New spouse agreement to attract foreign researchers
Attracting foreign researchers to Aarhus BSS is not always easy - and retaining them is even harder - especially if the researcher’s spouse is not enjoying life in Aarhus. For this reason, Aarhus University has entered into an agreement with Business Region Aarhus, which focuses on finding jobs for the spouses of international researchers.
Accompanying spouses of international researcher often find it hard to gain a foothold on the Danish labour market. Many foreign researchers end up leaving Aarhus BSS because their spouses are not enjoying life in Aarhus and have failed to build up a network that typically comes with a job. For this reason, Aarhus University and the Business Region Aarhus network, which comprises 12 municipalities in East Jutland, have entered into a mutual agreement with the aim of finding jobs for the spouses of foreign researchers.
The agreement means that Aarhus University must take part in research projects that create new knowledge about regional growth and development. In return, the 12 municipalities are obliged to find relevant jobs for the researchers' accompanying spouses.
Dean Thomas Pallesen is certain that the spouse agreement will contribute to attracting more international researchers, and that this will strengthen both Aarhus University and Aarhus BSS:
“Today, Aarhus University is among the top 100 universities in the world, and we would like to continue to be so,” he explains.”But for this to happen, we have to be able to attract and retain the very best researchers wherever in the world they might be. Naturally, that we now have something specific to offer the spouses of foreign researchers in terms of employment, gives Aarhus BSS and the rest of Aarhus University many new opportunities as an international university."
Typically, the jobs offered to international spouses will have a six to 12 month duration, and the agreement covers approximately 30 positions a year.
Read more and find out whom to contact here.