Pro-Vice-Chancellor Nina Smith returns to research and education

After two years as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Professor Nina Smith is returning to research and education. On 1 August, she takes up an appointment as Professor at the School of Economics and Management, Faculty of Social Sciences.

Following the university’s successful merger process, Nina Smith wishes to continue her former research into welfare and labour market economics.

Read more at http://www.au.dk/en/news/archive/2009/260609

A farewell reception for Nina Smith will be held on 10 August at 12.00–13.30 in the Richard Mortensen Room, Staklade Building, Aarhus.

More details to follow in the newsletter on 4 August.

Universities Denmark satisfied with political settlement about basic funds

On Tuesday 30 June, a political settlement was implemented regarding a model for the allocation of basic funds according to research results. Universities Denmark noted with satisfaction that the politicians chose to listen to the input from the universities, which will hopefully lead to restored calm regarding the distribution of basic funds.

Read the entire media release from Universities Denmark (in Danish only) at http://dkuni.dk/

Read the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation’s media release about the settlement (in Danish only) at http://vtu.dk/nyheder/pressemeddelelser/2009/

Financing Erasmus Mundus programmes falls into place

The Government and the Danish Social Democrats have entered into an agreement about the future financing of the Erasmus Mundus programmes offered in Denmark. The agreement means that Aarhus University can participate in the new Erasmus Mundus programme for 2009–2013, and thus continue the European collaboration regarding these prestigious elite programmes.

The settlement also means that Danish students entitled to the State Education Grant and Loan Scheme in Denmark (SU) can have any fees incurred in connection with study periods abroad covered by foreign scholarships.

Read more (in Danish only) at http://vtu.dk/nyheder/pressemeddelelser/2009/politisk-aftale-om-erasmus-mundus-uddannelser-paa-plads/politisk-aftale-om-erasmus-mundus-uddannelser-paa-plads

Evaluation panel holds meetings with representatives from all main academic areas and functions

The international evaluation panel visiting Aarhus University in connection with the nationwide evaluation of the university sector has requested to talk to employees and students who represent a wide cross-section of Aarhus University.

Following an initial meeting with the Chair of the University Board and the Vice-Chancellor’s Office, two different meetings have been set up with representatives of the university’s academic staff. One of these meetings is with academic staff from the university’s previous main academic areas, and another is with academic staff from the new main academic areas – following a separate request from the evaluation panel. The representatives will be appointed by the Main Liaison Committee and the Academy Councils from the respective areas.

The evaluation panel will also meet nine students appointed by the university’s three student organisations based on the number of students, as well as holding a meeting with six members of the technical and administrative staff appointed by the Main Liaison Committee in relation to the main academic areas, the joint administration, members and non-members of the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations, etc.

The visit will be rounded off by yet another meeting with the Chair of the University Board and the Vice-Chancellor’s Office, where the panel has an opportunity to ask questions that have not been cleared up.

The meetings will take place on 25 August from 8.30 to 12.15.

Work on reducing drop-out and increasing completion to be strengthened

In August, a new task force under the university’s Study Committee will focus on the work involved in highlighting and qualifying the university’s efforts to reduce the drop-out rate and increase the completion rate. The task force will also implement actual research analyses that can show the significance of the total study process and time spent in the education system in relation to drop-out and completion rates.

The aim is to strengthen and coordinate the efforts to reduce drop-out at the university, as well as to qualify the ongoing debate about drop-out and completion on a national level.

Chair of the task force is Svend Hylleberg. The remaining members are Morten Raffnsøe-Møller (Humanities), Michael Svarer (Social Sciences), Tom Vindbæk Madsen (Science), Erik Strøjer Madsen (Aarhus School of Business), Søren Kruse (Danish School of Education) and Anna Bager (Student Council).

Joint Aarhus efforts to boost integration

Along with the Municipality of Aarhus, other relevant bodies in Aarhus, and a considerable number of educational institutions, Aarhus University has become involved in a cross-cutting initiative to ensure that more young people complete their education.

The initiative is part of the so-called 95% and 50% targets in the area of education, and is concerned with getting 95% of all young people to complete their youth education, and 50% of all young people to complete a course of higher education by 2015. Initially, the Aarhus initiative focuses specifically on young people with a non-Danish ethnic background.

The cross-cutting initiative aims to share the knowledge and experience from the respective integration initiatives already undertaken by the institutions, and to ensure that these are linked. Exchanging experience, transferring knowledge and building up networks are planned to take place via annual conferences. The first network conference was held at Aarhus University on 26 March 2009 with significant back-up from relevant parties in the city.

It is possible to register for working groups within education recruitment, identifying target groups, target group characteristics, cross-cutting approaches, diversity as a resource, parent involvement, measuring the impact of initiatives and mentor schemes.

If you would like more information or wish to enrol in one of the working groups, please contact Special Consultant Grith Thagaard Loft on +45 8942 6886 or at gtl@adm.au.dk.

Have a really great summer

This is the last newsletter prior to the summer holidays. News from the Vice-Chancellor’s Office will not be published in July.

We would like to wish all staff and students a really good summer.

Calendar

10 August: Farewell reception for Pro-Vice-Chancellor Nina Smith
25 August: Visit of the international evaluation panel
11 September: Aarhus University’s annual celebration

Kind regards
The Vice-Chancellor’s Office
30 June 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 .