News from the senior management team no. 19/2016

Forty-five researchers receive funding from Danish Council for Independent Research

The Danish Council for Independent Research has granted a total of DKK 148 million to 45 researchers from across Aarhus University. A total of 164 projects have received funding from the Danish Council for Independent Research’s DKK 565 million fund. 


Aarhus University made an impression at Denmark’s Political Festival 2016

The research vessel Aurora was abuzz with activity from morning till evening, and just over 4,000 festivalgoers accepted the invitation to learn more about Aarhus University’s current research activities and views on education policy at Denmark’s Political Festival, which took place in Allinge on the island of Bornholm on 16-19 June. Clear messages to the politicians and new constructive input from stakeholders and partners were some of the things which the members of the senior management took away with them. 


Language programmes at Arts

The Aarhus University Board has approved the reorganisation of the language programmes at AU. After a consultation process lasting more than a year, it has now been decided that the four business language programmes – English, French, Spanish and German – will be transferred from Aarhus BSS to Arts, which will make Aarhus University the largest centre in Scandinavia for research and education within the major European languages.  The decision was made at the University Board meeting on 14 June.


New website design for au.dk

A new design for AU’s external web universe will make the website easier to navigate and more user-friendly. The new design has been developed in response to the criticism raised in the problem analysis from 2014, and is based on a thorough analysis of users’ challenges and needs. The work was carried out by a working group of representatives from the faculties, reporting to a steering committee headed by University Director Arnold Boon. The implementation process will begin in the autumn of 2016 and will last until spring 2017.


Margrethe Vestager visits AU

Last Thursday Pro-Rector Berit Eika welcomed Margrethe Vestager, European Commissioner for Competition and her staff to Aarhus University as part of an inspirational trip to Denmark. The programme included a presentation of the Erasmus Mundus Master’s in Journalism, Media and Globalisation, a guided tour of the University Park and a meeting with Professor Michael Svarer. 


Debate: Growing need for doctors

Together with Chairman of the Danish Association of Junior Hospital Doctors (Yngre Læger) Camilla Rathcke and President of the Danish Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry (Lif) Ida Sofie Jensen, Allan Flyvbjerg, dean of the Faculty of Health, is urging the Danish Health and Medicines Authority to respond to the growing future need for doctors when projecting study place requirements. In an article in the Danish newspaper Politiken on 16 June, they drew attention to the importance of taking account of the pharmaceutical industry’s growing demand for health academics. 


AU guidelines for receiving gifts

A number of Danish public-sector employees have been charged with bribery because they are suspected of having received gifts from the IT company Atea. Should the case give rise to doubts as to what employees at Aarhus University are allowed to accept in the way of gifts, please note that Aarhus University has a policy which clearly sets out the university’s guidelines for receiving and giving gifts.


Calendar

27-29 June: International Conference on Agricultural Engineering 

30 June: Main Liaison Committee (HSU) meeting

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/2015.