Holiday greetings from the university director

Dear all

2021, like 2020, has been an unusual year, which has unfortunately again been dominated by Covid. Yet, despite this, administrative work at the university has continued, albeit mostly on Teams or Zoom. 

Every day, you ensure that operations run efficiently in the administration and technical departments -- with expertise, quality and professionalism, and with an eye for what benefits both staff and students. In other words, you help to tie the organisation together and to ensure that Aarhus University is an excellent university. 

Our joint endeavour to develop and improve the administration continues unabated. This year, digitalisation and adapted working procedures have once again featured high on the agenda. This demands that all of us -- managers and employees alike -- continue to develop our competencies so that we can complete our tasks in the best way possible. In this context, I have sensed your strong commitment and willingness to work constructively and innovatively with the opportunities and demands that digital development brings. We need to cultivate this even more in the coming years. 

The relocation of degree programmes, more external funding, the development of our campuses, climate strategy, information security and GDPR: these are some of the other issues that have been on the table in 2021. And, of course, I must mention AU’s budget, which both shows progress and presents challenges. Although we need to manage our finances carefully over the coming years, there is still room for Aarhus University to maintain the high ambitions outlined in its strategy. 

We will continue to build on all this good work in 2022 and in the years to come. In the administration’s management team, we have just adopted three guiding principles for the administration’s work going forward: 1) coherent administration; 2) digital transformation; and 3) proactive and strategic collaboration partners. You can read more about these principles in the administration’s newsletter, and you can expect to hear more about them from your immediate superior in the new year.

Here’s hoping that next year is less affected by Covid, so that we can all return to the office and enjoy the job satisfaction that meeting in person brings. So thank you for all your hard work.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Arnold Boon.