Allan Flyvbjerg is stepping down from his position as dean of Health at the end of September to take up a position as new director of the Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen (SDCC). The current vice-dean for research at Health, Ole Steen Nielsen, will become acting dean until a new dean is appointed. Ole Steen Nielsen has stated that he will not be applying for the position. The process of finding a new dean has started, and a job ad is expected to be posted mid-September.
Last Tuesday, the Danish government presented the 2017 Finance Bill together with its ‘master plan’ for the economy towards 2025.
The government’s finance bill does not contain any big surprises for the universities. Its primary focus is on ensuring a better match between the degree programmes and the needs of the labour market. The Government proposes a public research budget of 1.03 per cent of GDP in 2017.
In the weeks to come, AU will follow negotiations closely and participate in relevant discussions to help ensure the best possible conditions for the universities’ research and educational activities.
One of the major themes in the field of education has been the government’s proposal to cut the education grants (SU) paid to students while raising the optional interest-free student loans. Even though the Education Grant and Loan Scheme (SU) is not an issue between the university and the students, we are concerned that the reform will negatively impact the students’ active enrolment, because they will feel compelled to work more alongside their studies.
On Monday 5 September, Ulla Tørnæs, the Danish Minister for Higher Education and Science, visited Stakladen at AU. Students and anyone else who may be interested were welcome to attend and ask the minister questions.
1 September has been and gone, which means that the campus is once again filled with students new and old and teeming with life. Rector Brian Bech Nielsen would like to wish everyone a good start to the new academic year.
After just three years, AIAS – Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies – has been accorded chairmanship of the global network UBIAS. Professor and AIAS Executive Director Morten Kyndrup is the new chairman. UBIAS comprises 37 departments from top universities all over the world and contributes to innovative and non-targeted research at the very highest level. The network works, for example, to promote global knowledge exchange and put global challenges on the agenda.
Over the next few days, employees who would like to attend the university’s annual celebration on 9 September will be informed of the outcome of this year’s ticket lottery. About 250 of the 500 seats in the Main Hall have been allocated to employees and their partners, while at Concert Hall Aarhus, around 1,000 of the 1,500 seats in the Store Sal (main auditorium) are earmarked for employees. True to tradition, the seats are allocated pro rata based on the number of employees at the four faculties and in the administration.
There are seats for everyone who has expressed interest in attending the ceremony in the Main Hall, while just over 1,600 employees have expressed a desire to participate in the evening event. Those employees who have not been given a seat at Concert Hall Aarhus will receive an email from KongresKompagniet about the waiting list.
If you have received tickets/admission cards and are unable to attend for some reason, please let us know so that other people can attend the event instead.
As part of the Danish Government’s review of post-secondary education, the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science has analysed experiences and perspectives regarding the governance of institutions of higher education in Denmark.
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.