The results of the triennial study environment survey of all the university’s students were published on Friday. A high level of satisfaction among students with their degree programmes, a high level of academic commitment and the highest level of satisfaction ever with the physical study environment were some of the positive highlights.
However, even though the general level of well-being is high, there are still challenges related to stress, which is now impacting one in five students. According to Pro-rector Berit Eika, stress is a general problem in society, and three factors in particular are contributing to stress among the students: The study progress reform, uncertainty about expectations and so-called career stress.
The survey was conducted in the autumn with a record high response rate of 46 per cent. A process will now take place locally at the faculties, the departments/schools and particularly on the boards of studies to review the study environment survey. The Education Committee will play a key role in coordinating the measures which will be adopted, which are primarily expected to be initiated locally, as the challenges vary from programme to programme.
In a recent article, University Director Arnold Boon focuses on how the administration can best help the academic environments to solve the administrative challenges they are facing. In this connection, he raises the question of whether we should choose university-wide solutions, or solutions that are tailored to local needs.
On 8 March, Effektivt Landbrug carried several articles about the recently concluded agreement between the Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark and AU. In the newspaper, Lars Hvidtfeldt, vice chairman of the Danish Agriculture & Food Council, throws suspicions on AU’s researchers for having leaked a Novana report two days before it was due to be published.
In an article which was published in Effektivt Landbrug on 25 March, Niels Halberg, director of the Danish Centre for Food and Agriculture, and Hanne Bach, director of the Danish Centre for Environment and Energy at Aarhus University, totally refute the accusations.
On 30 March, Aarhus University, Central Denmark Region and a number of municipalities and businesses marked the start of the Coast to Coast Climate Challenge project to safeguard the region against extreme weather events. The project has a total budget of approx. DKK 90 million for the period until 2022. Chairman of the board of AU and former EU Commissioner for Climate Action Connie Hedegaard accompanied Vice-dean Kurt Nielsen from ST to mark the start of the Central Jutland environmental initiative. They both see very promising perspectives in the climate cooperation between government agencies and institutions, universities and businesses.
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