Merry Christmas from the senior management team

As another eventful year comes to a close, we at Aarhus University can be proud that with our highly qualified graduates, outstanding research, strong partnerships with business and industry, and important contributions to entrepreneurship, innovation and public sector consultancy, we have once again proved that we can achieve results that make a difference both in Denmark and internationally.

The year has been marked by major undertakings and endeavours.

Sector resizing meant that we had to make difficult decisions, and the next phase of the Master’s degree reform – redesigning our Master’s degree programmes – will be a key focus in 2025. Like other universities, we need to change our Master’s degree landscape. This is a large and complex task, and since the first new degree programmes need to be in place from 2028, it will also have implications for some of the Bachelor’s students joining us this summer.

And just as our educational landscape is changing, we are also in the process of transforming our campus. With a new ten-year plan, the university is well on its way to realising its vision of creating a more cohesive urban campus in Aarhus, where the university’s activities are concentrated around the University Park, the University City, and Katrinebjerg. The university will continue its building and renovation projects over the coming years – not just in Aarhus but also on its other campuses – to create research and study environments with state-of-the-art facilities so that Aarhus University can continue to deliver results at the highest level.

In 2024, we also inaugurated Campus Viborg, which in its first year has already attracted a large number of applicants, especially for the new veterinary medicine programme. It’s looking very promising.

2024 has also been the year in which, together with the university board, we have charted a course for the university's development leading up to 2030. Having received input from AU’s management group, the chairs of the academic councils, and several of the university’s committees, the draft of the university’s next strategy is now under consultation, with staff and students invited to submit their responses. We are already achieving excellent results – and with Strategy 2030, we are introducing even more ambitious goals. 

As we appraoch the end of 2024, the university is on a secure financial footing, which enables us to tackle the challenges and changes that lie ahead, and to continue to keep our ambitions high.

Before long, the peace and tranquility of Christmas will descend upon Denmark. But, sadly, the world does not look as peaceful beyond the country’s borders, and current conflicts are also casting a shadow over Denmark and AU. One example of this is that research security has now become a geopolitical issue. In some fields, we need to be particularly cautious and put strong safeguards in place to protect our research and data.

We also feel the impact of these conflicts in the form of intense debates, also at universities, which is causing a sense of insecurity among some of our staff and students. This is why it’s vital that, in our interactions with one another, we maintain the fundamental consideration and respect that define and should continue to define AU. Everyone is a valued member of our university community – and it’s important that everyone feels included.

We would like to express our deepest gratitude for your dedication and contribution this year. You make AU what it is. We hope you can enjoy a well-deserved break over Christmas and New Year, spending quality time with family, friends and loved ones. And to those of you who keep the AU wheels turning over the holiday period, we extend our sincere appreciation.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!