Three grants will ensure that competence development courses are available to employees who, unfortunately, are being made redundant as a consequence of budget reductions at Aarhus University.
The foundation for competence development in the state sector (FUSA) has granted an average of DKK 10,000 per dismissed employee who completes a competence development course – corresponding to approx. DKK 1.8 million. In addition, as suggested by the joint union representatives, the university will provide an additional DKK 1.5 million from central funds, while the Central Denmark Region collective dismissals pool will contribute DKK 350,000. This brings the total pool of funding to approximately DKK 3.6 million if all dismissed employees complete a competence development course.
These funds are earmarked for employees who are made redundant and employees who have converted a planned dismissal to a voluntary resignation. The funds must be spent on the relevant development of the individual's professional competencies.
From 2015, the universities will take account of labour market demand to a higher degree when admitting new undergraduate students.
The range of student places already reflects signals from the labour market, as several degree programmes must already refuse qualified applicants. However, the new agreement means that the universities will coordinate the overall number of places available collaboratively.
This may mean that the number of student places will be reduced for degree programmes with significant unemployment levels, but raised for programmes where there has been considerable demand for graduates for some time.
The underlying labour market analysis and the proposals for adjusting intake levels will take place locally at the universities. The estimated unemployment level will not be the only criterion which has a bearing on the number of student places, and any adjustments will be made on the basis of figures that reveal multi-year trends. Universities Denmark will now enter into a dialogue with the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science to obtain unemployment data which more closely reflect the career paths of academics than current figures.
A plan has still not been drawn up for structuring and implementing the action plan at Aarhus University. This will happen in collaboration with the teachers, students and relevant bodies, including the boards of studies.
After a number of discussions between the analysis panel and the senior management team, a mandate for the internal problem analysis is now in place.
The senior management team values its work with the analysis panel which, among other things, has provided input which the panel members have received from colleagues and staff.
The expert group can now start the analysis work on the basis of a broad mandate. The problem analysis must shed light on three problem areas formulated in the mandate: accessible management, employee and student involvement and administrative support.
The expert group has planned a number of activities to obtain contributions for the analysis from departments and the administration.
On 1 June, Michael Steinicke is stepping down from his position as head of department at the Department of Law. He wishes to return to his professorship, where his primary fields of interest are public procurement law, EU law and international and Danish market and competition law.
Early last week, Dang Quang Svend Le and Dorthe Bomholdt Ravnsbæk – both affiliated with iNANO at Aarhus University – were presented with the Strategic Research Awards.
Dang Quang Svend Le, who conducts research into the uses of stem cells, received the award for outstanding strategic research with considerable innovation potential, while Dorthe Bomholdt Ravnsbæk's work with materials for hydrogen storage received the award for broad international cooperation.
The awards were presented by the Minister for Higher Education and Science Sofie Carsten Nielsen at an event to mark the anniversary of the Danish Council for Strategic Research.
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.