On Friday 22 May, everyone is invited to celebrate the opening of AU’s new campus district, the University City, developed on the site of the former municipal hospital. The afternoon will feature live music, artists, films, cafés, bars, guided tours and open-house events. Although many activities will be held in Danish, there is still plenty for Aarhus’ international community to experience, with English-speaking experts on hand to explain the fascinating transformation from hospital white walls to university lecture halls. So come along, grab a beer or a coffee, soak up the atmosphere and explore this new, vibrant area of Aarhus University and the city. 

Open-house events

The many open-house events will offer a unique glimpse inside the new buildings and facilities, and experts will be on site to answer your questions in English. Visit the new City Auditorium (building 1790) and hear about the architecture, design principles and concept behind this new community space at the heart of the University City. Take the elevator up to AU Cetera (building 1971, 7^th floor) to enjoy a glass of bubbly and the best views of the area. Check out the new student halls (building 1821), formerly the patient hotel, to get an insight into daily student life in this new, exciting part of campus. Visit the Department of Economics and Business Economics (building 1810) to see how the former hospital wards have been carefully converted into modern study and learning environments. And stop by the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (building 1870) to see the state-of-the-art laboratory facilities where researchers and students examine the fundamental processes of life.

At the Department of Management (building 1830), you can join English-speaking researchers to explore the future of management, technology and sustainability. Take part in interactive activities on issues ranging from AI to sustainability in migrant life and economic inequality – all conducted in English. You can also visit Partnerhuset (building 1850) and Kitchen, Aarhus Universitet (building 1860) to hear more about AU’s work to promote innovation, start-ups and entrepreneurship, including an entrepreneurship fair in the Boiler Room with English-speaking experts inviting you to discover how ideas can be developed into solutions to benefit society.

Open-house events will be held between 13:00 and 17:00. They are free and you don’t need to sign up. All building numbers are indicated on the map below.

Films

Two short films will be shown throughout the afternoon. The first film documents the history of the University City – from municipal hospital to university campus – through the voices of those involved in the journey. It also looks ahead to the University City’s future as a vibrant, diverse urban campus that embraces change and development. This film lasts ten minutes and will be shown in building 1830, room 211 with English subtitles.

The second film follows the creation of the artwork A Dandelion’s Odyssey – the bronze sculpture in the University City, which will be inaugurated as part of the opening celebration. In the film, visual artist Maria Rubinke offers an insight into the creative process behind the work and describes how the sculpture brings the shapes and rhythms of nature into the urban space, creating a striking contrast with the surrounding architecture. This film lasts 7 minutes and will be shown in building 1816, room 114 with English subtitles.

Both films will be screened every 25 minutes between 13:00 and 16:45. They are free and you don’t need to sign up.

Speed lecture

If you’re interested in the technical side of building renovations, you can join Xavier Baami González and Duncan Sutherland from the Faculty of Technical Sciences as they introduce their work on PlasmoGlass – smart windows that allow buildings to stay cool in summer without using extra energy. This speed lecture will be held in English in building 1832, room 129 from 14:50 to 15:10. It is free and you don’t need to sign up.

Music

You can look forward to plenty of live music on three different stages during the opening celebration:

1. The Stage in the Square at the southern end of the University City next to the City Auditorium
2. The Light Stage in building 1810, named after the X-ray and light therapy clinic once housed there
3. The North Stage at the northern end of the University City between Partnerhuset and Kitchen, Aarhus Universitet.

All the music performers on the Light Stage and North Stage are affiliated with the musicology programme at Aarhus University and offer a glimpse of the creativity that will come to define the University City when the Faculty of Arts moves to the southern part of the University City between 2031 and 2034.

The music programme includes bands drawing on indie, rock, electronic music, 70s folk rock and dreampop, alongside a solo acoustic performance and an Aarhus choir featuring over 40 young voices from across the city.

The opening celebration will kick off at 13:00 with communal singing at the Stage in the Square and conclude with a headline performance by a beloved Aarhus artist – whose identity will remain a surprise until the day itself. 

Make sure you’re at the Stage in the Square at 17:00 for this unforgettable performance! 

Bars and cafés

To help you enjoy the festivities, there will be plenty of opportunities to grab a cold drink or a coffee throughout the University City. Look out for the drink and coffee cup icons on the map above.

Join the celebration

The opening celebration will take place between 13:00 and 17:00 on Friday 22 May. The event is free, but please sign up so that the organisers know how many people to expect on the day. If your sign-up page isn’t already in English, you can change it to English using the language icon in the top right-hand corner of the page. Once you’ve registered for the celebration, there is no need to sign up for the individual events described in this article – just show up and enjoy the activities that interest you. 

Whether you come for the music, the architecture, the research or simply the atmosphere, the opening celebration is a fantastic opportunity to explore the University City and discover this vibrant new part of AU and Aarhus. You are warmly invited to join the celebrations.