The best universities have an inspiring study environment. The University Park is located in the centre of Aarhus and the study environment revolves around it. Far-sighted planning must ensure the ongoing development of the University Park. More than 50,000 individuals, or every sixth resident of Aarhus, is either a student or an employee at the university or another higher education institution. As a result, Aarhus is the city in Denmark that has the largest number of young people aged 17–34 years, which gives the city a special pulse and creates a fertile environment for the multitude of extraordinary cultural and social activities that characterise the university’s study environment.

Collaboration around the Aarhus Campus is intended to integrate city life, cultural life and study life, and to strengthen this exciting city campus in one of Europe’s best university cities by means of a number of concrete, shared activities.

By far the largest part of the teaching at the university takes place within a relatively limited geographical area, with most departments and institutes, and a large number of other educational institutions within walking distance. This gives the university and the students good opportunities for realising the intention of the Bologna process for flexible degree programmes adapted to the needs of the individual and meeting current requirements for the development of new combinations of degree programmes. At the Aarhus Campus, students can combine subjects from different areas and exchange experiences across the entire academic spectrum. The University of Aarhus also intends to use this experience to develop exceptional study environments at all its premises, and to integrate these virtually into the Aarhus Campus.

The aims and objectives are:

• to further develop an attractive study environment that consistently attracts and maintains the best students
• to make the years of study a very special part of each student’s life
• to ensure that the university has a study environment that promotes effective studies and is a leader in the development of teaching and learning methods.

The University of Aarhus has decided:

• that the Aarhus Campus must become known internationally as one of Europe’s best study environments
• that the number of student halls of residence near the campus must be increased
• that the physical framework for a good study environment must be developed on an ongoing basis as needs change
• that student guidance must be modernised, and that it must be ensured that all students, including international students, be integrated into the study environment e.g. by setting up reading groups, mentor and tutor schemes, the use of interactive teaching methods, the promotion of foreign language skills, etc.
• that close collaboration between the university and user groups is developed, including the creation of more attractive, relevant study-work programmes and jobs for students
• that the university must undertake and follow up on study evaluations and study environment surveys.