On Monday 25 February, all of the university’s employees received a mail from Rambøll with a link to the questionnaire survey for the 2019 workplace assessment (WPA). The survey provides insight into employee well-being, both physical and psychological, as well as an indication of areas in which the work environment can and should be improved. The senior management team urges all employees to take the time to complete the questionnaire. The questionnaire will remain open up to and including 13 March.
The results of the survey will be published on 9 April on the website
Local follow-up and dialogue meetings will take place after publication of the results.
The overall vision for the physical development of Aarhus University is to bring the the university's diverse educational and research activities closer together – and also to create a framework for a future-proof, city-integrated campus with vibrant student life and activities around the clock.
The university’s board has approved the master plan for Campus 2.0, and over the coming decades, the central Aarhus campus will gradually be expanded with the development of a new area, the University City. The University City will be developed on the former municipal hospital (Aarhus University Hospital) property on Nørrebrogade, right across from the University Park.
At the same time, the master plan calls for the development of activities in Katrinebjerg and in the University Park as well as vacating locations at Fuglesangs Allé, Navitas, Silkeborg and Kalø.
The board also discussed and approved a budget scenario for the next ten years. In close collaboration with the faculties, the senior management team has developed proposals for a number of initiatives aimed at ensuring that the percentage of the university’s budget allocated to rent will remain at 2018 levels.
At a meeting on 21 February, the board discussed the work of creating a more sustainable Aarhus University and approved the management’s proposal for the launch of a sustainability strategy.
According to Connie Hedegaard, chair of the board, sustainability must be incorporated in the daily decision-making and become part of the the mindsets of employees, students, the management and the board.
Rector Bech Nielsen has initiated a process to decide on a possible reorganisation of Science and Technology in collaboration with the faculty. The rector has proposed splitting the faculty in two. He presented his proposal and the coming process to employees on 19 February, who took the opportunity to ask clarifying questions.
Rector Brian Bech Nielsen also presented his proposal and process plan for the division of the faculty to the board. The board is set to approve the plan for a new faculty structure at its meeting on 7 June. The two new deans are expected to be appointed as of 1 January 2020.
At its most recent meeting, the board was joined by four new members. Two of them are the new student representatives, Ditte Marie Thomsen and Karoline Poulsen (elected to the board in the university elections in November 2018), who formally assumed their seats on 1 February. The other two new members are newly appointed external members, Caroline Søeborg Ahlefeldt and Jørgen Carlsen.
The board appointed Steen Riisgaard as the new deputy chair, now that Peder Tuborgh has stepped down. This means that Riisgaard will take over the chair’s duties in the event of her absence. Riisgaard has been a member of Aarhus University’s board since 2013.
The role of deputy chair is a new one. This function was previously performed by the vice-chair of the board. However, the title of vice-chair was abolished last year in connection with the amendment of the rules for appointing external members in the university by-laws. According to the revised by-laws, the deputy chair must be an external board member.
The board praised Aarhus University’s work with its degree programmes at its latest meeting after reviewing the 2018 education report.
The education report summarises a variety of key figures in relation to the university’s degree programmes and reviews the quality assurance processes that took place over the course of the year, which included the evaluation of 43 degree programmes and an annual status review of 180 degree programmes. In addition, the education report summarises central initiatives in the areas such as ‘recruitment and commencement of studies’, ‘development of degree programmes, teaching and the learning environment’, and ‘relation to the labour market’, in addition to an action plan for 2019. According to the action plan, activities for 2019 include adopting an upper secondary school strategy, continued implementation of learning technology and an initiative to reduce loneliness among students.
This week, Rector Bech Nielsen will begin his annual round of visits to the departments and schools. Over the coming months, he will be visiting all of the university’s departments and schools, and he will begin each meeting with a brief presentation as a basis for dialogue on the development of the university and the individual department or school. The schedule for the meetings has been agreed with the departments and schools.
The Senior Management Team publishes a weekly newsletter. This includes details of decisions and initiatives from the Senior Management Team, plus current activities and discussions.
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