Recently rectors Hanne Leth Andersen and Anders Bjarklev, together with Mads Eriksen from the Danish Chamber of Commerce, suggested that average grades should carry less weight when students apply for admission to higher education degree programmes. They believe that students should be assessed on the background of their grades in specific subjects instead.
In an op ed in Politiken published on 23 June, Brian Bech Nielsen and Berit Eika point out that this proposal runs counter to an analysis published by the Danish Evaluation Institute in 2016. The analysis shows that average grades are the single strongest factor in predicting the risk of students dropping out in the first year of study. However, individual grades are not particularly decisive when admitting students on the basis of their average upper secondary grades.
The rector and pro-rector also warn that the unhealthy focus on grades will merely be intensified if more importance is attached to some grades over others, and that there is also a risk of undermining the general education mission of upper secondary schools. They also point out that one of the important experiences students gain from their studies is having to grapple with subjects they are not passionate about.
Jacob Friis Sherson, professor with special responsibilities (MSO) at the Department of Physics, has been awarded a Semper Ardens grant of DKK 15 million from the Carlsberg Foundation for his project “Beyond citizen science: hybrid intelligence”.
By combining human intuition with computing power, this project will provide new opportunities to shape the artificial intelligence of the future. The Carlsberg Foundation states that this grant was awarded because the project will have a major impact, both methodologically and academically, in a number of scientific domains, such as psychology, brain research and sociology.
The Main Occupational Health and Safety Committee (HAMU) held an election at its last meeting. Five new members have been elected.
The three new occupational health and safety representatives are Susanna Holm Nielsen from ST - who has also been elected as the new vice-chair - Morten Brockhoff from Arts, and Anette Stogaard from Aarhus BSS. On the management side, Christian Lindholst from Health and Claus Holm from Arts are new members.
Rector Brian Bech Nielsen is in charge of HAMU, which in addition to the Chair comprises five management and five occupational health and safety representatives from the four faculties and the administration. Members are elected for a period of three years until the next election in 2021.
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