No. 6, 18 December 2007

The rectorate publishes Rectorate News every Tuesday – apart from holidays and public holidays. This newsletter includes a brief description of current activities and discussions. You can sign up for the newsletter at http://info.au.dk/medarbbreve, after which you will receive an e-mail whenever Rectorate News is issued.

The English version of Rectorate News is available every Wednesday at http://www.au.dk/en/uni/rectorate/newsletter.

Board meeting

The last University Board meeting for 2007 will be held on Thursday 20 December. The agenda is available (in Danish only) at http://www.au.dk/da/bestyrelse/2007/8-2007/dagsorden. In the coming years, the University of Aarhus will make massive investments in order to continue to improve quality in research, education, talent development and research-based advice to the authorities. The total expenses and income are expected to increase significantly in the years to come, and the university’s total turnover in four years’ time is expected to rise to more than DKK 5.4 billion, corresponding to almost DKK 1 billion more than at present.

Distribution of New Year’s letter and strategy

The strategy is currently being sent to the main academic areas. Just after New Year, the rector will issue a New Year’s letter to be sent along with the strategy to our numerous external working partners and relevant decision-makers in the community.

UNIK

The rectorate has now received declarations of interest in connection with the internal procedure for selecting UNIK (Investment Capital for University Research) applications from the University of Aarhus. We have received 16 declarations of interest, and the university can submit 5 final applications to the UNIK initiative. The 16 declarations of interest will be processed by the University of Aarhus Research Committee and the circle of deans before the final selection of the 5 UNIK areas for the university is decided on 15 January. The final applications will be subsequently prepared with an internal University of Aarhus deadline of 20 March 2008. The 5 UNIK applications from the university will compete with approximately 25 other applications from the remaining universities in Denmark. As only 5 UNIK grants altogether are expected to be allocated at the end of 2008, competition will be very stiff. Among the 16 declarations of interest, there are many good suggestions regarding research areas and these should be promoted. Many of the areas not selected for UNIK areas can hopefully seek support from other sources and nonetheless end up being implemented. See more about UNIK at http://fi.dk/site/english/apply-for-funding/calls/2007/unik-call-for-proposals.

New degree programmes

We will probably receive an answer on 18 December regarding most of the university’s applications for new Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes. These have been handled in the recently established ACE Denmark accreditation institution, and we have experienced good collaboration during the process. At the time of writing, it does not appear that we will receive an answer today to our application for the academic teacher’s training degree. However, we do expect an answer before New Year, so that we can initiate plans for the first intake of 60 students next September.

We will not receive an answer regarding new Master’s degree programmes until the end of January.

Rector’s Christmas speech

Don’t forget the rector’s Christmas speech in the Anatomy Lecture Theatre on Thursday at 15.00. There is a hook-up via the Internet, so everyone interested can follow the transmission at http://www.au.dk.

Happy Christmas one and all, and thank you for your great efforts during an exciting year!

Kind regards

The Rectorate

18 December 2007