Mariann Fischer Boel is stepping down from the Aarhus University Board when her term expires on 1 July 2014.
The chairman of the board, Michael Christiansen, is inviting employees, students and partners to propose candidates to replace Mariann Fischer Boel, who has been on the board since July 2010.
Before being considered by the University Board, the proposals will be discussed by a six-strong nomination body. This is made up of the chairman and deputy chairman of the University Board, two members selected by the academic council chairman's committee among the university's academic staff as well as two members appointed by members of the university's employer panels, advisory panels and advisory boards.
Proposals for a new external member of the University Board must be sent to Chief Legal Counsel Mads Niemann-Christensen, the Rector's Office, at mcnc@adm.au.dk no later than 5 May 2014.
On Saturday 26 April, HM the Queen broke the ground for the Sino-Danish Center’s (SDC) new building in China.
SDC is a collaboration between the Ministry of Higher Education and Science, the eight Danish universities, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS).
The Danish Industry Foundation has donated DKK 99 million for the building, which will house a lecture theatre, teaching facilities, offices, student facilities and 20 homes for researchers. The SDC building will be built beside Lake Yanqi at the newly constructed UCAS campus 60 km north-east of Beijing.
The Danish Minister for Higher Education and Science, Sofie Carsten Nielsen, was present at the event together with, among others, Rector Brian Bech Nielsen and Director of SDC Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen.
The new building is expected to be completed in autumn 2015.
On 25 April, a new panel met which will evaluate the collaboration between the business community and institutions of higher education. The Danish Parliament has commissioned the evaluation, which will be carried out by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science, and Minister for Higher Education and Science Sofie Carsten Nielsen has asked Pro-Rector Søren E. Frandsen to participate in the panel.
The evaluation must, among other things, address issues such as:
The panel will also have the task of assessing the need and ideas for new ways of collaborating. The new panel will meet three times between now and September.
Aarhus University researchers participated in the Festival of Research.
This year's theme for the Festival of Research in Aarhus was FOOD IN THE FUTURE. Here, it was possible to taste roast crickets and to watch presentations of AU's research in the form of speed lectures, exhibitions, workshops and experiments with topics such as food trends, retro-farmers and culinary goddesses, seaweed as an ingredient and much more. The event was intended for everyone, and participation was free of charge. It was held last Friday 25 April at 13-17 in the S Building and in the adjoining lecture halls on Fuglesangs Allé.
Aarhus University also held Festival of Research events in Roskilde and Foulum. In Roskilde, for example, a new digital method for checking air pollution was presented. This took place in the AOF gardens in Roskilde on Saturday. On the same day in Foulum, there was a lecture at the research centre on public health and food research.
On Saturday and Sunday it was possible to visit Aarhus University's new research vessel Aurora, which is berthed in the Port of Aarhus.
Internet researchers from Aarhus University are playing a key role in Internet Week Denmark, which is being held for the first time this week. The internet has redefined society, our daily lives, our work –and the changes are happening at a breathtaking pace. The internet affects us in many ways, both positive and negative. Internet Week Denmark is focusing on the internet as a phenomenon, and on its possibilities and challenges. Aarhus University is co-hosting the event, which is expected to be recurring.
Kind regards
The Senior Management Team
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.