News from the Senior Management Group no. 16/2011
New vice-dean at Science and Technology
On 15 May, Henrik Bindslev will take up the position of vice-dean for research at Science and Technology. He comes to us from a position as vice-dean at DTU, where he has also held the position of director of the National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy at Risø DTU. Dr Bindslev has a doctoral degree in plasma physics from Oxford University. He is also chair of the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA).
Henrik Bindslev's appointment means that thirteen of the fourteen vice-dean positions are now filled. The last open position, vice-dean for research at Health, will be advertised again in the near future, as mentioned in the last newsletter.
- Read more about Henrik Bindslev
- Link to vice-dean profiles
A well-deserved break
We hope that many of you are planning to join us on 17 June to celebrate with colleagues and students from the entire university. The academic development of AU is a lengthy, large-scale process which continues to demand extra work - as well as patience. We hope that many of you will take this opportunity for a well-deserved and welcome break. After all, what better place to start making Tomorrow’s AU a good place to work than a good party? The celebration is for everyone, so we hope that you will enjoy the day and relax in the company of colleagues and/or fellow students. Enjoy!
- Read more about the celebration
Information about the organisation of AU Administration
The new web pages about the deputy directors' areas of responsibility now include detailed descriptions of the organisation of each area. Schedules and managerial responsibilities are described in detail. These pages are intended to supplement the organograms and lists of new managers published last week. The lists are not yet complete, as a number of positions are still open. The lists will be updated on a regular basis.
- Read more (in Danish)
List of open positions sent to staff in preference clarification round
The 110 staff members who are involved in preference clarification have received a list of open positions.
Information meetings will be held in Emdrup (16 May) and Aarhus (17 May) to explain the material which has been sent out in connection with the preference clarification process. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions.
After the meetings, the staff members involved in the process will be able to request positions from the list on the basis of their competences and interests, and as far as possible, all affected staff members will receive an offer of a new position before the summer holiday.
- Read more about the preference clarification round
Strong interest in democracy debate
Over 600 participants, including numerous secondary school students, were present when eighteen politicians and opinion-makers discussed democracy for over three hours on Thursday evening in the Lakeside Lecture Theatres. The discussion was set in motion by five short, provocative discussion topics:
1. Do we still have a representative government?
2. Is democracy socially imbalanced?
3. Has the 'conversational democracy' disappeared in the 'competitive state'?
4. Should it still be the responsibility fo the school system to turn us into democrats?
5. Have the media become a threat to democracy? …
Judging by the atmosphere of the meeting and the large number of participants, democracy is in good hands. However, there are a number of signs which indicate a decline in our society’s ability to understand and participate in representative government.
Watch the debate here (in Danish)
Read coverage of the democracy debate (in Danish)
The democracy debate was held in collaboration with the University Extension in Aarhus and the MatchPoints Seminar 2011, the theme of which is 'Challenging Democracy'. The seminar, which ends on 14 May, brings some of the world's leading thinkers on democracy to AU.
Read short interviews with selected MatchPoints speakers on the MatchPoints home page
The eminent political theorist Dr Francis Fukuyama is one of the major speakers at the seminar.
Watch the TV interview with Fukuyama on the AU home page
EUA issues the Aarhus Declaration
The European university association EUA has just issued the Aarhus Declaration, the fruit of the annual EUA conference held at AU in mid-April.
According to the declaration, while European universities have a long tradition of cultivating talented young researchers, it is necessary for them to intensify their efforts. By doing an even better job of training young researchers, European university can ensure that they will play a decisive role as locomotives for growth, which is necessary if Europe is to continue to perform well in a strongly competitive world.
Read the Aarhus Declaration
----------------------
Second round of applications to AU Summer University in progress
The second round of applications to the AU Summer School 2011 is taking place in May. Registration for some courses is already closed, but it is still possible to register for courses which aren't fully booked out
There is an overview of all Summer University courses, including information on which courses are still open, at www.au.dk/summeruniversity.
AU has worked intensively over the past few years to develop its summer school activities by involving all main academic areas, working to attract more students, both Danish and international, and establishing Summer School services at the International Centre. These efforts have had a measurable effect. There are over twenty new courses this year, which means that there are now 66 courses to choose among. About half of the courses are taught by carefully selected foreign lecturers. The university received over 1,500 applications in the first application round. Four hundred applications are from international students - an increase of 88 per cent over summer 2010.
A summer school committee with representatives from different subject has been established under the leadership of Bodil Due, former dean of the Faculty of Humanties, in order to advise International Centre on Summer School.
In addition to its wide range of course offerings, AU Summer University also offers a variety of social activities and events for its students.
Meetings with student unions
The senior management group is developing a tradition of holding orientation meetings with AU's student organisations. These informal meetings are intended to ensure a healthy, constructive dialogue on issues of relevance to student organisations. The Student Council and Konservative Studerende have already expressed an interest in meeting with the senior management group.
Student researchers receives award from minister
The 'society for student medical research' (Selskab for Medicinsk Studenterforskning) recently received an award from Bertel Haarder, minister for the interior and health. The society has worked to promote student research in the health sciences since 2005. Minister Haarder recognised its work by presenting an award of DKK 10,000 at an awards ceremony at the National Museum of Denmark.
- Read more about the society (in Danish)
Calendar
- 12-14 May: MatchPoints 2011
- 24-25 May: Management seminar at Sandbjerg Manor
- 25 May: Universities Denmark debate meeting: ARE WE WINNING THE RACE? AN OPEN DEBATE ON THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
- 27 May: Rigmor and Carl Holst-Knudsen Award 2011 ceremony
- 15 June: The Rector's summer speech
- 16 June: Meeting of the University Board
- 17 June: AU celebrates
- 23 June: Main Liaison Committee meeting
Kind regards
The University Management Group
The Senior Management Group publishes a newsletter every week. This newsletter includes a brief description of current activities and discussions. You can sign up for the Danish version of the newsletter at http://info.au.dk/medarbbreve, after which you will receive an e-mail whenever the newsletter is issued.
If you would like to subscribe to the English version of News from the Senior Management Group, please go to http://info.au.dk/medarbbreve/index.asp?sprog=en. The English version of News from the Senior Management Group is available at http://www.au.dk/en/about/uni/seniormanagement/newsletter/. You can read previous editions of News from the Senior Management Group at http://www.au.dk/en/about/uni/seniormanagement/newsletter/2011.