News from the Rector's Office no. 41/2010
Dialogue meetings to discuss the future organisation of AU's boards of studies
The structure of the boards of studies will be changed as a consequence of the academic development process. Dean Carsten Riis will head a series of dialogue meetings between AU Studies Administration, the university's main academic areas and a number of student organisations. These meetings are intended to aid in the development of the recommendation which will be submitted to the university management group early next year.
Deadline for public consultation on University Act
Monday 6 December is the AU deadline for commentary on the proposed amendments to the University Act. Comments received by Tuesday 7 December at 12 noon will also be included in the official Aaarhus University response. Proposed amendments to the University Act were sent to all administrative and academic units at AU for consultation on 16 November, and Aarhus University will submit its final response to the Danish University and Property Agency on 12 December.
The proposed amendments represent the government’s response to the nationwide evaluation of the university sector in 2009. In this process, Danish universities were particularly critical of the limits to their freedom of self-determination and self-governance imposed by the current University Act. According to the Danish University and Property Agency, the proposed amendments will allow the universities greater freedom in determining their managerial structure, as well as ensuring freedom of research and the participation of employees and students in important decision-making processes.
Read the Danish University and Property Agency's detailed descriptions of the proposed amendments (in Danish only)
Prestigious award goes to mathematics professor
Professor Søren Asmussen of the Department of Mathematics has been awarded the John von Neumann Theory Prize, the most prestigious award in the field of operations analysis. Dr Asmussen shares the award with Professor Peter W. Glynn of Stanford University for their outstanding academic contribution to applied probability theory and applied simulation.
Previous recipients include the 1994 and 2005 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences winners, John Nash and Robert Aumann. The award includes a USD 5,000 cash prize.
Calendar
- 6 December: University management group meeting
- 7 December: Debate meeting on quality in education (in Danish only)
- 15 December: Farewell reception for Dean Just Jensen, the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences
- 16 December: University Board meeting
- 16 December: Farewell reception for Dean Søren Mogensen, the Faculty of Health Sciences
- 20 December: Farewell reception for Dean Bodil Due, the Faculty of Humanities
- 3 December: University management group meeting
- 6 January: Reception for the four new deans
- 17 January: University Board meeting
Kind regards
The Rector’s Office
,
6 December 2010
The Rector’s Office publishes a newsletter every week. This newsletter includes a brief description of current activities and discussions. You can sign up for the Danish version of the newsletter at http://info.au.dk/medarbbreve, after which you will receive an e-mail whenever the newsletter is issued.
If you would like to subscribe to the English version of News from the Rector’s Office, please go to http://info.au.dk/medarbbreve/index.asp?sprog=en. The English version of News from the Rector’s Office is available at http://www.au.dk/en/uni/rectorate/newsletter. You can read previous editions of News from the Rector’s Office at http://www.au.dk/en/about/uni/rektorat/newsletter/2010/.