New Interdisciplinary Forum established at Aarhus BSS

Aarhus BSS has a small portfolio of interdisciplinary research and educational activities. With an aim to further strengthen this portfolio and the collaboration across disciplines with due consideration of department needs and the strategic agenda of the school, the faculty management team has decided to establish a platform for knowledge and experience exchange regarding opportunities and barriers for interdisciplinary collaboration: Aarhus BSS Strategic Interdisciplinary Forum (SIF).

SIF plays an advisory role in relation to the faculty management team. The responsibilities and tasks of SIF include, among others:

• Acting as a sounding board in relation to new ideas for interdisciplinary initiatives raised by the employees at Aarhus BSS.
• Identifying and recommending the appointment of specific groups to work on activities that may strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration at the school, for instance in connection with establishing interdisciplinary initiatives or centres, or new interdisciplinary degree programmes.
• Supporting quality assurance of large-scale applications for interdisciplinary research projects
• Supporting the search for ways to fund interdisciplinary research activities, including different foundations and Horizon Europe’s funding for ‘global challenge’

All departments at Aarhus BSS are represented in the forum to ensure that their needs are considered. The vice-dean for research and talent is the chair of SIF, and the members include vice-dean for education Morten Rask, directors of studies and centres who are responsible for interdisciplinary research centres or degree programmes, heads of important research infrastructures at Aarhus BSS, and a number of researchers with special interest in or experience from interdisciplinary research projects.
The Dean's Office provides administrative support for SIF.

Terms of reference and list of members for the Aarhus BSS Strategic Interdisciplinary Forum