Strategy 2030: AU raises its ambitions within six focus areas

“It’s been a pleasure to work on developing a new strategy, and it’s spot on. The university’s contribution to society is already incredibly strong, and with the new strategy, we affirm our high ambitions for our core activities and their renewal,” board chair Birgitte Nauntofte said, adding:

“Research of the highest international calibre and popular degree programmes with high academic standards: These were central themes in Aarhus University’s strategy towards 2025. This focus is maintained in Strategy 2030, and accompanied by new initiatives to strengthen our efforts. In addition, we will raise our ambitions in other areas, including innovation, digitalisation and sustainability. Aarhus University can – and must – achieve much more here. And finally, the university will raise the bar even higher for the quality of the vibrant academic environment on our campuses. Studying at Aarhus University will be even better.” 

The board has just approved the university’s new strategy, which will take effect on 1 January 2026. Both the board and the senior management team were intensively involved in its development, and staff and students have had an opportunity to contribute input and comments on the draft version. Nauntofte said:

“The interest in the strategy that we saw in the consultation responses is something I’m proud of. We received a lot of truly fine contributions and suggested clarifications, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their input. “I also hope that contributors will note that the many good comments have made their mark on the final version of the strategy.

At the same time, I also interpret the engagement in the consultation responses to mean that overall, the strategy has the necessary support on the part of the university community. This is decisive when it comes to translating the strategy and its ambitions into concrete initiatives,” Nauntofte said on behalf of the board.

Over the coming months an action plan for the first year of the strategy will be drafted.

“We’re going to get started on translating our ambitions into concrete initiatives in an action plan that ensures that we hit the ground running with Strategy 2030 when it replaces the existing strategy at the beginning of next year,” Nauntofte said.

Heightened focus on innovation and entrepreneurship

Under Strategy 2030 as under the current strategy, Aarhus University’s overall goal is to deliver research, education and collaboration of high international quality. In this regard, there is a focus on creating attracting career paths for early-career researchers, in addition to attracting and retaining international students.

In addition, the university is committed to a stronger focus on innovation and entrepreneurship. This has been one of the key areas of focus for  the senior management team during the strategy process, emphasised Rector Brian Bech Nielsen:

“We have to integrate innovation and entrepreneurship deeper into the DNA of the university. We have to integrate innovation and entrepreneurship even more into how we understand our role. So it has to be clear to both employees and students that they have opportunities to translate their knowledge and good ideas into solutions that create value and develop our society. In the senior management team, we must continue our work to make this mindset attractive,” Rector Bech Nielsen said, singling out The Kitchen, Partnerhuset and Makerspace in the University City as concrete examples of AU’s strategic ambitions in this area. 

A hub for cybersecurity

Strategy 2030 also contains separate sections on the university’s ambitions with regard to digitalisation and sustainability. Cybersecurity is one area where the university has high ambitions:

“We have tremendously strong IT research teams, and everything indicates that cybersecurity will only become even more important for society in the future,” Rector Bech Nielsen said, adding:

“It makes a lot of sense to continue to expand this position of strength in terms of research, training and collaboration , so that we can contribute even more significantly to this agenda.” 

Visions must be translated into action

By 1 January 2026, when Strategy 2030 enters into force, an action plan must be drawn up for the first year of the strategy that ranks the different strategic initiatives in order of priority and sets concrete targets. The action plan will be on the agenda at the board’s seminar in October, and will be approved at the last meeting of the year in December.

“We now have a strategy that is firmly rooted in Aarhus University's strong heritage and identity, but which also points forward towards new goals. And I look forward to the continued work of transforming ambitions into concrete action,” Rector Bech Nielsen concluded.

The six focus areas are:

• Research of the highest international calibre
• Popular degree programmes with high academic standards
• Coherent, vibrant campuses
• Research-based innovation and entrepreneurship
• Digital frontrunner
• Spearheading sustainable development

• Read Strategy 2030 (Danish version; English is forthcoming)