No. 32, 30 September 2008

Steering group for IT University West

The rectorate has decided to appoint Dean Bodil Due as representative in the steering group. She has the possibility to appoint an internal consultancy committee from among members of staff with significant interests in the area. IT University West was set up in 1999 to run and strengthen IT research and education in collaboration with the business community and other users. IT University West is a collaboration between the University of Southern Denmark, Aalborg University and Aarhus University. The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation is in the process of preparing new rules and regulations. In future, IT University West will be headed by a steering group and a director. See more about IT University West

From the meeting of the deans on Monday 29 September 2008

• A decision was made to set up a permanent patent committee with representatives covering all subject areas. The committee will make recommendations to the deputy director of Technology Transfer and Innovation Services regarding taking over the rights to reported inventions and possible continuation of existing patent applications. AU aims to reach as many as 100 annual reports in 2010. Erik Østergaard Jensen (Department of Molecular Biology) is chairman of the committee. The main academic areas appoint representatives to the committee.
  
• Budgeting for 2009 was discussed. The budget parameters were announced to the main academic areas in the course of this week. There are continued prospects for a growth situation for the universities, although we are still waiting for a political statement regarding a large percentage of the funds. Budget negotiation meetings between the individual main academic areas and the rectorate will be held in November.
  
• The Communication Office has drawn up a rolling out plan up to January 2009 regarding how to put the design line into practice . The Communication Office will continue this work along with the relevant members of staff from the main academic areas. As far as the choice of colour is concerned, blue was selected as the main colour by all the main academic areas, with the exception of DPU, which chose pink. The final choice of colour for ASB, DPU and NERI, however, depends on whether it is possible to find satisfactory design solutions. We’re thus getting closer to “the new AU” having a joint, modern design line, at the same time as keeping the seal and using it for official documents. See more (in Danish only) at http://www.au.dk/da/adm/komm/nytdesign
  
• As previously mentioned in a newsletter, Aarhus University has agreed to the “ More women in management charter ”. A task force led by Director of Administration Niels Højberg is about to complete a report with a proposal for how AU can make careers in research and management attractive for women. See more (in Danish only) at http://www.au.dk/da/nyheder/presse/2008/200508
  
• The task regarding postgraduate upper secondary school teacher training has been put out to tender by the Ministry of Education. Aarhus University has made a bid for this task in collaboration with the University of Southern Denmark. A working group at AU has been involved in the process, and excitement is mounting regarding the ministry’s selection.
  

Kind regards
The Rectorate
30 September 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/index.asp?sprog=en, 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.