No. 18, 12 May

Erasmus Mundus compensation in the media

Aarhus University’s compensation to the remaining 22 of 26 Erasmus Mundus students altogether has resulted in quite a lot of media coverage, including the Danish newspaper Politiken on 11 May. As mentioned in a previous edition of this newsletter, Aarhus University has followed the new guidelines from the Danish University and Property Agency (UBST), authorising the university to pay compensation – see the media release here  

More female researchers

On 18–19 May, the frAU network – Female Researchers at Aarhus University – welcomes guests to the international Women in Academia conference.

The organisers hope to use the conference to promote increased understanding of the necessity for more female researchers and professors. The problem is that the Danish research environments currently have difficulty recruiting and holding on to talented female researchers. Vice-Chancellor Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen will open the conference and then hand over to speakers including Kirsten Brosbøl, MP (Social Democrats) and Britta Thomsen, MEP (Social Democrats). Attending the conference are politicians and researchers from both Denmark and abroad. Read more about the conference at www.au.dk

AU at major international conference in Portugal

Aarhus University and the London School of Economics and Political Science were academic partners at the Global Challenges conference on 7–9 May in Estoril, Portugal. The organisers would now like to make Aarhus University a permanent partner for the remaining Estoril Conferences, to be held annually. The conference included globalisation experts from most parts of the world, including the major new players from the so-called BRIC countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China. Tony Blair was full of enthusiasm and attracted most attention when he rounded off the Friday evening session with a very inspiring speech about the major challenges facing globalisation.

Aarhus University was represented by Associate Professor Michael Böss, Faculty of Humanities, and Jens Bigum, Chair of the University Board. The conference also launched a most prestigious prize valued at EUR 70,000 for the best book on solving a global problem. The winners were two books/authors: Creating a World Without Poverty by Muhammad Yunus, former Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and The Bottom Billion by Paul Collier, Professor of Economics, Oxford University.

Read more at www.au.dk

Important prerequisites for Africa development

In conjunction with the launch of the Africa Commission’s final report on 6 May, Vice-Chancellor and member of the commission Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen drew particular attention to the fact that the public sector and universities in Africa must be strengthened. In a media release, he emphasised that these are two crucial prerequisites for the private sector in Africa being able to play the key role recommended by the Africa Commission as regards creating growth and development in Africa.

Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen is also chair of a working group appointed by Universities Denmark concerning research and development capacity in developing countries.

Read the entire media release (in Danish only) from Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen here

Read the Africa Commission’s report here  

Fukuyama gives inaugural lecture

To open the second MatchPoints seminar at Aarhus University, Visiting Professor Francis Fukuyama is giving his inaugural lecture. He is attached to the Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Social Sciences at Aarhus University from 2009 to 2012, during which time he will contribute to conferences, seminars and symposiums, as well as lecturing PhD students.

In his inaugural lecture at the MatchPoints seminar to be held on 14–15 May, he will talk about the challenges to American identity. The title of the seminar is Stories of nationhood in plural societies , and is concerned with national identities and values, as well as the importance of national narratives and concepts for societal values and the integration of immigrants.

Fukuyama is giving his inaugural lecture on Thursday 14 May at 9.50–10.35 in the Lakeside Lecture Theatres.

See the entire seminar programme here

Fukuyama is also taking part in Deadline on DR2 on Tuesday 12 May and will appear on the TV2 News.

May meetings with the main academic areas

The Vice-Chancellor’s Office is meeting in May with all of the nine main academic areas to discuss the development contract, strategy and finances, etc.

Kind regards
The Vice-Chancellor’s Office
12 May 2009

The Vice-Chancellor’s Office publishes News from the Vice-Chancellor’s Office 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 News from the Vice-Chancellor’s Office, please go to http://info.au.dk/medarbbreve/index.asp?sprog=en. The English version of News from the Vice-Chancellor’s Office is published every Wednesday and is available at http://www.au.dk/en/uni/rectorate/newsletter.

You can read previous editions of News from the Vice-Chancellor’s Office at http://www.au.dk/en/uni/rectorate/newsletter/2009.