University of Aarhus 2005
University structure and administration
The university’s structure is regulated by the University Act, which was adopted in 2003. The University Board is the supreme authority for the university and consists of eleven members, six of whom are appointed from outside the university. Two members are elected by and from the academic staff, two members are elected by and from the students and one member is elected by and from the technical and administrative staff. The University Board safeguards the university’s interests in its capacity as an education and research institution, and determines the guidelines for its organisation, long-term activities and development.
The rector deals with the daily management of the university within the framework defined by the University Board. The remainder of the senior management (the pro-rector and the director of administration), deans, heads of institutes and directors of studies act in accordance with the authorisation granted by the rector.
Faculties and institutes
The University of Aarhus consists of five faculties: the Faculty of Humanities, the Faculty of Health Sciences, the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Faculty of Theology and the Faculty of Science. Each faculty is headed by a dean, who represents the faculty outside the university, and manages the main study area in accordance with the authorisation granted by the rector.
The university has twenty-nine institutes, schools and departments, which are the smallest administrative units within the university, and the places where research and education are carried out. Each institute is managed by a head of institute, who represents the institute outside the university, and is in charge of professional, financial and staff management for the institute in accordance with the authorisation granted by the rector and the dean.
In recent years, an increasing number of research centres have been established at the faculties to accommodate interdisciplinary research projects, which often receive external finance.
Board of studies
The dean appoints a director of studies and a board of studies for each of the approximately sixty study areas for which the university offers different degree programmes. The director of studies is in charge of the actual planning of the degree programme in question (teaching, examination and student guidance) within the framework of the academic regulations. Each board of studies consists of an equal number of representatives of academic staff and students, who are elected by and from the academic staff and the students, respectively.
