No. 3, 20 January

Research-based advice to the authorities and freedom of speech must go hand in hand

We anticipate that research-based advice to the authorities and freedom of speech will be key issues in the debate that will follow the forthcoming evaluation of the Universities Act. This topic is also on the agenda when the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters holds its annual meeting with the theme Quality and administration of the universities of the future: ownership, management culture and the actual consequences of the Universities Act .

Nobody should be in any doubt that research-based advice to the authorities and freedom of speech must go hand in hand at AU. Researchers who contribute to providing research-based advice naturally have an obligation regarding the professional consensus achieved via reporting to the authorities. On the other hand, researchers at AU who are not involved in research-based advice to the authorities are naturally well within their rights to respond critically to the academic analyses and answers that are forwarded to the authorities.

Neither should there be any doubt that AU gives priority to research-based advice to the authorities, and that the management vouches for independent and inspiring research forming a basis for our advice to the authorities. Aarhus University naturally takes advantage of the fact that we cover many academic disciplines and can therefore offer widely based advice to the authorities.

The very interaction between basic research, strategic research and applied research should be one of AU’s future positions of strength – in relation to both research-based advice to the authorities and the interaction with society at large.

We have not yet solved all the challenges associated with research-based advice to the authorities. What sort of quality standards, for example, should we demand of the researchers who take part in providing research-based advice to the authorities? Who is responsible for such quality throughout the process? How should we relate to confidentiality regarding the political process? How should staff or departments be approved academically or financially? What additional conditions should apply to staff who contribute to providing research-based advice to the authorities?

To find solutions to these and future challenges, the rectorate and the deans have decided to appoint a committee for research-based advice to the authorities, whose tasks will include discussing a policy for AU in this area. The main academic areas are currently reporting who will represent them on the committee, the chair of which will be Søren E. Frandsen, Pro-rector for Knowledge Transfer.

Main academic areas responsible for building maintenance

To ensure optimal operation and maintenance, as well as equal conditions for all the main academic areas, the rectorate has decided to delegate significant areas of the Building Department’s administration to the main academic areas themselves. In broad terms, the areas delegated to the main academic areas involve day-to-day operation and significant parts of the maintenance tasks. Major building projects and areas such as contact with the authorities remain central tasks. If the operation of the buildings does not live up to the university’s standards and decisions, the rectorate can take the necessary steps at the expense of the main academic areas and ultimately revoke the delegation.

These changes take effect as of 1 January 2010, after which the nature of the Building Department changes from an operational organisation to a staff organisation.

The principles for the organisation of the Building Department will now be specified in a number of projects and working groups to be organised in the administrative change process. These principles will be available on the website for the administrative change process at: http://www.au.dk/en/changeprocess

Millions granted to particle physics and genetic research at Aarhus University

Two of Aarhus University’s important research projects nicknamed DAGMAR and ASTRID2 have been granted DKK 30 million and DKK 37 million, respectively, from the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation’s infrastructure pool.

The DAGMAR project will make it possible for Danish researchers to further develop so-called transgenic animal models in the form of zebra fish, mice and pigs. In recent years, Aarhus University has acquired a unique concentration of knowledge and experience in precisely this area. The funds enable this research to flourish even more in an area where there is significant competition.

The Institute for Storage Ring Facilities is getting DKK 37 million to expand with one more accelerator. The accelerator works by accelerating electrons to virtually the speed of light, whereby extremely intense light – synchrotron radiation – is emitted. This is a matter of pure basic research that is the only example of its kind in the world, and which annually attracts 150 researchers from all over the world.

In addition to basic research, the ASTRID project already provides consultancy assistance for companies such as Siemens, which is currently developing a new type of linear accelerator for cancer treatment.

Northern European Benchmarking Project

In summer 2006, Aarhus University entered into a 3-year benchmarking partnership with the universities in Bergen, Gothenburg, Turku and Kiel. This collaboration selects annual benchmarking themes with a focus on best practice. The universities are currently evaluating their project prior to the rectors deciding in June whether or not to continue with it.

In 2008, the subject was PhD studies, which led – in part – to Aarhus University setting up a network with its heads of graduate schools. Right now, they are drawing up an action plan in the PhD area, inspired by the University of Bergen. In 2009, a decision has been made to carry out benchmarking about the universities’ internal distribution of resources. Participating in this are the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences. See http://www.au.dk/benchmarking

Rectorate sets up a communication committee

To ensure coherent and ambitious communication activities at Aarhus University, the rectorate has now set up a communication committee, initially for two years. This committee will ensure the coordination of communication activities spanning all units, and will prepare a basis for decision-making for the management. All the main academic areas will be represented on the committee, the chair of which will be Søren E. Frandsen, Pro-rector for Knowledge Transfer.

Past and future meet in the Botanical Gardens in Aarhus

The winner of the project competition for a new greenhouse in the Botanical Gardens in Aarhus is C.F. Møller Architects in collaboration with Søren Jensen A/S.

The new greenhouse will be built with a major focus on energy-conscious solutions. The existing greenhouse complex, which will be renovated and refurbished at the same time as the new building, was similarly built by C.F.Møller Architects – and past and future thus meet in the Botanical Gardens in Aarhus.

Work in the new greenhouse will – in an educational and illustrative way – make clear the energy conditions and sustainable technologies. A “technorama” will be built up, for example, to illustrate the water treatment plant step by step, and display energy supply systems such as solar heating, solar cells and groundwater heating pumps.

The project is being carried out by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, with support from the Municipality of Aarhus and Realdania. It is expected to be completed by 2012 at a cost of DKK 65 million.

Kind regards
The Rectorate
20 January 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/2008 .