No. 15, 29 April 2008

Festival of Research

The rectorate would like to thank all those who helped make the Festival of Research such a great success for the University of Aarhus and an experience for the many visitors. The opening ceremony on Thursday in the Lakeside Lecture Theatres in Aarhus went well, attended by HRH Crown Princess Mary, Helge Sander, Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, and numerous inquisitive upper secondary school pupils, etc. The Festival of Research itself also lived up to high expectations from Friday to Saturday in Aarhus, Silkeborg, Faaborg, Herning, Roskilde and Foulum. Eva Kjer Hansen, Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, was present in Foulum. The number of visitors to the Lakeside Lecture Theatres in Aarhus was virtually the same as last year with almost 1,500 attending – including more families with young children than in previous years.

The events received very good media coverage, as shown in the following links (in Danish only):

TV2/East Jutland from the opening ceremony on 24 April: http://www.tv2regionerne.dk/?id=420982&r=7

Århus Stiftstidende on 24 April about Eva Kjer Hansen’s visit to the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences: http://stiften.dk/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080425/AAS/131878931

Jyllands-Posten on 24 April about the opening ceremony: http://jp.dk/arkiv/?id=1326886&eceExpr=forskningens%20døgn&eceArchive=o

Århus Stiftstidende on 25 April about the opening ceremony: http://stiften.dk/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080425/AAS/161300836

For a summary (in Danish only) of all the events arranged by the University of Aarhus in connection with the Festival of Research 2008, go to: www.au.dk/forskningensdoegn

Appointment of new pro-rector

The University Board decided at its meeting on Monday to approve the recommendation of the rector to appoint Søren E. Frandsen as Pro-rector for Knowledge Transfer.

Read the media release (in Danish only) here.

Task force for research-based advice to the authorities

In compliance with the aims of the strategy, the rectorate has decided to set up a task force to promote the development of research-based advice to the authorities at the University of Aarhus, and to put forward suggestions such as:

• policy and action plans for contact with specific ministries and collaboration with them
• coordination, development and quality assurance of research-based advice to the authorities
• relevant assessment criteria for evaluating research-based advice to the authorities
• strengthening the competitiveness of the University of Aarhus, nationally and internationally, in the field of research-based advice to the authorities
• developing new areas of business
• collaboration with interest groups and NGOs
• structure and organisation of joint future efforts in the area of research-based advice to the authorities.

The main academic areas have recommended the following people to the task force: Finn Borchsenius (Science), Karen Siune (Social Sciences), Just Jensen and Erik Steen Kristensen (Agricultural Sciences), Henrik Sandbech and Hans Christensen (NERI), Lars Qvortrup and Bjarne Wahlgren (DPU) and Annie Vesterby (Health Sciences). Pro-rector for Knowledge Transfer Søren E. Frandsen will be chairman of the task force. The work is expected to be completed by mid-October 2008.

Kind regards
The rectorate
29 April 2008

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.