The result is unsatisfactory, and there is no doubt that the management has a responsibility to tackle the low sense of involvement among employees and students, says the senior management team in response to a recent survey on co-determination and co-involvement at universities by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science which shows that employees and students experienced low levels of inclusion.
Commenting on the survey, Rector Brian Bech Nielsen points out that the pace of the decision-making process must be reduced, and that managers must become better at involving consulting bodies earlier in the various processes. The report from the internal expert group, which will be published at the beginning of June, will also play an important role in relation to solving the problems.
Aarhus University has just submitted a draft policy for responsible conduct of research at Aarhus University as well as a proposal for a set of rules for safeguarding research integrity at the university for consultation in the main academic areas.
In autumn 2013, all the main academic areas were involved in a process with discussions on responsible conduct of research based on a discussion paper drawn up by the university's Talent Development Committee. The consultation responses from the main academic areas to the discussion paper have been considered by the Talent Development Committee, which has drawn up a proposal for a joint AU policy and rules based on the consultation responses.
Concurrently with the process taking place at Aarhus University, the Ministry of Higher Education and Science has been involved in developing a Danish code of conduct for research integrity. This has been sent for consultation together with the university's proposal for an AU policy.
Aarhus University has set up a website on responsible conduct of research; here, it is possible to download more information about proposals for the AU policy and the national code of conduct.
A MatchPoints seminar is being held this week at Aarhus University. This year, the overall theme is trust and trustworthiness, and a key figure at the seminar is the American Harvard professor Robert Putnam, whose research revolves around trust as as the glue that holds society together. Robert Putnam is a distinguished visiting professor at Aarhus University, and has visited Denmark on several occasions thanks to his affiliation with the university. In his presentations during the seminar, he will, among other things, take the research which has resulted from his relations with Denmark as his starting point.
As in previous years, MatchPoints reaches out to the world around us. The seminar starts with a so-called inspiration day aimed at "The Voluntary Denmark", which is being opened by the Minister for Culture Marianne Jelved. This will be followed by an academic seminar with presentations and workshops as well as an event specially designed for the business community.
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.