Summer greetings from our university director: Thank you all for going above and beyond!
In his summer greeting to the university’s administrative staff, University Director Kristian Thorn thanks everyone for their contribution to the university’s operations and development over the past academic year.
I don’t know about you, but I still haven’t quite come down to earth after the spectacular opening of the University City. I’d like to thank everyone who worked so hard to make this latest addition to the Aarhus campus a reality – and thanks to everyone who participated in the official opening. This was a major milestone for Aarhus University, and it’s fantastic to see what a hotspot Aarhus’ newest neighbourhood has already become.
As we approach the summer holiday, it’s a natural time to look back and take stock.
I’d like to thank all of the university’s administrative staff for your valuable contribution to AU’s operations and development over the 2025-26 academic year. Keeping an engine of this size humming is no small feat.
What we do in the administration is an important contribution to the university’s success. Your work helps make it possible for AU to deliver world-class research, education and innovation.
Administrative cost reductions in the state sector: AU will need to contribute
This is also a time for looking ahead, and everything indicates that administrative cost reductions will soon become a theme we will need to address at Aarhus University.
Last summer, the previous governing coalition presented the so-called ‘state-sector work programme’ aimed at identifying administrative cost reductions in the state sector totalling DKK 5.5 billion towards 2030. According to the work programme, the institutions under the Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Digital Affairs will be expected to contribute cost reductions amounting to approximately half a billion kroner.
The implementation of the work programme has stalled for some months due to the general election in March of this year and the subsequent government formation talks, but is expected to resume shortly. We don’t yet know what this will mean for AU in practice or when we’ll know.
However, in dialogue with the ministry, AU’s senior management team has maintained that savings generated by any cost reductions carried out should remain with the individual institutions, and that AU is already among the most efficiently run universities in Denmark.
A coordinated approach to AI
Another important focus when we return from the summer holiday will be a more enjoyable one: learning to work with artificial intelligence.
The technology has now reached a level of maturity where it makes sense to develop a more coordinated approach at the university. Within the administration, we’re already working on a number of pilot initiatives.
AI has great potential, but it also demands great caution. Let’s approach this challenge in a spirit of curiosity – and at the same time, let’s make sure we develop our work processes in a responsible way. This will be a shared focus when we return for the autumn semester.
Last but not least, I hope all of you have a lovely summer!
Kristian Thorn
University Director