VERS UNI ITY EVALUATION OF THE UNIVERSITY SECTOR Aarhus University, 22 April 2009 Enclosure 2.28

Transcription

1 VERS UNI ITY EVALUATION OF THE UNIVERSITY SECTOR 2009 Aarhus University, 22 April 2009 Enclosure 2.28 Preliminary - subject to final linguistic revisions

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3 CONTENT FOREWORD... 4 GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS... 5 A. FULFILLING THE PURPOSES OF THE MERGERS... 8 AARHUS UNIVERSITY AFTER THE MERGERS - A PRESENTATION... 8 A1. MORE EDUCATION...20 A2. GREATER INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH IMPACT...27 A3. MORE INNOVATION AND PRIVATE-SECTOR COLLABORATION...36 A4. ATTRACTING ADDITIONAL EU FUNDS...45 A5. COMPETENT RESEARCH-BASED PUBLIC-SECTOR CONSULTANCY...48 A6. THE NATIONAL FOOD FORUM...57 A7. OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES AS A RESULT OF THE MERGERS...60 B. CO-DETERMINATION FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS...67 C. FREE ACADEMIC DEBATE...74 D. FREEDOM OF RESEARCH...78 E. DEGREES OF FREEDOM (to be included in the final version no later than 25 May 2009)

4 FOREWORD On 26 January 2009, the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation requested the universities to prepare a report on five specific themes to be submitted no later than 22 April These themes relate to the latest mergers between a number of universities and governmental research institutions, as well as to the 2003 reform of the university Act. The reports submitted by the universities will each form part of the basis for the evaluation of the university sector, to be reviewed in the course of 2009 by an appointed international panel. Aarhus University subsequently initiated a comprehensive process, concentrated in terms of the time available, in which its academy councils, boards of studies, student organisations, and the Main Liaison Committee were encouraged to enter into dialogue and debate. The aim was to allow staff and students to contribute to and influence the university s overall report to the Ministry. In addition, the Vice-Chancellor s Office initiated focus group interviews cutting across the main academic areas, and a digital brainstorm on the university s website that was accessible to everybody. At the same time, the Vice-Chancellor s Office set up a steering group under its own leadership. This group was responsible for preparing a report based on the response to hearings conducted throughout the university, as well as the assessment and experience of the University Board and the Vice-Chancellor s Office regarding the mergers and the reform of the University Act. This report is the complete reply drawn up by Aarhus University in compliance with the questions asked by the Ministry. The university s answers concerning degrees of freedom the fifth theme will be delivered by 25 May 2009, the deadline for submission. The university management would like to continue the current debate throughout the rest of the year. The aim is for the University Board to take advantage of this opportunity to examine the articles of the university and make any necessary adjustments based on the university s experience since 2007 and on the assessments and recommendations resulting from the current evaluation of the university area. The university recommends increased stability regarding the legal framework, and that the University Act of 2003 should therefore be continued in all essentials, referring to the detailed comments in this report. The feedback from academic staff members, technical and administrative staff and students as well as the request from the Ministry are all available (in Danish only) at We hope the evaluation panel and other interested parties will enjoy reading the report, and that it can provide the foundation for excellent, constructive dialogue when the evaluation panel visits Aarhus University on 25 August Vice-Chancellor Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen Chair of the Board Jens Bigum 4

5 GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS Aarhus University s ambition is for its staff and students to work in an enquiring and critical manner in open, dynamic interaction with their surroundings, and the university s staff are encouraged to take part in a free, open debate about both research and educational issues. Freedom and independence are absolutely decisive ideals at Aarhus University, which lives up to the Magna Charta of the European Universities. These ideals appear prominently in the university s strategy where it is specifically stated; The freedom and independence of the university are crucial prerequisites for it to be able to meet its obligations to society. This wording shows that Aarhus University fully backs up Section 2 (2) of the Danish University Act, which embodies freedom of research: The university has freedom of research and shall safeguard this freedom and ensure the ethics of science. Merger between the six institutions New joint strategy and other common initiatives A merger of no fewer than six institutions, including two governmental research institutions, Aarhus University is now an internationally oriented research university that offers a broad range of subjects and reaches out to all sectors of society. In addition, Aarhus University wishes to further strengthen its engineering degree programmes by merging with the Engineering College of Aarhus. Since the mergers in 2007, Aarhus University has not yet carried out an actual restructuring of the university s disciplinary and academic areas. Instead, the university has so far concentrated on: preparing a common strategy plan for the new university preparing a vision plan for expanding the university s building infrastructure in Aarhus establishing committees cross-cutting the main academic areas within the university s four core activities: research, education, researcher recruitment and research-based public-sector consultancy and developing joint administrative platforms as a basis for its academic development. An academic reorganisation per se will follow later Aarhus University in the lead with the Bologna Process After only two years, the full potential for synergies has not yet been achieved, but the potential for ground-breaking research and attractive degree combinations is there. Aarhus University wishes to spearhead: a new higher education system in Denmark that matches society s needs for a well-educated population. 5

6 European leadership in the next phase of the Bologna Process, which aims to ensure relevant and flexible degree programmes with good opportunities for international mobility. an internationally unique, ground-breaking programme for the developing and nurturing the best international research talents and, at the same time, a strengthening of its current activities in the field of life-long learning. Research-based publicsector consultancy as an equally important activity The Barcelona goal must be achieved Aarhus University would like proper negotiations regarding the vision plan Research-based public-sector consultancy should be an integral and natural part of activities of the university, parallel with research-based teaching, and the independence and credibility of this work are strengthened by the transfer of the activity to the university. The university will work to promote greater internationalisation of its researchbased public-sector consultancy, and in particular to develop its opportunities for tendering for more of the international research-based analyses and advisory tasks offered by international organisations. Aarhus University is satisfied that research grants have increased in recent years as part of the Danish Globalisation Strategy, and that there is political agreement about achieving the Barcelona goal on research investment by This will provide the economic foundation for the ambitious development that Aarhus University is undergoing, and the university is looking forward to a proper negotiation with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation on realising the vision plan for the university s building framework that was forwarded to the ministry in Laws and rules The university would like to ensure stability regarding the University Act but there is a need to look at Aarhus University s articles again, and adapt Danish legislation to international conditions Aarhus University recommends that there is a need for stability regarding the legal framework for universities, and that the university Act of 2003 be continued in all essentials, and refers to the detailed comments contained in sections B, C, and D. The many different remarks and views expressed paint a picture of an organisation that has undergone major changes in a very short span of time and has yet to digest them. Rather than more changes, what is needed is stability and time to allow the university to develop its own internal structures and systems. Aarhus University will analyse and discuss whether there is a need to supplement the university s articles in the light of the experience gained since 1 January 2007, so that the legitimate influence of staff and students in academic issues are ensured in the best possible way. The university finds that in order to make it possible to full take advantage of the internationalisation of the university s activities, there is an acute need to harmonise national legislation with legislation in the countries of important foreign partners in the university area. 6

7 Financing the universities Need for better balance between basic research funds and competitive funding and for transferring the grant for the research component of researchbased public-sector consultancy to the university Aarhus University finds there is a need to re-establish balance between basic research fund and competitive funding. Aarhus University believes that a reasonable distribution would be 60/40. An increasing proportion of public research is directed towards the themes of the day. As a result, long-term risk-taking research is primarily financed by basic grants, and the general growth segment within Danish research is being starved. The combination of increased competition, more strategic research, basic funds subject to competition, and new mechanisms for the distribution of basic research funds, as well as embedding and co-financing requirements, present problems for non-earmarked research and freedom of research. It is vital that the funding of the research component of the research-based consultancy service be transferred to the universities as is the case with the other basic funds allocated to the universities. Relations with ministries and the research organisation Need for more cooperation in higher education, such as a researchbased graduate teacher programme and graduate programmes for engineers in Aarhus Need for more time for research less control and detailed regulation would strengthen trust in the University Act Need for the ministry to re-evaluate procedures regarding competitive funding, and dealing with rules regarding competence Aarhus University believes that the collaboration between educational institutions that fall under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and those that fall under the Ministry of Education is inefficient. This has especially affected the attempts by Aarhus University to establish a research-based degree programme for teachers, and the wish of both institutions involved to strengthen the graduate engineer degree programmes in Aarhus through a merger of the Engineering College of Aarhus and Aarhus University. The university has noted that in recent years, staff members in general have experienced a limitation in the time available for nonearmarked research as a result of the changed distribution between strategic and free funds, as well as the negotiations on the Finance Act for 2009 contributed to undermining the trust of many university employees in the government s aims with the university reforms. At the same time, university employees have experienced an increase in the pressure of work, increased control and detailed regulation by the ministry, including the performance of many consultancy surveys. Aarhus University is working to ensure that public competitive funding is distributed in accordance with transparent, open and fair principles, also as research funding subject to peer review are concerned. But the university has noted that changes appear to have been made in the way public competitive funding is administered. There is therefore a need for the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to re-evaluate procedures and the management of the rules for eligibility. 7

8 A. FULFILLING THE PURPOSES OF THE MERGERS AARHUS UNIVERSITY AFTER THE MERGERS - A PRESENTATION Brief summary As a result of the mergers, Aarhus University has changed from being a traditional university in the Humboldt style teaching humanities, theology, science, social sciences and health sciences to one that currently includes research and teaching activities within business, education, agricultural sciences and environmental research. The university wishes to further strengthen its engineering degree programmes by merging with the Engineering College of Aarhus, with which the university already has close collaboration. Nationally, Aarhus University reaches out towards all sectors of society, and internationally, the university ranks as a leading European research university. The work with Strategy Quality and Diversity has revealed the university s many opportunities for synergy as well as its potential for research collaboration and the development of new degree programmes cross-cutting the university s nine main academic areas. To begin with, the university has decided to complete a comprehensive administrative change process with a view to establishing new platforms that promote academic development. After that, the university will tackle the actual process of academic restructuring. The replies to the specific evaluation questions commence with a presentation of Aarhus University. It will be clear from this report that, since the mergers in 2006 and 2007, the university has become a research university at which all activities are based on the comprehensive research carried out at the university. Strategy : Quality and diversity Introductory comments In the following, Aarhus University will discuss the results of the mergers, most of which took effect during The discussion is based on the university s strategic plan Strategy Quality and Diversity. The strategy, which was adopted by the University Board at the end of 2007, is the first overall strategic plan for the merged university. On the basis of the strategy, the university will explain its long-term academic plans and their implementation. As part of the discussion, Aarhus University will explain its strategic choices and the status of the mergers today, approximately two years after they all took effect. In this context, it is important to note that Aarhus University s priorities for 8

9 achieving the full potential of the mergers have been and still are to: 1. prepare of an overall strategy for the new and merged Aarhus University (completed in 2007) 2. prepare of a vision plan for expanding the university s building infrastructure (Aarhus Campus completed in ) 3. implement an administrative change process (finalising the administrative infrastructure, which will take place during the period ) 4. strengthen the academic development by setting academic priorities and realising academic synergies in the long term In addition, the framework conditions for the mergers will be explained. Finally, the university will describe the opportunities and challenges it expects to face during the next decade. Big, new Aarhus University also wishes a merger with the Engineering College of Aarhus General overview of the mergers and their results The most recent mergers that created the current Aarhus University began with the merger with the Institute of Business and Technology in Herning in 2006, followed by the important merger with the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, the National Environmental Research Institute and the Aarhus School of Business on 1 January 2007, and finally the merger between Aarhus University and the Danish University of Education in mid In the opinion of the university, it would be expedient to supplement these mergers with a merger with the Engineering College of Aarhus in the next few years, cf. the summary of the mergers below, which also shows that Aarhus University is a young university. Academic breadth and depth The mergers reflect a conscious desire to ensure the necessary academic breadth and depth that will enable the university to reach out to all sectors of Danish society and to distinguish itself internationally as a leading European research university. Combined, the university s main academic areas now cover the entire research spectrum basic research, applied research, strategic research and research-based public-sector consultancy. 9

10 New, interdisciplinary programmes strengthened research-based publicsector consultancy and knowledge transfer that reach out to all sectors of society As far as teaching is concerned, Aarhus University has taken some major steps to offer new, multidisciplinary degree programmes that utilise the university s new potential. The implementation has not been without problems, which will be described later in this report. Since the mergers, the ratio between income from research and income from education activities is now approximately 2:1. Approximately 22% of the university s income is directly related to education activities. It is therefore logical that Aarhus University is a graduate university, where the majority of the students pursue graduate degree programmes. As regards the research-based public-sector consultancy, the university now complies with national obligations, particularly in the fields of environment, agriculture and climate, but also as regards education and forensic medicine. Finally, the mergers have also contributed to expanding the university s knowledge transfer with all sectors of society. This is illustrated by the figure below: the flower petals illustrate the university s general research fields, and the sectors with which university research communicates and interacts are shown as a ring around the flower. Aarhus University reaches out to all sectors of society. On the succeeding pages, the following will be presented: The university s academic breadth after the mergers The effect of the mergers on the strategy of Aarhus University The administrative change process Internationalisation New, all-round university The university s academic breadth after the mergers The mergers in 2006 and 2007 increased the diversity of Aarhus University in terms of subjects, tasks, staff, students, structure and geographic location. The mergers gave the university academic strength in a wide range of subjects, supporting ground-breaking new collaboration between different subject areas. Aarhus University is now the only nationwide university with premises in more than 20 locations all over Denmark the map below indicates where the university s activities are based. The core activities of the university remain in Aarhus, which is 10

11 with national coverage the economic centre of West Denmark. Approximately 30,000 of the university s students are taught in Aarhus, which also offers all the Bachelor s degree programmes. By far the majority of researcher training programmes are also in Aarhus. 20 % of university activities are now located on the island of Zealand. Figure: Aarhus University is the only nationwide university with premises in more than 20 locations all over the country. The red dots show the locations of teaching activities. New strengths and development potential for: business and engineering skills environmental research The original Aarhus University with five faculties was a complete university in accordance with the Humboldt tradition: Humanities, Health Sciences, Social Sciences, Theology and Science. Each of the new main academic areas has contributed new strengths and development opportunities to the university. The Institute of Business and Technology in Herning contributes with a combination of business and engineering skills that are applied and developed in close collaboration with the business community. The National Environmental Research Institute is the national environmental research centre and a focal point for the EU, and has contributed internationally recognised expertise within strategic research, environmental monitoring and research-based publicsector consultancy services with the clear aim of supporting political 11

12 agricultural sciences business degree programmes and research, and education research and administrative processes. The Faculty of Agricultural Sciences the former Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences has extensive nationally and internationally recognised expertise within basic, strategic and applied experimental research and innovation, with a clear commercial aim in the field of agricultural sciences. The Aarhus School of Business is a large business school in an international context that has an attractive research and education environment in the field of business, as well as a reputation for excellent and extensive collaboration with the Danish business community. The Danish School of Education formerly the Danish University of Education is one of Europe s largest education research entities and contributes to knowledge transfer and contacts with the entire education sector. In addition, Aarhus University works closely with the Engineering College of Aarhus in the context of the Aarhus Graduate School of Engineering: and close collaboration with the Engineering College of Aarhus The Engineering College of Aarhus has approximately 2,500 students at undergraduate level (diploma students). Due to the great demand for highly educated engineers, close collaboration has been established between the Engineering College of Aarhus and the Faculty of Science about the development of graduate engineering programmes in Aarhus. The Aarhus Graduate School of Engineering now has 250 students, and the university is in the process of upgrading its engineering research. A merger between Aarhus University and the Engineering College of Aarhus in the near future would therefore be a logical next step and is recommended by both parties. 12

13 Aarhus University, the broadest university with the most comprehensive research-based public-sector consultancy Doubling of turnover in only four years 35,500 students in 2008 As a result of the mergers, Aarhus University is the university with the broadest range of subjects in Denmark. In addition to all the traditional university disciplines, the university now has two university schools: the Aarhus School of Business and the Danish School of Education. In addition, the university is now the institution in Denmark that provides the most comprehensive research-based public-sector consultancy services in particular to the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, the Ministry of Climate and Energy, the Prime Minister s Office, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Justice and the health sector. AU also carries out extensive social analyses. In terms of turnover, Aarhus University has grown from a turnover in 2006 of approximately EUR 336 million to EUR 644 million in The budgeted turnover for 2009 of a total of EUR 710 million is divided between the main academic areas as shown in the diagram below. The merger also resulted in an increase in the number of students from just under 25,000 in 2006 to 35,500 in The distribution of students between the different main academic areas is shown subsequently. A summary of the university s 2008 production of graduates with Bachelor s degrees, Master s degrees, PhD degrees, diplomas and part-time Master s degrees is also shown below. Budget of EUR 710 million in 2009 of which basic research accounts for 32 % and teaching 22 % Aarhus University is the most comprehensive university in Denmark and is a research university where approximately 60% of activities are project and basic research. 13

14 257 PhD degrees in 2008 Aarhus University is primarily a graduate university. Comprehensive bottomup strategy process in which 3-4,000 employees took part The effect of the mergers on the strategy During the first year after the mergers, Aarhus University completed a comprehensive strategy process that involved all staff members at management level, as well as an Internet-based bottom-up process that targeted all university staff. The result was an overall strategy for the newly merged university. The strategy process was an effective tool to map the synergies and potential for a broad collaboration in the organisation across the university s nine main academic areas. At the same time, university management had an opportunity to discuss and determine the main priorities of the new university. A number of strategy seminars were held at different management levels and a survey was carried out among all employees to map their visions for the future university. A total of 3,000 4,000 university employees participated in the strategic work. The Aarhus University Board approved the procedure and was kept informed on an ongoing basis about progress with the strategy process. The Board discussed the strategy outline at a seminar in August 2007, and in November 2007 was able to adopt the Aarhus University Strategy Quality and Diversity. The strategy determined the university s mission and vision: Mission and vision The mission is to develop knowledge, welfare and culture through research and research-based education, knowledge dissemination and external advice. The vision is to belong to the elite of universities and to contribute to the development of national and global welfare. 14

15 manifested through four core activities: Excellent research The university s mission and vision are implemented via its four core activities: Excellent research Focused talent development Inspiring consultancy and knowledge transfer World-class education and knowledge dissemination Excellent research Aarhus University belongs to the international elite. The university is one of Europe s leading research institutions and, among Danish universities, its research competence covers the broadest range of research fields. The university wishes to combine research in new ways between fields and across traditional disciplinary boundaries in greater depth and in new and unknown fields. Aarhus University offers all types of research from basic, applied and strategic research to research-based public-sector consultancy and knowledge transfer. In the research field, Aarhus University aims to: stimulate new research development strengthen internationally acknowledged research have research groups within all of its subject areas contributing to front-line research Focused talent development Focused talent development Aarhus University offers research talent development of an international standard, and its PhD degree programmes are an essential basis for the university s work. The university regards the development of research talent and the recruitment of researchers as a task of high priority to society. Aarhus University aims to: ensure that the quality of the PhD degree programmes compares favourably with the best in the world recruit top talents from Denmark and abroad to unique environments, where they feel free to pursue the unexpected double the number of researchers educated and developed at the university from 2008 to 2012 offer a consistent researcher development programme for the greatest talents from the Bachelor s degree level Inspiring consultancy and knowledge transfer Inspiring consultancy and knowledge transfer Aarhus University provides independent and inspiring knowledge as a basis for the development of society. The university supplies Danish and international authorities, institutions and companies with researchbased public-sector consultancy and top-quality knowledge transfer. It is essential for progress in society that the entire knowledge base developed at the university be made available and that the research carried out at the university can function as a gateway to the global knowledge market. 15

16 Aarhus University aims to: provide independent research-based consultancy services and communication, and thus help ensure that decisions in the political/administrative process are taken on the best possible basis develop user-oriented, holistic and internationally competitive research-based consultancy work with the business community to develop new businesses and strengthen Denmark s competitiveness World-class education and knowledge dissemination World-class education and knowledge dissemination In an international context, Aarhus University is a large and distinctive educational institution. The university constantly assesses and further develops its degree programme offerings and makes sure that new degree programmes are developed on an ongoing basis. These meet the requirements of both the outside world and the university s quality standards, thus ensuring that the next generation is trained to face the challenges of the future. The university offers unique possibilities for subject combinations thanks to its academic diversity. It expects that the number of students applying for its degree programmes will increase in the forthcoming years. Aarhus University aims to: offer top-quality degree programmes within all the university s fields of competence utilise the entire range of its competence to develop new degree programmes that reflect the needs of the future increase the scope, relevance and quality of its continuing and further education courses attract the best students and be an attractive choice for new groups of Danish and foreign students strengthen the knowledge society via independent and inspiring public-sector consultancy and knowledge transfer Four committees for education, research, talent development and research-based publicsector consultancy Framework for academic collaboration The internal academic collaboration throughout the main academic areas at the university has been actively supported by the establishment of four permanent committees cutting across the nine main academic areas within each of the four main strategic activities: education, research, talent development and public-sector consultancy. These permanent committees are responsible for an important part of the contributions to the academic discussions about the further development of strategic areas and policy development. Establishment of an Inner Education Market with 4,000 education modules on offer ready for ECTS accreditation As an example, the university has adopted a policy about the Inner Education Market, which is the first step towards a much more flexible and coherent education market spanning the main academic areas. A joint quality policy has been adopted, and the creation of a joint quality assurance system for the education area has been commenced. In addition, all 4,000 education modules have been reviewed with regard to ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) certification. In the field of 16

17 research and PhD degree programmes, representatives from all nine main academic areas participate in the university s research committee, which is responsible, among other things, for research-related tasks across the main academic areas. This includes recommendations for the distribution of Aarhus University Research Foundation funds which are earmarked for establishing new academic activities across the main academic areas, and the preparation of a joint PhD action plan. Task forces : internationalisation and knowledge transfer Administrative change process including the establishment of a common platform for increased internationalisation In addition, several task forces with representatives from all the main academic areas are working to prepare an action plan to promote the role of women in research, an international strategy and a strategy for knowledge transfer to private sector companies. The administrative change process To support the ambitious strategy objectives within the abovementioned four core activities, Aarhus University has chosen to carry out a comprehensive administrative change process that aims to establish platforms for promoting academic development. The goal is to implement a number of shared administrative IT systems and joint work procedures for the entire university. The aims are even more ambitious because the goal is also for the administrative change process to ensure the future compatibility of the administration via increased use of digital solutions, common standards and extensive use of standard systems. As one of the first steps in the change process, the university has emphasised the establishment of a common platform for increased internationalisation, which is regarded as an important element in ensuring that the university achieves its strategic goals. It has been a conscious decision to not yet undertake an actual academic restructuring process following the mergers. This restructuring will take place during the next period. In principle, the administrative change process consists of five tracks. These five tracks and their main focus areas are described in detail in the following text box: 17

18 The work to establish a coherent and system-based management information system will also very soon be initiated as part of the administrative change process. It aims to provide university management with up-to-date information about academic activities, students, and the university s financial and technical resources. Good prerequisites for international visibility and influence 880 student exchange agreements Greater efforts to attract foreign staff Internationalisation Aarhus University is of the opinion that the merger has created an excellent framework for achieving the ambitious goals for its international work. Today, the university has the necessary prerequisites for achieving international visibility and influence thanks to its size and academic breadth. However, AU has not yet realised its full synergy potential. The university has therefore initiated the development of an overall strategy for its international work, which includes a large network of international research collaboration and no fewer than 880 student exchange agreements with universities around the world. The aim is to implement a number of organisational changes to the administrative support functions in the international area in order to strengthen the university s international profile and provide a more coherent and uniform service to researchers recruited from abroad, as well as to international students. A specific example of this is the university s participation in the Aarhusbased International Community, the aim of which is to attract and retain well-qualified foreign manpower by continuing to develop Aarhus as an attractive place for foreign employees. 18

19 Mergers are expensive Merger costs It is obvious that the merger, which increased the university s turnover by approximately 40%, entailed and still entails considerable costs. However, a precise calculation of the extent of the costs involved is associated with a number of practical difficulties. Some of the initiatives taken after the merger may have been brought about by the merger, but some initiatives were probably required anyway as a part of the ongoing modernisation and upgrading of systems and routines. Other costs directly related to the merger are no doubt hidden in the figures for ongoing operational costs. However, related discussions with the merger negotiations between Aarhus University and the Aarhus School of Business give an idea of the costs involved. At that time, the costs related directly to this part of the merger were estimated at approximately EUR 6.5 million. Immediately after 1 January 2007, a merger secretariat was established at the university. The secretariat s budget for 2007 was EUR 1.3 million in addition to direct salary costs of approximately EUR 0.3 million. and expenses up to now assessed as not less than EUR 27 million As mentioned above, a complete programme called the administrative change process was established in connection with the merger and the adopted strategy. This programme aims to ensure coherence in the administrative systems of the university as well as common standards and procedures throughout the university. The costs of this programme can be described with certainty as relating to the merger. In the 2008 financial year, expenses under the programme amounted to EUR 2.6 million and the direct internal working hours involved can be estimated at EUR 0.4 million. In 2009, expenses of EUR 8.1 million have been budgeted, as well as internal staff resources amounting to EUR 5.1 million. The costs for 2010 are estimated to be a total of EUR 9.4 million. Based on the above-mentioned conditions and subject to the mentioned reservations, a cautious estimate of the merger costs would be a minimum of EUR 27 million. Following this initial presentation of Aarhus University after the mergers, the following sections will describe the effect of the mergers in the following areas: A1. More education A2. Greater international research impact A3. More innovation and private-sector collaboration A4. Attracting additional EU funds A5. Competent research-based public-sector consultancy A6. The National Food Forum A7. Opportunities and challenges as a result of the merges 19

20 A1. MORE EDUCATION Brief summary Aarhus University has created a number of new degree programmes, especially in the field of agricultural sciences, which are examples of the positive effects of the mergers. The university s aim is to create an Inner Education Market with a more flexible and transparent framework for its multidisciplinary education initiatives. With this aim in mind, the university has applied to the EU Commission for the ECTS label. The university wants to stress that the great differences between the levels of funding available to the different degree programmes can impede the development of an efficient Inner Education Market. In addition, the university s geographical dispersion creates logistical challenges for students and staff. The university has encountered a number of barriers that prevent full utilisation of the synergies created by the merger. The Danish accreditation body, ACE Denmark, has rejected innovative degree programme initiatives on the grounds that the need for new programmes must be substantiated by historical documentation, which obviously does not exist. ACE Denmark also takes a relatively narrow view of academic progress within the degree programmes, which makes it difficult for students to change their specialisation between Master s degree and Bachelor s degree programmes. Another barrier is the way the areas of responsibility are divided between the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Ministry of Education, which has so far completely blocked the university s attempts to establish a new degree programme for teachers in Denmark and to integrate and develop degree programmes for engineers in Aarhus within the framework of Aarhus University s overall education and research portfolio. Unique possibilities for combining fields of study Introductory comments In an international context, Aarhus University is a large and distinctive educational institution. The degree programmes offered by the university are continually developed, and new subjects are added to ensure that the university s degree programmes meet the needs of society current as well as future. As a result of the mergers, the degree programmes offered by Aarhus University are extremely diverse and this makes it possible to create unique academic combinations. 20

21 35,500 students today 3/5 of whom at graduate level Wish: a degree programme for teachers and a full range of graduate engineering degree programmes Focus on life-long learning through such means as collaborating with the Danish University Extension Initiatives to promote new degree programmes Educational objectives Today, Aarhus University has approximately 35,500 students, and this number is expected to increase in the coming years. The university is very much a graduate university, with the majority of its students pursuing graduate degree programmes (Master s, part-time Master s and PhD degrees). Approximately 19,500 students are enrolled in Master s and part-time Master s degree programmes and approximately 1,500 in PhD degree programmes. Of the university s 35,500 students only about 14,500 are enrolled in academic Bachelor s degree programmes, and only relatively few students are enrolled in professional Bachelor s degree programmes. Aarhus University wishes to supplement its range of programmes by offering teacher education programmes in collaboration with one or more university colleges, and including a full range of graduate engineering degree programmes through a merger with the Engineering College of Aarhus. Aarhus University aims to attract the best students and to be an attractive university for new groups of Danish and foreign students. One of the aims defined in the university s strategy is to offer high-quality degree programmes within the university s fields of competence and thereby use its entire breadth to develop new degree programmes. The scope, relevance and quality of the university s continuing and further education courses will increase, and the university also places great emphasis on its role in life-long learning (LLL) via its considerable involvement in the Danish University Extension. In 2009, approximately 40,000 people are expected to participate in the courses offered by the Danish University Extension in Aarhus, which is twice the number of people who take courses at the Danish University Extension in other parts of Denmark. The aims of the strategy greatly support the possibilities for developing degree programmes crosscutting the merged entities and underlining the unique position in which the university finds itself after the merger, with opportunities for utilising its full breadth and the synergies resulting from the merger. To start utilising these opportunities, a number of meetings and seminars were held with the university management in 2007, in which the academic, research and administrative basis for multidisciplinary collaboration about the new degree programmes was discussed. Due to the planning of the merger process, there was little time to develop, obtain approval and implement new degree programmes during the period. The new educational initiatives were also subject to comprehensive new approval requirements, administered by the Danish accreditation institution, ACE Denmark, which was established in Establishment of the Inner Education Market Framework for new degree programmes Based on the visions and aims of the strategy, the university has worked determined in recent years to create a framework for degree pro- 21

22 with transparency and flexibility for students and with focus on quality in the work on degree programmes New initiatives designed to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing grammes spanning all main academic areas. The university s Study Committee played an important role in this effort, including the preparation of guidelines for educational collaboration in the form of the general policy document På vej mod Det Indre Uddannelsesmarked (Heading towards the Inner Education Market). With the Inner Education Market, the university is heading towards a more transparent and flexible education system with improved conditions for multidisciplinary educational collaboration on anything from complete degree programmes to credit transfers. In this way, the merger will provide the students with specific benefits. The university s work with the application for the EU Commission s ECTS label contributed to the Inner Education Market by harmonising the university s degree programme structures and its information about the programmes. Aarhus University hopes to be awarded the ECTS label in In addition, the Study Committee has focused on policies and standards for quality work in education and has prepared a common quality policy that will be followed up by the implementation of a quality control system throughout the university before the end of The university has also launched the following initiatives, which provide general support for collaboration and knowledge sharing across the main academic areas: Increased collaboration and knowledge sharing about the recruitment and retention of students for example via student environment surveys and recruitment surveys at several faculties. Development of educational and didactic entities to support education, including support for academic staff for whom Danish is not their first language. Systematic employment surveys among alumni. Development of degree programmes in A number of areas have worked on ideas for new degree programmes that cut across the merged institutions. Some of these ideas resulted in applications for new degree programmes or strengthened collaboration about subjects and modules in degree programmes offered by different faculties. Other ideas did not turn out to be viable or have not yet been approved by the accreditation institution ACE Denmark as new degree programmes. Rapid establishment of four new agricultural science degree programmes New degree programmes As an extremely visible result of the mergers, the university offered a number of new degree programmes in agricultural sciences with effect from September Most of these degree programmes are offered by the new main academic area, the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, in collaboration with one or more of the other main academic areas. All the degree programmes that were developed in this area after the merger were approved. The following degree programmes have been approved and are being offered in collaboration with other academic areas (the number of 22

23 enrolled students for September 2008 is shown in brackets after the title of the degree programme): MSc in Molecular Nutrition and Food Technology (7): developed jointly by the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, the Faculty of Health Sciences, the Faculty of Science and Aarhus School of Business. BSc in Agriculture, Food and Environment (17): developed jointly by the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and the Faculty of Science. MSc in Biosystems Engineering (2): developed jointly by the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and the Faculty of Science. MSc in Agro-Environmental Management (Agriculture, Nature and Environment) (5): developed jointly by the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, the National Environmental Research Institute, and the Faculty of Social Sciences. The university has thus taken a decisive first step towards using the research potential at the former governmental research institutions within the degree programmes. New, innovative degree programmes that cut across the main academic areas Following the merger between the Institute of Business and Technology in Herning and Aarhus University in 2006, the Faculty of Social Sciences established a specialisation in Innovation Management within the framework of the MSc (Economics), as an advanced studies programme in continuation of the BSc (Economics and Business Administration) at the Institute of Business and Technology in Herning. Teaching therefore now takes place at the Institute of Business and Technology in Herning. The research and education aspects of the teaching are the responsibility of the School of Economics and Management, and the planning and teaching are handled in close collaboration between lecturers at the Institute of Business and Technology in Herning and the School of Economics and Management. A professor has been appointed at the Institute of Business and Technology in Herning to handle the coordination. In 2007 and 2008, approximately 20 students per year enrolled in the degree programme. The Institute of Business and Technology in Herning also has another new Master s degree programme, viz. a new graduate engineering degree in Technology Based Business Development MSc (Engineering). The degree programme is offered jointly by the Institute of Business and Technology in Herning, the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Science, and 29 students were enrolled in the first intake in and in collaboration with the University of Southern Denmark To this should be added a new Master s degree programme in Public Management, developed by the University of Southern Denmark in collaboration with the Faculty of Social Sciences and Aarhus School of Business at Aarhus University. The first students will be admitted in summer In general, there is considerable collaboration across all sectors of Aarhus University in relation to entire degree programmes, as well as at the level of the individual module or subject. Examples are collaboration 23

24 about supplementary degree programmes and different types of modules and subjects. But unfortunately barriers hinder the establishment of new degree programmes Degree programmes not yet introduced In addition to the above-mentioned new and approved degree programmes, Aarhus University has, since the merger, worked on a number of initiatives that have not yet been carried out. There are different reasons for this, but in general, the rejection of new degree programme applications by either the accreditation institution ACE Denmark or the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation because of objections from the Ministry of Education has blocked innovative education initiatives that were intended to maximise the benefit of the mergers. In the opinion of the university, the authorities have been too conservative regarding innovation and new developments in the educational sector, and this conservative approach has hampered the realisation of the potential synergies presented by the merger, synergies which have the full backing of Aarhus University with its strength and emphasis on quality. This applies specifically to the following degree programmes: BSc in Education developed jointly by the Danish School of Education, the Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Science (accreditation granted, but rejected by the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation). MSc in Innovation and Technology Management prepared by Aarhus School of Business as a precursor to further development of degree programmes in collaboration with other main academic areas, e.g. the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and the Faculty of Science (accreditation refused). MSc in Food Chain Management developed jointly by Aarhus School of Business and the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (accreditation refused). MSc in Human Security: Environmental Change and Conflict Management developed jointly by the Faculty of Humanities, the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and the Faculty of Science (accreditation refused). These degree programmes were rejected for reasons that varied considerably. Reasons for rejecting degree programmes cannot be attributed to lack of quality or relevance The rejection of the BSc in Education cannot be attributed to a lack of quality or relevance, as it was accredited by ACE Denmark, but subsequently rejected by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. The rejection can primarily be ascribed to the fact that the degree programme cut across the ministerial areas of responsibility of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Ministry of Education. If the BSc in Education had been approved by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, it would have broken the monopoly on teaching degree programmes currently held by the Ministry of Education and the university colleges. However, the university maintains its 24