The ministry’s proposed model for reducing the size of certain degree programmes (the so-called ‘dimensioning model’)’ is unclear on a number of points, and the universities have engaged the ministry in dialogue in hope of reaching a clarification that will enable them to move forward.
The ministry’s decision to reduce admissions at Master’s degree level entails a high level of financial uncertainty. Initially, the planned ceiling on admissions to Master’s degree programmes will mean that Aarhus University will lack funding for approximately 400 Bachelor’s students who have a legal right of admission to a Master’s degree programme in 2017. As a consequence, the university may be forced to restrict admissions to Bachelor’s degree programmes if the legal right of admission to Master’s degree programmes is maintained.
The dimensioning model will also have a strong negative impact on students’ flexibility. For a number of years, the universities have worked to improve students’ opportunities for taking their Master’s degree at a different institution after earning a Bachelor’s degree. The ministry has supported these initiatives. However, with the proposed model, there is a risk that the affected Master’s degree programmes will only be able to admit graduates of Bachelor’s degree programmes who have a legal right of admission. This will not only affect AU student who wish to take a Master’s degree programme in a different subject than their Bachelor’s degree. It will also affect graduates of Bachelor’s degree programmes at other Danish and international universities as well as graduates of professional Bachelor’s degree programmes.
Many of the problems associated with the plan could be avoided if the reductions in the size of degree programmes were carried out at Bachelor’s degree level as well as being implemented in the context of a collaboration between the universities and employers. The senior management team hopes that the ministry will adjust the model so that the most serious negative consequences for both employers and degree programmes can be avoided.
Aarhus University has received 37 applications for the position of university director.
A nomination committee has been appointed to evaluate the applications. Its members are Pro-Rector Berit Eika, Dean Allan Flyvbjerg (Health), Dean Svend Hylleberg (Business and Social Sciences), Deputy University Director Kirsten Jensen (the Rector’s Office), Deputy University Director Louise Gade (AU HR), Administration Centre Manager Ole Jensen (Arts), Administration Centre Manager Niels Damgaard Hansen (Science and Technology) and Rector Brian Bech Nielsen. The committee with assist the rector in selecting the candidate who will be recommended for the position. The Aarhus University Board is responsible for making the final decision.
The recommendation committee is currently considering the applications, and it is expected that a new university director will be selected before the end of the year.
J. Michael Hasenkam will resign as vice-dean for knowledge exchange at Health and will return to his position as professor at the Department of Clinical Medicine on 1 November. Hasenkam’s research focus is experimental heart surgery.
He has served as vice-dean since 2011 and has made a major contribution to strengthening collaboration between the university and the private sector.
The 2014 Grundfos Prize goes to Professor Bo Brummerstedt Iversen (Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University) in recognition of his “pioneering work on materials for optimising energy efficiency”. The prize carries a cash award of DKK 1 million.
DKK 750,000 of the award are earmarked for further research in the recipient’s field, and DKK 250,000 are awarded directly to the recipient.
Iversen heads the basic research centre CMC – Centre for Materials Crystallography at Aarhus University.
Three researchers from Aarhus University have just been awarded YDUN grants. The purpose of the YDUN programme is to promote a higher degree of gender equality in Danish research.
The government’s committee on quality and relevance in advanced degree programmes will present the second part of its report on quality and relevance in degree programmes. Aarhus University will host the presentation.
The report will be presented on Aarhus Campus on Wednesday 26 November. More information about time, place and registration details will follow.
The report will be available (in Danish) on the quality commission’s website starting Monday 24 November.
On 10 October, the Student House at Aarhus University will celebrate its 50th anniversary.
Since 1964, the Student House has been a hub of student life at AU, and the anniversary will be celebrated by a number of events. There will be free breakfast and jazz music in the morning. Afterwards, it will be possible to visit the organisations in the Student House and learn more about its history. Later in the day, guests will be invited to participate in an open debate on student involvement.
In the evening, hot food anno 1964 will be served, after which hosts Jørgen de Mylius, Dan Rachlin and Le Gammeltoft will guide guests through five decades of student music.
Registration is required for several of the day's events.
Last Wednesday, this year's ranking list from Times Higher Education was published. Aarhus University’s ranking dropped by 15 places to 153th.
The primary cause of the decline is a reduction in the number of international students and staff and an increase in the total number of students. This was not offset by the advances made on the other indicators measured, among other reasons because universities in a number of other countries have made even greater advances.
All of the Danish universities evaluated in the THE ranking have declined in the list. The Technical University of Denmark dropped four places to 121st, while the University of Copenhagen slipped 10 places to 161st.
On the subject ranking lists, Aarhus University placed 91st in the category Arts & Humanities and 96th in Life Sciences.
Sincerely
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.