Introduction weeks with academic focus
The planning of this year’s introduction weeks has been turbulent due to developments in the COVID-19 situation. With the programmes finally in place, the school will welcome new students on Monday 24 August to introduction weeks with no social or physical activities.
Planning this year’s introduction weeks has not been easy. When Aarhus University followed the government’s recommendations and cancelled all introduction week activities until 23 August due to a local surge of infection, three of the school’s departments quickly had to find new solutions for the new students.
This applied to the Department of Political Science, the Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences and the Department of Law, whose introduction weeks were scheduled to take place in week 34. At the other departments, the introduction weeks were scheduled to start on 24 August and they would thus not be affected.
However, with the health authorities’ extension of the COVID-19 restrictions in Aarhus Municipality until 4 September, all departments have had to adjust their introduction activities. It had already been decided that the introduction weeks would only include daytime events and that no alcohol would be served - and that there would be increased focus on the heath authorities’ guidelines on distancing and hygiene. However, the intro activities have now been adjusted even further.
When the school’s 2,429 new students start their new degree programmes on 24 August, their introduction weeks will thus be academic and without the traditional social and physical events. In addition, all activities must take place during normal working hours.
Vice-dean for Education Per Andersen is very sorry that the introduction weeks had to be adjusted yet again:
“Naturally, it is very unfortunate and not at all what we imagined in the spring,” he says. ”However, it goes without saying that we have to adapt the introduction weeks to the situation at hand. I am also delighted that at least we get to welcome our new students to campus face-to-face. To me, this is the most important thing and I’m sure that we’ll catch up on all the rest later.”
New online introduction programme
Even before they start their degree programme, the new students have been able to get a taste of student life through a new online program called Study@AU. The programme will be a supplement to the traditional introduction week and consists of four modules illustrating various aspects of what it means to be a student at Aarhus University.
Read more about the new online introduction programme (in Danish only).