News from the senior management team no. 4/2016

New budget plan to address Finance Act cutbacks

In the course of the next six months, Aarhus University must draw up a financial plan to mitigate the effects of the Finance Act 2016 for the university. The senior management team is encouraging all staff and students to participate in the discussions which will be taking place locally in the near future.

Together with the Finance Act’s so-called reallocation contribution, cuts to competitive research funding will mean that the university must expect a drop in income of at least DKK 300 million in the period 2016–2019. In addition, as a result of the study progress reform, the university risks a significant fine if the students’ time to degree is not markedly reduced.

The cutbacks will affect the four faculties and the administration in different ways, and the process of developing a financial plan towards 2020 will therefore be locally rooted to enable particular attention to be given to the specific challenges which individual units may be facing. Suggestions and input from local discussions will be included in an overall financial plan which will be presented to the board in mid-June.


Dialogue meeting on funding of education

Last week, Rector Brian Bech Nielsen participated in a dialogue meeting on the taximeter system and the funding of education.

As part of a discussion panel he presented, for example, Aarhus University’s wishes for a new funding system, and pinpointed the challenges involved in putting a price on the social benefits of education. 

The meeting was organised by the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science. 


Institutional accreditation to give AU greater responsibility for quality assurance in education

The week before last, the Danish Accreditation Institution visited Aarhus University’s management to discuss the timetable for the university’s institutional accreditation. 

The accreditation process will be entering a new phase when, in April, AU submits the so-called self-evaluation report which describes and documents the university’s quality assurance system.

In an interview, Pro-rector Berit Eika, who is in charge of AU’s work with institutional accreditation, explains the process, and what institutional accreditation will mean for the university.


Head of Department of Biomedicine to continue

Head of department Thomas G. Jensen has decided to carry on as head of the Department of Biomedicine. His appointment originally lasted until summer 2016, but the contract has now been extended by a further three years. 

Thomas G. Jensen has headed the Department of Biomedicine since 2011.


Dean: Health data a boon for research

On 2 February, Dean of Health Allan Flyvbjerg wrote on the Altinget research portal about the considerable value of health data for both research and patient treatment. 

He stresses the importance of treating data in an ethically and legally responsible way, and therefore suggests a secure cloud solution which can give researchers exclusive access to anonymised health data.


Calendar

  • 22 February: Esben Lunde Larsen visits AU Herning
  • 24 February: Board meeting
  • 3–4 March: Seminar for the Academic Council at Sandbjerg Estate attended also by the University Board

 

Kind regards

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/2015.