The interdisciplinary working groups are off to a good start

The nine academic development process working groups met for the first time on Tuesday 13 April. The meeting took place at the Freshwater Centre in Silkeborg, which provided an appropriate setting for the group meetings and the final plenary session. The working groups were tasked with identifying and assessing opportunities, barriers and possible solutions in their particular areas. Participants debated these issues with great energy and engagement both within and across groups.

To judge from this exciting and extremely productive day, the academic development process is off to a promising start. The day ended with a plenary session at which the chairs of each group summarised the day's discussions in their working groups.

• Read a condensed version of the group summaries here (in Danish only).

The working groups are to deliver draft memorandums on 12 May which will be discussed at the Sandbjerg seminar on 25 - 26 May.

Participate in the debate on the academic development process at au.dk

The academic development process homepage now offers a debate forum. The debate forum is intended to facilitate dialogue among both students and staff members across academic disciplines and job functions.

It is important for as many members of the AU community as possible to contribute to the discussion on the future organisation of the university.  The new debate forum allows everyone to express their opinion and to engage in discussion with colleagues or fellow students. University management intends to follow the debate as it develops, and will draw inspiration from the ideas and perspectives expressed in the forum.

• Log in and participate in the debate

Nobel Prize winners to visit AU

On Friday 16 April, you will have a rare opportunity to gain insight into the research which resulted in a Nobel Prize in Chemistry last year. Aarhus University is hosting lectures by Nobel Laureates Dr Thomas A. Steitz of Yale University and Dr Venkatram Ramakrishnan of Cambridge University, who were awarded the prize for their ground-breaking research on the structure and function of the ribosome, the 'protein factory' of the cell.

The two Nobel Laureates have a close connection to the Department of Molecular Biology at Aarhus University. Two researchers from the department, Professor Poul Nissen and  Associate Professor Ditlev Brodersen, have been deeply involved in the prize-winning research on the ribosome; they co-authored a number of the papers on which the Nobel Committee based its decision.

• Read the programme for the event

The Festival of Research is coming up

The theme for this year's Festival of Research is "Body and culture". The event will take place from 22 to 24 April, and the three-day event will offers many opportunities to learn more about the research being performed at Aarhus University.

On Friday 23 April, the Lakeside Lecture Theatres in the University Park will be transformed into a living exhibition with talks, hands-on experiments, workshops, etc.

AU contributors include NERI (in both Roskilde and Silkeborg), the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (in Aarslev and Foulum), the Institute of Business and Technology in Herning and the Danish School of Education (in Copenhagen and Aarhus).

The Festival of Research will open with the presentation of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation's Research Communication Award on Thursday 22 April  The award honours researchers or research initiatives which have made an extraordinary effort to communicate their results to the general public. The award ceremony will take place at the Tycho Brahe Planetarium in Copenhagen, and the award will be presented by Crown Princess Mary.

• Read more about the Festival of Research at AU

Join your AU colleagues at the DHL Relay Race

Aarhus University invites all staff members to participate in the DHL Relay Race, the largest fun run in the world. This year’s event takes place from 18 August to 4 September in Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense and Aalborg.

The relay race is open to everyone: you can choose between a 5 x 5 km relay race (each member of a five member team runs five km) or a 5 km walk (all teams walk the route together). The event takes place in the evening and ends with a fireworks show.

All participants are given a sports tee shirt, and Aarhus University covers the participation fee. Food and drink will be provided after the run in the AU area.

The deadline for registration is 23 April. The event will take place in Aarhus and Odense on 19 August and in Copenhagen on 30 August.

Read more about the relay race or register

Calendar

• 19 April: University management meeting
• 20 April: Staff meeting on the academic development process at NERI, Roskilde
• 22–24 April: Festival of Research
• 26 April: Minister for the Environment Ms Karen Ellemann to visit the National Environmental Research Institute, Aarhus University (NERI)
• 28 April: University Board meeting
• 29 April: Art reception in the Lakeside Lecture Theatres
• 29 April: Annual boat race in University Park
• 10 May: University management meeting
• 25-26 May: Two-day seminar on the academic development process for senior management team and department heads at Sandbjerg Gods
• 28 May: Rigmor og Carl Holst-Knudsens Videnskabspris award ceremony
• 7 June: University management meeting
• 10 June: Main Liasion Committee meeting
• 17 June: University Board meeting
• 17 June: The Rector’s summer speech
• 30 June: University management meeting

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.