomination for awarding Anders the scholarship is as follows:
Anders Melander, Jönköping International Business School
Since the founding of Jönköping University (JU), Anders has, in true entrepreneurial spirit, pursued the issues of cooperation with companies and other stakeholders in the region. The value of this networking has been valuable both for the companies and for the students as prospective employees. This has contributed strongly to anchoring JU in the region.
Anders has also, in the same spirit, initiated and participated in projects with the region's companies. In this work, he has gained knowledge from all over JU by involving both colleagues at his own school and from the other schools.
Anders is a real entrepreneur when it comes to motivating and pushing others to further collaboration.
“It is great news and a great honor for me to receive this scholarship. I am especially pleased because I truly value the ideas that Per Risberg had as CEO of Saab Combitech and as chairman for the JU foundation board. His thoughts on entrepreneurship as a driving force, even in existing companies, are as relevant today as they were then”, says Anders Melander.
The scholarship amounts to SEK 30,000 and will be awarded at JU's Inauguration and Conferment Ceremony on 12 October 2019 in connection with Jönköping University's 25th anniversary. It will be handed out annually for five years after consultation with JU and the Jönköping Chamber of Commerce.
“Entrepreneurship and collaboration with the region have been part of Jönköping University since its inception and I am glad that these strengths are highlighted through the Per Risberg Memorial Fund Scholarship. Strengthening the link between theory and practice is one of JU's main missions and Anders Melander has demonstrated this through his work and created new opportunities that benefit all parties. It is with immense pleasure that I award the prize to Anders on behalf of the Per Risberg Memorial Fund”, says Agneta Marell, President of Jönköping University.
“The Chamber of Commerce is very happy about this new scholarship, which draws attention to and encourages good cooperation between JU and the business community in the region. It is central to the continued development of the region and the business community. In addition, it is now personified through the memory of Per Risberg's great commitment and also through Anders Melander's solid efforts that create good role models for others”, says Helena Zar Vallin, CEO of Jönköping Chamber of Commerce.
Contact information:
• Anders Melander, telephone 036-10 18 49
• Agneta Marell, President of Jönköping University, telephone 036-10 10 01
• Helena Zar Wallin, CEO Jönköping Chamber of Commerce, telephone 076-949 42 25
