News from the Senior Management Group no. 9/2011
10,658 Quota 2 applications
The number of Quota 2 applications to Aarhus University reached a record-breaking high this year. Last year, AU received 9,742 applications, and this year there were 10,658. This increase confirms that interest in studying at Aarhus University continues to grow. If this year's Quota 1 applications follow the same trend as in previous years, where an increase in Quota 2 has been accompanied by an increase in Quota 2, AU will set a new record for the total number of applications this year.
Quota 2 applications will be considered in the coming months.
Danish names of departments and centres
Both Science and Technology and Health have approved Danish and English names for their departments and centres, while Arts and School of Business and Social Sciences are still discussing the issue.
At School of Business and Social Sciences, the dean's executive team and the department heads have agreed to establish a working committee for each of the six new departments. The dean's executive team will discuss the appropriateness of the proposed English names with the committees. Read more.
At Arts, students and staff are encouraged to submit their proposals for Danish and English department and centre names by 22 March 2011. Read more.
Seminar on the academic councils of the future
As stated in the presentation of tomorrow's Aarhus University on 9 March, the senior management group places a high priority on establishing strong, effective academic councils in the new organisation. To ensure the best possible basis for the work of developing the structure of the bew academic councils, the senior management group is holding a seminar with representatives of the present academy councils at Sandbjerg Manor on 4 and 5 April 2011.
The chairmen and deputy chairmen of the existing academic councils are responsible for ensuring that all groups and perspectives are represented at the seminar.
All seven members of the senior management group will participate.
After-work meeting for AU Administration
All members of the new AU Administration are invited to an after-work meeting at which University Director Jørgen Jørgensen will present additional information about the new organisation and answer questions.
The meeting will take place on Thursday 24 March at 2.30 pm in the Main Hall on Nordre Ringgade, Aarhus C.
- Read invitation (in Danish)
Educational IT policy adopted
The presentation of tomorrow's Aarhus University on 9 March also included an account of the university's Educational IT initiative. The university's ambition is to increase its use of new technology to support teaching and learning activities. The first step is to establish a common IT platform for all four main academic areas. This central resource will at the same time allow the various disciplines and programmes to develop more individual applications tailored to their specific requirements. In addition, the university's teaching staff will receive regular training in the technology and pedagogical aspects of Educational IT.
A broadly representative steering committee will be responsible for ensuring that the platform includes all courses of study by the beginning of 2013.
- Read more about Educational IT (in Danish)
Conference on the humanities graduate of the future
Dean Mette Thunø, Faculty of Arts, invites students and staff to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation's conference at AU on the humanities graduates of the future.
The conference has two main themes: the entrepreneurs of tomorrow and the humanities degree programmes of the future. Minister of Science Charlotte Sahl-Madsen and several university and industry representatives will give talks to provide a framework for debate among conference participants and two broadly representative debate panels, one for each of the conference themes.
The debate is already underway at Aarhus University.
- Conference programme (in Danish)
- Read more about the two conference themes and the participant debates, including profiles of debate panel members (in Danish)
High response rate to study environment survey
Even though the 2011 study environment survey is not yet completed, over 11,000 AU students - or 36% of the university's BA and MA students - have already responded. This represents an increase of 8% over the last study environment survey in 2007.
A first look at the responses received shows that students from all degree programmes are represented. This means that the survey will provide valuable analyses of local study environments, which will help the university design and implement appropriate initiatives to ensure students a healthy work environment.
The deadline for responding to the survey is 20 March. The results of the survey will be made available in the beginning of July.
Personnel policy now available on the AU website
Aarhus University's personnel policy is now available on the university website in Danish. An English translation will be available in the near future.
The personnel policy sets out AU's policies in a number of areas, including recruitment and hiring, salary, secondary occupations (side-lines), competence development, sick leave and seniors. The specific and general guidelines contained in the policy are intended to provide staff with a clear framework for their daily working lives at the university.
Calendar
- 21 March: The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation's conference on the humanities degree programmes of the future at Aarhus University
- 24 March: After-work meeting for administrative staff on the new AU Administration
- 28 March: Student meeting: orientation on new organisational structure
- 2 April: Open House at AU-HIH, Aarhus University
- 9 April: Open House at Emdrup campus, Aarhus University
- 11-15 April: EUA conferences at Aarhus University
- 29 April: Festival of Research
- 29 April: Annual boat race in the University Park, Aarhus C
- 12-14 May: MatchPoints 2011
Kind regards
The University Management Group, March 2011
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.