16-12-2013
Action Plan to follow up on ”IGN 2016”
1. Introduction – Intra-departmental action
In the basis of the ”IGN 2016” strategy, a draft action plan is submitted herewith, divided into the same chapters as
the strategy: ”2. Development of the Department as an organization”, ”3. Education”, ”4. Research”, ”5. Closer
external collaboration”, ”6. Infrastructure” and ”7. Dialogue and communication." Various points are listed under
these headings which together make up the skeleton of the action plan. Some of the points have the same common
denominators even though they are listed under different headings. These interdepartmental points are central to the
action plan and will accordingly take high priority and account for much of IDN' focus in coming years. With respect to
the individual chapters and actions, the intradepartmental elements of the action plan have been identified as
follows:
Recruitment
The focus is to be on implementing and on-going revision of the job descriptions plan since IGN needs to have strong
research profiles at the international level to develop research, education and to service relations with the
authorities/business sector at the highest level and to secure research grants (3.2; 3.4; 4.1-3; 5.1-2). The focus will
also be on the career paths of talented young researchers (4.1).
Internationalisation
IGN is dependent on international collaborations and the need for these will be increasing. IGN intends to focus on
strengthening international collaborations as research projects become ever larger, with international anchoring and
with research funding increasingly having to be sourced internationally (e.g. via the Horizon 2020 program) (4.2). An
international educational environment is also more inspirational and developmental. By attracting clever international
students and by employing researchers who focus on this, we shall generally raise the level of our courses (3.4; 4.2;
4.3; 7.3). In the international arena, relations with developing countries make special demands on research,
education, outreach and public body servicing with the development funding allocated (2.1.6, 2.2.9,3.4, 4.2, 5.1.5,
5.2.3, 7.1, 7.3, 7.4).
External collaboration
Collaboration with industry and the authorities is expected to become more important and is to be strengthened, for
example by way of EU initiatives, participation in programs under INNO+ and direct contacts between individual
researchers or groups of researchers and companies (4,3; 5.1-2). Education is to be enhanced by way of knowledgesharing, corporate placements and by involving visiting lecturers from external partners in teaching (5.2). It will be
important to prioritise these efforts on an ongoing basis with respect to the Department's strategic processes.
Support for core areas
IGN’s core areas are research, education, communication and public body servicing /commercial collaborations. As an
organisation, IGN needs to support these core areas as well as it can by developing an administration that is
manageable and accessible to personnel and which has the competencies to support these core areas, including giving
a boost to tasking relating to course offerings and study programs and by providing effective budgetary controls and
project support (2.2; 3.1; 3.3). IGN is to ensure that the requisite infrastructure is in place at the sites of relevant
laboratories, teaching premises, field stations and common areas (6.1-3), and that websites and publications for
communicating research results and dialogue with official bodies and industry are developed and their profile raised
(7.1-4).
Employee involvement, dialogue and transparency
IGN attaches great importance to employee involvement, dialogue and transparency in order to ensure creative,
fruitful development within the Department’s core areas and to support these (all sections but especially in: 2.1-4;
3.2-4; 4.1-3; 5.1-2; 7.1). Decision-making processes and implementing work processes are to be presented and openly
discussed in the appropriate committees and councils with respect to the recommendations made by these
committees and councils (all sections but especially in: 2.3; 3.2-5; 4.1-3; 5.1-2; 7.1).
On-going follow-up
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IGN's leader team will undertake a quarterly review of the status of the action plan and it will be subject to an annual
revision in conjunction with LSU and IR.
2. Development of the Department as an organisation:
1. To ensure that our core services (research, education, communication/outreach and servicing public bodies) are
supported by a skilled, manageable and accessible administration with clear roles and tasking priorities, by way of:
1. On-going managerial supervision of the approximately 30 personnel in the Secretariat. And by focusing on
clarifying assignments and prioritising appropriate solutions for staff.
2. Establishing professional teams in the Secretariat in the field of Buildings management, HR/Personnel,
Finance, Communication, etc.
3. A sharper focus on correctly standardised study administration and for this to be an important core function
in the Department.
4. Contact and close dialogue with staff based in the individual sections who are tasked with interfacing with
the Secretariat.
5. Focusing on roles, tasking and teams in developing the Secretariat. Holding seminars focusing on these
themes, by following up on seminars and using the intranet to raise the visibility of roles and tasking in the
Secretariat.
6. Supporting the internationalisation of the Department's research and courses by drawing up a schedule of
relevant resource personnel in the rest of the University's administration and externally, and by promoting
dialogue and communication in both Danish and English.
7. Setting up common meetings, Secretariat meetings, intradepartmental TAP networking, etc., on the role of
TAPs in supporting core services in research, education, communication and servicing the authorities.
2. To put in place facilities to support integration between the various geographical locations and collaborations with
external parties, for example flexible short-stay workplaces, common inter-sectional meetings and teaching that
involves research and practical work throughout the sections, and by:
1. Establishing flexible office schemes at Øster Voldgade 10 (ØV10), Rolighedsvej 23 (R23), Nødebo and
Eldrupgaard.
2. Having common meetings and cross-sectional networking for personnel and students. Priority is to be given
to social interaction during these activities.
3. Personal meetings rather than email where there is the risk of conflict.
4. The option of applying to work from home for periods.
5. Openness and insight in the various working conditions associated with individual locations and academic
content.
6. Investing in infrastructure for cross-sectional use in teaching and research, such as Forest & Landscape, the
Arboretum, field stations and long-term field trials.
7. A language policy is to be drawn up to make it clear when for example, meetings are to be conducted in
English, Danish or both these languages.
8. Support for research applications in dialogue and conjunction with the Faculty's resources in this area.
9. Support for international exchanges for staff and students.
3. To focus on responsible, visible, transparent management at every level, with decisions being made in openness
and in dialogue with students and personnel, by:
1. Management at IGN focusing on complying with IGN’s mission, vision and values in what they say and the
way they act.
2. Actively using meetings in LSU, the Departmental Council, IAMU, Secretariat/Section meetings, etc., as a
platform for real staff involvement and two-way information between management and personnel.
3. Using the Intranet (IGNnet) for information from management and between staff.
4. IGN's management focusing on openness in rulings, decisions and information from Departmental
management and the Offices of the Dean and Rector.
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4. To work towards good, trusting relations with the Faculty (SCIENCE), in which we create understanding for the
framework and organisation of the University of Copenhagen amongst staff and students at IGN, whilst also
establishing a mandate and flexibility for local development at the Departmental level, by:
1. Network building, participation in networks at the level of the Heads of Department, Heads of
Administration, VILF/ VILU.
2. Openness about the Department's daily routines at Faculty meetings.
3. Focusing on personally representing IGN In discussions and in dealing with assignments in the Faculty.
3. Education
1. To ensure that the field of education is supported by a competent, accessible administration, with clear roles and
tasking priorities, by:
1. Establishing an education /administrative mini-unit at R23 corresponding to that at ØV10.
2. Assessing and following up on the Faculty's mapping of the whole area of education and by identifying special
action areas in this.
3. Identifying action areas for education/administrative mini-units and ongoing follow-up on these.
2. To ensure the provision of research-based teaching by converting temporary staff to permanent roles where this is
financially viable and to ensure that the requirements for teaching skills are reflected in those for employee
development whilst also meeting the requirements for research, by:
1. Drawing up a schedule of permanent VIP teaching roles.
2. Drawing up a schedule of DVIP teaching roles and payroll expenditure.
3. VILU to consult with VILF, section heads and study directors on implementing the job descriptions plan.
3. To establish ad hoc teams to study the possibilities of synergy between courses and possibly establishing new
courses/specialisations associated with the changes planned for Bachelor and Master's courses, coordination and
oversight of our overall course provision, by:
1. Setting up course-specific study guidance committees that invite course teaching staff at least every second
years to discuss the make-up and further development of these courses.
2. Identifying academic areas and courses with elements of redundancy and the possibility of synergy under the
aegis of the teaching committee.
3. Boosting participation in teaching for researchers from the forestry, natural resources and biomass sections.
4. Course-based research: A forum/website is t be set up for good ideas for research that students can use in
their BSc projects and theses.
4. To provide for the internationalisation of courses where necessary, partly by developing the courses and partly by
ensuring we have the right reciprocal exchange agreements, by:
1. Bottom-up process from VIPs with respect to identifying existing and new international collaborative
partners.
2. Entering into collaborative agreements in coordination with SCIENCE.
3. Focusing on internationalisation when recruiting new VIPs.
4. Developing e-learning on the strategically correct platforms.
5. To promote on-going quality assurance for the courses that we are responsible for, with study directors as the key
players and with the active participation of teaching staff, by:
1. Holding 'Education days' with a review of study programs and inspiration for new directions/courses/
specialisations.
2. Actively following-up on teaching assessment reports.
3. On-going dialogue with students on the teaching and study direction committees and student associations.
4. Systematically using statistical/management information relating to teaching.
5. Assessing the consequences and possible actions associated with the Future Studies Reform in close dialogue
with students and teaching staff.
4. Research:
1. Implementing and developing the job descriptions plan.
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The focus is to be on strong research profiles that can develop research, teaching, communication/outreach and
servicing public bodies at the highest level, with proven experience of winning research funding. Jobs should very
preferably be taken into consideration so as to reflect different groups of researchers, thus promoting interdisciplinary aspects where relevant.
1. Posts advertising professorships and assistant professorships to be discussed by the Research Committee,
which then makes recommendations to IGN’s Leader Team.
2. Career pathways are to be described for talented PhDs and postdocs wishing to pursue careers in research.
2. Internationalisation and establishment of an International Academy at IGN.
A Search Committee is to be set up under the aegis of the Research Committee with representation from the four
sections. There is to be on-going scouting to try to attract selected, very strong, leading international profiles for short
or long-term appointments at IGN, by:
1. Further developing relations with appropriates national and international research and development
institutions, also with respect to establishing networks and consortia for attracting funding, including the EU.
2. Discussing the Academy's objectives and design in the research committee and drawing up terms of
reference for this process following further inspiration from NBI.
3. Drawing up a savings plan for funding the International Academy at IGN.
4. Establishing a Search Committee under the aegis of the Research Committee.
5. On-going searching for prospective individuals and feedback to the Research Committee.
6. The Research Committee proposing prospective individuals to IGN’s leader team for a decision on any follow
up and funding.
7. Promoting the opportunities for sabbaticals for senior VIPs.
3. Research-based teaching and public body servicing.
Teaching and public body servicing is to be based/developed on research and by enhancing and developing our
teaching and public sector servicing and providing stronger anchoring for these activities in IGN. By close dialogue with
research group leaders and study directors on how new scientific personnel appointments affect course offerings and
study programs and the possibility of strengthening research-based public sector servicing. The focus is to be on
anchoring research into public sector servicing, for example by focusing on major initiatives running over a longer
timeframe to allow for the opportunity for in-depth research.
1. Regular section meetings focusing on integrating research, teaching, communication/outreach and public.
sector servicing with the attendance of research group leaders and study directors.
2. A critical review of study programs with input from all relevant research groups.
3. A critical review of our capacity to strengthen research-based public body servicing with input from all
relevant research groups.
5. Closer external collaboration:
1. Research-based public sector servicing, by:
1. Continuing and further strengthening the good, close relations between the Ministry of the Environment and
Forest and Landscape.
2. Retention and further development of academic competencies relating to research-based public sector
servicing.
3. Support and contributions for a Code of Conduct being drawn up at the level of the Faculty for best practice
associated with research-based public body servicing focusing on such subjects as: Terms and conditions,
requirements, rights.
4. Advertising professorships with special competencies in research-based public sector servicing.
5. Strengthening the traditional, but weakening, collaboration with Danida by way of greater engagement with
other national and international development organisations.
2. Strengthening external collaboration by:
1. Continuing and further strengthening our good, close relations with Geocenter Denmark.
2. Maintaining relations with cross-departmental centres.
3. Participating actively in collaboration on developing initiatives and partnerships with foundations, public
bodies and companies in Denmark and internationally.
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4.
5.
6.
Strengthening relations and dialogue with industry by the involvement of guest lecturers in teaching and on
excursions.
Promoting dialogue with the public and private business sectors by way of more study assignments /theses /
internships, and by making students and external collaborative partners more aware of these.
Retaining and increasing the number of industrial PhDs and Post docs.
6. Infrastructure:
1. We are to benefit from the merger and the amalgamation of the geographically spread academic sections by
introducing a process with detailed planning for effectively working with GEUS to relocate the facilities at ØV10 to
better facilities at R23 with a special focus on laboratories, teaching facilities and study environments, by:
1. Visions in conjunction with GEUS for the shared facilities we would like to have for our activities in future,
since facilities should reflect our geo-academic areas, the principles underlying the ”Green Campus” while
providing functionality and high quality architecturally and from a working environment point of view.
2. Setting up user groups consisting of VIPs, TAPs and students and in conjunction with GEUS to define our
needs, also for shared facilities.
3. Making contracts with external consultants to assist in the process.
4. Standards for facilities in new teaching rooms, offices, laboratories, common areas, etc.
5. Budget and savings plan for funding accommodation in new buildings and for relocating to them.
6. Working with GEUS to draw up an application for external funding for shared facilities.
7. Drawing up a timetable.
2. We are to ensuring efficient infrastructure and the requisite funding to support IGN’s ambitions for existing and
future research and teaching activities by supporting the requisite maintenance, renewal and expansion of facilities
based on a thorough assessment of their future relevance and potential, by:
1. Information on the intranet describing our research facilities (laboratories, etc) with respect to supporting
the options for multiple sections and groups of researchers to se them.
2. An annual mapping process by the Research Committee on the need for new research facilities.
3. Improving the study environment at ØV10, including the establishment of more student workplaces, cycle
racks, etc.
4. Improving the study environment at Forest & Landscape, Nødebo, by building new teaching facilities and
other activities in conjunction with Signal Architects.
5. Maintaining and continuing improvement to the study environment at R23.
6. Introducing an annual activity day at ØV10 and R23 on the model used by Forest & Landscape, with students
and staff being involved in spring cleaning of shared facilities, thus helping to maintain these and getting
them better cared for on a daily basis.
7. Undertaking a survey on the use and operation of the field stations for which IGN is responsible with respect
to their continuing optimisation and further development for the benefit of the University of Copenhagen.
3. We are to maintain close relations between IGN’s IT Committee and SCIENCE Faculty IT Support to ensure that all
computer equipment is maintained and updated regularly and that effective procedures and support have been
established for communication, data processing, IT procurement, etc., by:
1. Setting a strategy for better IT support for research – should this be done by strengthening the role of
SCIENCE Faculty IT support for research, by establishing an alternative facility in conjunction with other
departments in SCIENCE, or by setting up a Core Facility in-house?
2. Regular meetings with SCIENCE Faculty IT Support focusing on the level of service and development and
procedures for routine maintenance and replacement. High priority is to be given to local IT support that
functions well.
3. Regular checks on teaching IT and rapid resolution of any problems that arise.
7. Dialogue and communication
1. We are to develop a new common website to provide high quality communication/outreach, with a targeted
structure, content and graphical profile and which is to be updated and modified of an ongoing basis in line with the
needs of our target groups and technological developments, by:
1. Focusing the website on IGN’s research. The website is to present and communicate our research and
researchers.
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Communicating the courses and further education that are only described on IGN's website and backing
these up with inviting, user-friendly, updated course descriptions.
Illustrating international collaborations and public body servicing with examples showing the effect on the
community.
Ensuring that the target groups defined for the website do actually find it user-friendly and relevant. Userfriendliness and relevance are to be investigated and improved with usability tests and by analysing website
statistics.
Deciding whether and how as an organization IGN should play a role in the social media.
Drawing up IGN’s media strategy and branding.
2. We are to complete the structure of the intranet, IGNnet and anchoring this with staff, backed with ongoing
support from the Secretariat and:
1.
2.
3.
4.
By making IGNnet the preferred tool for staff for sharing internal messages and significantly cutting the use
of email circulars.
The Finance menu item has been reviewed and fully described.
The Secretariat's service catalogue has been drawn up and is easily accessible for IGN’s staff.
IGNnet has been presented at common meetings at Forest & Landscape, R23 and ØV10.
3. To boost national and international recruitment of students in close conjunction with SCIENCE and the University
based on IGN's extensive knowledge of our own courses and students, by:
1. Optimising good contacts with secondary education by bringing together many previous activities.
2. Identifying strong, relevant research environments in foreign universities and international institutions with a
view to establishing reciprocal exchange agreements, nationally and internationally.
3. Dialogue meetings with Danish universities with related courses and by coordinating academic education
profiles
4. (Re)establishing a standard panel of potential speakers/hands-on exercises aimed as gymnasiums.
5. Establishing IGN contact/liaison aimed at gymnasiums’ SRP tasking.
6. On-going updates and focus at www.studier.ku.dkand www.studies.ku.dk
7. Drawing up information/material in English on individual Masters' courses and providing
information/material on all courses is available in Danish and English.
4. To raise the visibility and utility of IGN’s research with respect to interns, professionals, gymnasium teachers,
authorities, decision-makers, the wider public and internationally by way for example of:
1. News items on IGN’s website based on the results of relevant topical research and PhD projects.
2. Articles in scientific journals and Knowledge Sheets from Knowledge Service.
3. Newsletters from Knowledge Service.
4. Drawing up papers, books, reports and teaching material, also under the aegis of Geocenter Denmark.
5. A catalogue to provide an overall description and to market IGN’s academic events and to provide practical
and logistical support for these.
Abbreviations:
IAMU
Institut Arbejds Miljø Udvalg/Departmental Occupational Health and Safety Committee
VILF
Vice Departmental Director of Research.
Please see the list of abbreviations on p. 27 of ”IGN 2016”.
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