News from the Vice-Chancellor’s Office
No. 42, 8 December

Report from the international evaluation panel

The report from the international panel of experts in connection with the evaluation of the university sector was presented on Thursday 3 December. The report contains a number of interesting recommendations regarding freedom of research, co-determination and financing, and especially degrees of freedom. We shall now discuss these proposals and the University Board will submit comments to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation on 19 January. The report is very well written and visionary, and emphasises the need for freedom for the universities and each individual employee.

The evaluation of the university sector was carried out as a follow-up on the mergers in recent years and the reform of the University Act in 2003.

Read more about the evaluation, and find the report from the international expert panel

Send your proposals to the new members of the University Board

At its meeting on 9 November 2010, the Board decided to gradually replace its external members, four of whom have an appointment period that expires on 1 February 2011. Among these, Arne Rolighed and Sys Koch have made their mandates available, which means that the two new members can be appointed in spring 2010.

Mr Jens Bigum, Chair of the Board, encourages staff and students to submit proposals to the external members.
The Board member requirements are set out in the Rules and Regulations.

Prior to the Board's action, the proposals will be discussed by an advisory group consisting of two members appointed by the university’s representative council, two members appointed from among the university’s academic staff, and two members appointed by the University Board.

Please send your proposals to Mr Jens Bigum, preferably by e-mail to jens.bigum@adm.au.dk, by 5 January 2010 at the latest.

Free admission to the Danish University Extension

In spring 2010, Aarhus University is offering free education at the Danish University Extension. Aarhus University employees can enrol in one class at the University Extension in Aarhus, Herning, Ebeltoft or Emdrup. The number of available places is limited, and they are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Topics for the spring classes include Basic psychological principles , Superpowers of the future and Tomorrow’s world . See the programme for the spring (in Danish only) at www.folkeuniversitetet.au.dk – click on Specialaftaler (special agreements) to sign up. Enrolment opens on 21 December.

E-learning unit

The Vice-Chancellor’s Office has decided to close the joint administration’s e-learning unit. Discussions have been held for some time regarding the extent to which this academic activity should be given greater priority in its present environment, or whether the expertise should be transferred to the academic environments. Attempts are now being made to transfer the four members of staff in the e-learning unit to positions elsewhere at the university, based on their professional skills.

The closure of the e-learning unit naturally means a saving for the joint administration, but this is also a professional decision that concerns finding the best location for e-learning and how to go about accomplishing the task.

E-learning is a standard expression for competence development, where the content (or parts thereof) is relayed via information and communication technology.

Reader survey – how can we improve the newsletter?

The editors are interested in developing and improving News from the Vice-Chancellor’s Office . We therefore encourage everyone who reads the newsletter to contribute their feedback by responding to the reader survey. It only takes about two minutes to fill out the survey, which is completely anonymous. Take the readers survey at survey.au.dk/nyhedsbrev (in Danish only).

The Vice-Chancellor’s Christmas speech – attend the debate about the university’s future

On Friday 18 December from 9 am to 11 am, the Vice-Chancellor would like to invite you to attend his Christmas speech in the Lakeside Lecture Theatres. He will address topics such as the year gone by, the budget for 2010, the evaluation of the university sector, and the university’s plans and challenges in the years ahead. With his ambition that at least one Danish university should be in the European top ten by 2020, Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen has set the ball rolling – but what must we do to reach the target?

Associate Professor Rane Willerslev and Associate Professor Liv Hornekær, both from Aarhus University, will make short presentations to start off the debate. The Christmas speech and debate will be transmitted online, which will give everyone an opportunity to follow the event and contribute their questions via SMS messages on cell 3069 8081. After the speech and debate, mulled wine ( gløgg ) and Danish doughnuts ( æbleskiver ) will be served. The Vice-Chancellor’s Office hopes that many faculty and staff members will take this opportunity to engage in the debate and wish each other happy holidays.

Calendar

• 9 December: New building S at the Aarhus School of Business: Mayor of Aarhus Nicolai Wammen will join Vice-Chancellor Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen and Dean Børge Obel to cut the first sod in preparation for the new building, which is due for completion by March 2012
• 11 December: Conference on climate, communication and education for sustainability at the Danish School of Education (DPU)
• 17 December: Main Liaison Committee meeting
• 17 December: Board meeting
• 18 December at 9.00–11.00: Vice-Chancellor’s Christmas speech in the Lakeside Lecture Theatres
  

Kind regards
The Vice-Chancellor’s Office
8 December 2009

The Vice-Chancellor’s Office publishes a newsletter every week. 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 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