A new semester is starting, and the campus is coming back to life. It’s a pleasure to welcome colleagues after the summer break, and to greet all students beginning or continuing their studies. At KTH, this season is particularly colorful with all the introductory activities in place.

It is also a moment to reflect. Our core mission, research and education, does not happen in isolation. Our universities exist within a broader ecosystem, political, cultural, and social, that can either support or undermine what we do.

Recently, I was struck by the words of Terence Tao, one of the most influential mathematicians of our time, in a blog post reflecting on sudden political interference in U.S. science policy: “the luxury of disengagement is no longer an option.” His message resonates far beyond that context: if we as academics withdraw, decisions about the future of research and education will be made without us. Engagement matters and is needed at every level: management, faculty, and students.

Sweden has a strong tradition of investing in higher education and research, and of fostering openness and international collaboration. But even here, universities face important questions: How do we secure long-term funding for basic science in a system that increasingly favors short-term impact? How do we protect the freedom to ask unexpected questions? How do we ensure that students receive an education that prepares them for a rapidly changing world? These are not questions we can leave to others.

Engagement is part of the answer. For students, it can mean curiosity, critical thinking, and active participation in university life. For faculty and staff, it may be sharing research with a broader audience, teaching with care, joining in collegial discussions, serving on committees, or defending the principles of openness and academic freedom. At KTH, it can also be as concrete as contributing to curriculum development, supporting new pedagogical initiatives, or working across departments on common challenges. Small acts of engagement add up to a culture where science and education can thrive.

As we begin this semester, I look forward to the work ahead and to the engagement that will continue to shape our community. Engagement will matter more than ever.