Mumbai: The President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, addressed students at the University of Mumbai on Saturday, March 7, encouraging them to cultivate curiosity and develop logical and analytical thinking skills that can guide them throughout their lives.
Delivering his address inside the historic university premises, Stubb began on a light-hearted note, joking with the audience. “I hope the professors paid you to come here,” he said, drawing laughter from the students gathered on a weekend.
The Finnish president explained that whenever he travels across the world, or even within Finland, he makes it a point to visit at least one university. According to him, engaging with students offers a unique opportunity to exchange ideas and understand the perspectives of younger generations.
Reflecting on his own academic journey, Stubb shared his experience of studying at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. He described his undergraduate years there as a turning point in his life.
“I didn’t feel particularly academic before I started studying at university, but it changed my life, and I haven’t looked back since,” he told the students.
Encouraging them to approach learning with curiosity rather than rote memorisation, Stubb emphasised that higher education should go beyond simply remembering facts.
“Please be curious for the rest of your lives. You’re not here to learn about facts and memorise things. You’re here to learn about logical and analytical thinking, which will pave the way for the rest of your life,” he said.
The Finnish president also invoked the words of ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. “There is nothing more noble than teaching the young,” he quoted, adding that his visit to the university was inspired by that spirit.
Stubb further noted that he intended to discuss his perspective on the global situation in 2026, drawing from his recently published book, The Triangle of Power: Rebalancing the New World Order. He explained that his remarks would follow the structure of the book, beginning with an introduction before outlining key points on the evolving global order.
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