The research-based consultancy committee

Mandate

The committee’s mandate is to support Aarhus University's vision of delivering high-quality research-based consultancy with a significant impact on society. The committee does this by: 

•  promoting common solutions challenges to common challenges across faculties and units involved in research-based consultancy at AU.
• advising university management on issues related to the research-based-consultancy AU provides to society, including ministries, municipalities and the private sector.

Tasks

The committees tasks include: 

• discussing and sharing ideas about research consultancy, including organisation, funding and collaboration.
• discussing how to ensure that Aarhus University complies with applicable rules on research-based consultancy in the public sector, including rules on overhead, hourly rates and working hours.
• exploring opportunities for collaboration, for example in regard to legal and IT support for research-based consultancy. 
• ensuring that all faculties have access to Universities Denmark’s forum for research-based public-sector consultancy (Forum for Forskningsbaseret Myndighedsbetjening, FFM) via Tech’s representation.
• advising on matters related to research-based consultancy, including proposals to improve conditions for research-based consultancy.

Composition and powers

All units at Aarhus University that provide research-based consultancy have the right to be represented on the committee. As of February 2024, the following units are represented: 

• DPU, Arts
• Danish Centre for Studies in Research and Research Policy, Aarhus BSS
• TrygFonden's Centre for Child Research, Aarhus BSS
• Centre for Alcohol and Drug Research, Aarhus BSS
• Department of Forensic Medicine, Health
• Department of Biology, NAT
• TECH, through the vice-dean for public-sector consultancy and business collaboration (chair)

The committee is open to additional members from other entities for which representation is relevant.

The AU committee for research-based consultancy reports to the senior management team.
The AU committee for research-based consultancy has decision-making authority in relation to matters concerned with collaboration between units and the like. The dean of the Faculty of Technical Sciences is responsible for such agenda items.

Working methods

Meeting agendas are prepared by the chair and secretary, who are also responsible for following up on and ensuring progress in regard to the committee’s tasks. The agenda, including any memos and attachments, is sent out at least five working days prior to a meeting. For major agenda items that affect multiple units, the item owner is responsible for involving relevant parties at the university. 

The committee meets twice a year, in the first and third quarter.
The committee may appoint temporary (ad hoc) or permanent sub-committees to perform specific tasks or in order to generate proposals for the committee.

Involvement and openness

The committee is obligated to involve relevant stakeholders in its work. Involvement may take the form of consultation, collaboration on specific initiatives, participation in sub-committees, seminars, etc.
 Minutes of meetings are published on au.dk.

Administrative support

Administrative support for the committee is provided by the Dean’s Office at the Faculty of Technical Sciences. This support is coordinated with administrative support for the AU research committee.

Evaluation of the committee’s reporting relationship in 2027

The senior management team will revisit the committee's reporting relationship no later than May 2027 with a view to further formalising the committee.

Approved by the Senior Management Team on 22 May 2024.