The study progress reform entails many challenges for students and employees. Aarhus University has chosen to divide the work into several phases in order to ensure a thorough process. Upon recommendation from the Education Committee, the senior management team has introduced the following in relation to the possibilities of delegating tasks and to the so-called 'mobility windows':
a) Boards of studies get the opportunity to delegate
Aarhus University expects that the requirement for study progress and automatic registration for courses and exams will entail an increase in the number of students applying for exemption from, for example, exams, which will increase the boards of studies' workload. It has therefore been decided that the boards of studies will be given the opportunity to delegate decision-making power to AU Administration in routine cases where the boards have a fixed procedure.
b) All study programmes should contain mobility windows
The study progress reform, and particularly the requirement for automatic registration for courses and exams worth 30 ECTS, may have a negative impact on students' choice of studies abroad and/or internships. The senior management team has therefore complied with the recommendation specifying that it should be ensured that there are mobility windows* in all academic regulations with subsequent credit transfer of 30 ECTS.
The expert group is well under way with the problem analysis. The group has planned various activities involving university employees with a view to getting input for the analysis. Moreover, the expert group emphasises that all employees at Aarhus University are welcome to contribute input. The expert group can be contacted at ekspertgruppen@au.dk.
The expert group's analysis will be completed on 1 June.
Aarhus University's new research vessel is scheduled for commissioning on 25 April when it will be officially christened Aurora by Minister for the Environment Kirsten Brosbøl.
Aurora is the first Danish marine research vessel constructed for a Danish university. The new vessel will contribute to turning the waters from the North Sea to the Baltic Sea into a leading field laboratory for studies of natural and man-made changes in marine ecosystems and their geology. This will offer completely new opportunities for field-based teaching in all aspects of marine science. It will support research and teaching partnerships with companies within marine development and technology.
In December 2009, Aarhus University granted DKK 30 million for the vessel. In addition, Aarhus University granted DKK 10 million in co-financing to cover construction and equipment for the vessel.
In 2009, in collaboration with all the other universities and relevant research institutions in Denmark, Aarhus University initially applied for funding for a new research vessel from the Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation's national pool for research infrastructure. The application was based on the fact that the Danish environmental and research vessels were antiquated, too small or too expensive for conducting research in the waters around Denmark.
In nine research projects, researchers from Aarhus University will be investigating the extent to which being European Capital of Culture (ECoC) will benefit and impact Aarhus.
The steering committee for rethinkIMPACTS 2017 has granted a total of DKK 900,000 for the nine projects in seed money. The funding comes from the funds which Central Denmark Region, Aarhus Municipality and Aarhus University set up for that purpose in 2013.
The government has launched its new action plan which is to turn Denmark into an attractive study destination for foreign talents.
One of the main objectives is to attract more talented foreign students and persuading them to stay here after completing their studies.
The action plan contains 24 specific initiatives and five measurement points:
Read the announcement regarding the action plan on the Ministry of Education's website
The Senior Management Team 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 Team, please go to http://info.au.dk/medarbbreve/index.asp?sprog=en. The English version of News from the Senior Management Team is available at http://www.au.dk/en/about/uni/seniormanagement/newsletter/. You can read previous editions of News from the Senior Management Team at http://www.au.dk/en/about/uni/seniormanagement/newsletter/2014.