The Aarhus University Research Foundation supports the sale of Cheminova, which has been proposed by the company's owner, Auriga A/S.
The Aarhus University Research Foundation (AUFF) is, with a 39% stake and 83% of the voting rights, the main shareholder in Auriga A/S. The foundation's objective is to support academic research at Aarhus University, and this will continue after the sale. The sale will give the foundation even better opportunities for supporting research for the benefit of society as a whole.
Cheminova is a well-run business thanks to its positive development and talented employees, which is also reflected in its current market value. Cheminova's sales value is DKK 8.5 billion, of which AUFF's share is approx. DKK 3.2 billion, which corresponds to a positive revaluation of approx. DKK 2.4 billion of the foundation's assets.
AUFF supports the sale of shares in Cheminova because further development of the company will require a high level of investment. Cheminova will therefore be better positioned in the global market with the backing of a well-financed company such as the potential buyer, the American FMC Corporation.
In addition to its ownership share in Auriga Industries, AUFF has significant interests in Forskningsfondens Ejendomsselskab, the Student Halls of Residence in the University Park, the Alexandra Institute, INCUBA science park and the Aarhus University Press.
The technical sciences now have new facilities following the inauguration of the star-shaped Navitas building at the Port of Aarhus last week. Here, engineering students and technical researchers from Aarhus University will share the space with students and teachers at Aarhus School of Marine and Technical Engineering, as well as with entrepreneurs and established businesses. In all, 2,700 people will be working and studying at Navitas.
The 38,700 square metres include teaching and laboratory facilities, and the Navitas building is in effect one big energy laboratory, where energy management systems, cooling systems and supporting structures are fully accessible for researchers and students.
Navitas is the result of a collaboration between Aarhus University, INCUBA science park, the Aarhus School of Marine and Technical Engineering and the City of Aarhus.
Last Friday saw the ground-cutting ceremony for a new complex which will house new research facilities at the Department of Biomedicine at Aarhus University. The complex, comprising two parallel buildings which are being constructed on the corner of Vennelyst Boulevard and Høegh-Guldbergs Gade in Aarhus, will accommodate state-of-the-art laboratories.
One of the key persons at the ceremony was Nobel Prize winner Jens Christian Skou, whom the new building will be named after. He was joined by the Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Buildings, Rasmus Helveg Petersen, and Mayor of Aarhus Jacob Bundsgaard, who both cut the first sods.
Aarhus University and the Danish Building and Property Agency are behind the project, which has a total budget of approx. DKK 850 million. The project is a part of the Danish state’s investment plan for modernising university laboratories while it also reflects Aarhus University's vision of strengthening the health sciences at the university.
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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.
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http://www.au.dk/en/about/uni/seniormanagement/newsletter/2014.