No. 10, 10 March

Freedom of speech: there must be leeway

There must always be plenty of leeway at a university – so much that it is almost impossible to catch sight of the limits in most cases. There must be room for discussion and debate about things that affect us. If there is no place for the debate to begin at a university, and if it is impossible for a university to qualify and develop the debate, then we rapidly lose one of our fundamental reasons for being.

It is therefore very positive that three members of staff at Aarhus University came forward in the Danish newspaper Information on 9 March with their opinions about a case that deals precisely with freedom of speech. The fact that they did so hopefully has much to say about freedom of speech at the university. And it provides good input to the discussion currently taking place in connection with the university evaluation.

However, when limits are required, it is because there must be guidelines and a framework for everything including comments. In Denmark, there are regulations for concepts such as defamation and libel, which actually affect freedom of speech. However, freedom of speech can also be used in such an inappropriate way that it can have consequences, even though these have not been set out in advance in legislation and laws. And this definitely brings us to the core of the discussion about freedom of speech: how do we best utilise the extensive boundaries of freedom – loyally and responsibly? Taking up this issue is a good thing.

Several years ago, CAMPUS conducted a small survey that showed we have loyal members of staff who consider things carefully, and who would also like to take part in pointing out the possible consequences of limiting freedom of speech. I believe that the loyalty thus expressed is connected with the fact that Aarhus University is a really good workplace, which we all want to make even better. The management has an enormous responsibility for helping to create a workplace where everyone can display their individual talents – regardless of which role they play.

The case mentioned in Information is not about voicing an opinion, but about how to do so – and about using the university’s web facilities in this connection. If there is any uncertainty in this area, we will naturally sort it out. However, I would like to emphasise that the university has no interest whatsoever in suppressing freedom of speech. As employees, we have a duty to express ourselves, hopefully in a constructively critical or controversial way. However, we must naturally be responsible to ourselves, to our university and to its duties.

Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen

Digital brainstorm: the word is still yours

The digital brainstorm is over. The debate was open and a number of staff made good use of it. Not many, but – in line with the above item about freedom of speech – the rectorate appreciates the contributions we received. The brainstorm gave rise to some straightforward and extremely interesting contributions. They will all now be read, and the most important conclusions and consistent features will be included in the report that Aarhus University submits to the appointed evaluation panel. A number of people indicated in the digital brainstorm that they regard the tight deadline for the debate as a problem. There were two reasons for making it so tight. Partly because we wanted a short, concentrated debate, and partly because we have a tight deadline for reporting to the evaluation panel.

However, the rectorate attaches great value to not letting the debate die down, and we have therefore decided to let the digital debate forum remain open until 31 March at www.digitalbrainstorm.au.dk (available in Danish only). So let that be a challenge to all students and staff – the word is still yours. Link: http://www.digitalbrainstorm.au.dk/

Beyond Kyoto : A significant contribution to the climate debate

After months of preparation, the Climate Secretariat at Aarhus University can look back on a successful conference. Thanks to 1,000 researchers, business leaders, representatives from different authorities and organisations, as well as media representatives from all over the world, Aarhus University – as host – was able to generate a significant contribution to the forthcoming climate debate, and fulfil the overall aims of the conference.

One of the aims was to create a very wide, cross-cutting dialogue between the different players in the climate field – researchers, the business community, authorities, organisations and politicians – so that they can jointly develop new tools for improving the world’s climate problems and ensure the best imaginable basis for decisions to solve them. Everything indicates that, as desired, new networks were established spanning the nine main academic areas at AU, and networks that reach far out throughout the university.

The other aim was to provide a recommendation from each of the climate conference’s seven themes. The seven recommendations – sent to people including Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Danish Prime Minister, and Connie Hedegaard, Minister for Climate and Energy – will strengthen the climate debate up to COP15 Copenhagen 2009, the UN Climate Change Conference in December, which aims to ensure a global agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol.

Read the media release about the seven recommendations.

And read the leading article about the climate conference in CAMPUS by Professor Ellen Margrethe Basse, Head of the Climate Secretariat, (in Danish only).

U-days: great interest in AU once more

The initial count shows that more than 6,000 people attended the U-days (from the Danish word uddannelsesdage , which means “education days”), approximately 2,700 of whom visited Aarhus University. U-days have not yet received the number of visitors from all subjects, and the final figure is therefore expected to be close to last year’s total of 6,400 visitors, 3,200 of whom visited Aarhus University.

Provisional feedback from the departments at AU is positive. Several of them emphasise that the U-days event is a good arrangement, where visitors get clarification regarding their choice of degree programme. The Department of Psychology highlights the fact that both young and somewhat older visitors attended, which proves that U-days have a larger target group than just young people with an upper secondary school education. The Faculty of Science also points out that the Saturday event was a great success with 200 interested visitors.

Considerable interest was shown prior to the U-days this year. There were more than 16,000 unique hits recorded at www.udays.dk, which is a 49% increase from last year.

U-days were held on 5–7 March, with 25 educational institutions in Aarhus involved this year, covering a total of 100 different study programmes.

Kind regards
The Rectorate
10 March 2009

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 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 Rectorate News, please go to http://info.au.dk/medarbbreve/index.asp?sprog=en. The English version of Rectorate News is published every Wednesday and is available at http://www.au.dk/en/uni/rectorate/newsletter.

You can read previous editions of Rectorate News at http://www.au.dk/en/uni/rectorate/newsletter/2009.