AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
STAFF MEETING
The Main Hall, 9 November 2010
17 JUNI 2010
• Aarhus University's budgetary framework
• Current university policy issues
• Vision plan for physical development
• Status of the academic development process
• Presentation of new deans
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
Aarhus University's budgetary framework
• Satisfactory financial result anticipated for 2010
• Although the 2011 Budget has not yet been adopted by the Danish Parliament, a
political accord on the allocation of globalisation funds for 2011 was reached on 30
October and for the 2011 Budget on 8 November:
• Basic research funding: new DKK 270 million pool for distribution among Danish universities
• Matching funds: DKK 100 million to match private subsidies
• Reduction on education and ’other purposes’: DKK 225 million
• Prognosis for AU's 2011 budget: continued growth, but at a slightly lower level than
in previous years
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
Aarhus University's budgetary framework
• Globalisation funds from the government's globalisation pool are an important
element in AU's finances
• Over 0.5 billion kroner in 2011 alone received in the form of basic research funding - nearly 10%
of the total budget
• Also a significant proportion of competitive funding (external subsidies)
• New challenge: funding from globalisation pool runs out after 2012
• Aarhus University's budget proposal for 2011 will be presented to the University
Board for approval on 16 December
• The nine main academic areas have submitted independent budget proposals which
will form the basis of the budgets for the four new main academic areas in the 2011
budget.
• Aarhus University's 2011 budget is projected to be approx. DKK 5.9 billion.
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
Administrative costs
• The Danish Assocation of Masters and PhDs (DM) held the conference 'Follow the
Money' and presented a report claiming to document dramatic increases in
administrative costs
• Universities Denmark and individual universities strongly disagree with the report's
conclusions
• A difficult question of interpretation:
• Which areas and functions are administrative, and which are not?
• Many mergers in the period 2005-2009
• Administrative costs have increased in this period as a result of a necessary process
of modernisation as well as increased administrative burdens related to government
requirements.
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
The development of total costs 2005-09
Aarhus University’s total costs 2005-2009 allocated on activities - 2010-level, mio. kr.
Aarhus University
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
999
1,036
1,109
1,177
1,211
29.2%
29.1%
23.2%
22.9%
22.6%
1,393
1,462
2,180
2,188
2,214
40.8%
41.1%
45.5%
42.6%
41.3%
159
196
131
161
168
4.7%
5.5%
2.7%
3.1%
3.1%
Consultancy
-
-
259
279
310
proportion of total costs
Generel management,administration
and service
proportion of total costs
-
-
5.4%
5.4%
5.8%
209
211
330
409
435
6.1%
5.9%
6.9%
8.0%
8.1%
656
652
781
916
1,022
19.2%
18.3%
16.3%
17.9%
19.1%
3,415
3,556
4,790
5,131
5,360
Education
proportion of total costs
Research
proportion of total costs
Knowledge dissemination
proportion of total costs
Buildings
proportion of total costs
Total
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
The development of administrative costs
Primary explanation for increased
administrative costs:
•the modernisation and professionalisation of the
university's administrative processes and structures.
AU still below average for university sector
General management, administration and service
2005 and 2009: proportion of total costs
2005
2009
All Danish universities
6.8%
8.4%
•Approx. DKK 50 million in annual merger-related
costs
Aarhus University
6.1%
8.1%
•Strategic initiatives such as increased
internationalisation and research support
Total management and administration (incl.
departmental): proportion of total costs
•Growth in governmental requirements, for example
the accreditation process and the demand for more
complex reporting on activities
All Danish universities
Aarhus University
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
2005
14.3%
12.9%
2009
16.5%
13.6%
9 November 2010
• Aarhus University's budgetary framework
• Current university policy issues
• Vision plan for physical development
• Status of the academic development process
• Presentation of new deans
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
Financing higher education: a necessary debate
• Universities in the international elite cannot be created through public sector
investment alone
• The quality of education is crucial for Denmark's international competitiveness,
growth and welfare
• Higher education in Denmark is underfinanced by over DKK 1.5 billion
• An additional DKK 2.9 billion will be required over the next decade to enable
universities to accommodate an increase in the size of the student body and to meet
the government's ’50% goal'
• A serious debate on alternative sources of funding which well might challenge
conventional Danish standpoints and principles is necessary.
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
The debate on 'small subjects'
Main issues at stake in the debate
• Financing
• The taxameter system makes it difficult to finance 'small' but academically significant programs.
• Societal considerations
• More politicians and business leaders now acknowledge that the 'small subjects' are indispensable.
• Knowledge of a broad spectrum of languages and cultures is necessary, whether we are doing
business, outsourcing jobs, or discussing democracy.
• Continual development of the AU profile
• Development of Aarhus Faculty of Arts
• Including a focus on education – for ’small subjects’ as well.
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
Gender equality
Background for the initiative (statistics from January 2010):
The Danish University and Property Agency has granted AU permission to establish
• 10 associate professor positions: DKK 100,000 in research funding and transition
postdoc salary funded by central AU pool
• 10 MSO professorships: difference between associate professor salary and MSO
salary funded by central AU pool for 2 1/2 years
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
Gender equality initiatives
Conditions:
• Both men and women eligible to apply
• Positions must go to best qualified applicants regardless of sex
• If the best qualified applicant is a woman, the AU pool provides funding
Goals:
• To avoid loosing talented researchers
• To encourage more female applicants to associate professor and full professor positions
Additional gender equality initiatives:
• Charter for more women in management, mentorship programme, action plans at faculty
level, clearly marked career paths
• A management development programme and an employee development interview (MUS)
concept are also on the way
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
Nobel Prize awarded to Niels Bohr professor at AU
• The 2010 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences will be awarded
to Professor Dale T. Mortensen on 10 December.
• Dr Mortensen took up a Niels Bohr professorship funded by
the Danish National Research Foundation at Aarhus
University in 2006. Dr Mortensen has collaborated with the
Department of Economics since 1982 and has exercised a
significant influence on the development of labour market
research at AU.
• Dr Mortensen's term as Niels Bohr professorship expires
next year; Aarhus University has extended his term by five
years.
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
AU to host EUA Annual Conference 2011
• EUA represents 800+ research institutions in 46 countries
• The conference marks the 10th anniversary of EUA
• Theme: Investing Today in Talent for Tomorrow
• Attracting research talent to Europe
• Career paths for young researchers
• Balancing elite and mass education
• International collaboration on researcher talent development
• 500 participants: university rectors, politicians, special
interest organisations, researchers, students
• Concurrent PhD conference and business conference
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
• Aarhus University's budgetary framework
• Current university policy issues
• Vision plan for physical development
• Status of the academic development process
• Presentation of new deans
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
Vision plan 2010-2028
Aarhus University will retain the
main Aarhus campus and extend its
campus in Emdrup
The
Katrinebjerg
area
The Lille
Barnow
Teaching facilities, research facilities
and experimental stations will be
retained in selected locations
The Aarhus and Emdrup campuses
will grow in coming years
Possibilities for expansion in
Aarhus:
• The Lille Barnow property
• The Katrinebjerg area
• The University Park campus
• The Aarhus Hospital property
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
University
Park Campus
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
Aarhus
Sygehus
9 November 2010
Current and upcoming construction projects
• Five projects in progress: the iNANO building on Langelandsgade, the expansion of ASB on
Fuglesangs Allé, the new IT building in Katrinebjerg, the conservatory in the Botanical
Gardens and the expansion of AU-HIH in Herning (approx. 29,000 m 2)
• Two planned laboratory facilities for the natural sciences and health sciences on the
University Park campus (approx. 16,000 m2)
• Furthermore: Buildings for Aarhus School of Engineering at the Katrinebjerg area and
NAVITAS at the harbor (approx. 44,000 m2)
• Construction project on Lille Barnow property (up to 61,000 m2)
• Preparations for expansion in Katrinebjerg to accommodate
agricultural sciences activities
• Preparation of Emdrup expansion
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
• Aarhus University's budgetary framework
• Current university policy issues
• Vision plan for physical development
• Status of the academic development process
• Presentation of new deans
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
Status of the academic development process
• Design and implementation of new organisational structure with fewer main academic areas,
departments and levels of administration
9 Structure of new main academic areas: approved in June; to be implemented in January 2011
o Departmental structure: Proposals submitted in December, decision in January 2011; implementation in the
spring of 2011
o Administrative structure: Proposals submitted in January2011; decision in February; implementation in the
course of 2011
• Geographical/physical infrastructure
9 Vision plan for physical development 2010-2028 approved
• Establish a cohesive management with the resources to exercise strategic leadership
9 New deans start on 1 November; assume duties as deans on 1 January 2011
9 New university management group a reality as of 1 January 2011
o Interfaculty organisational functions: Appointment of vice deans in early 2011; interfaculty functions to be
established hereafter
o New financial model under development; to be implemented in the course of 2011
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
• Aarhus University's budgetary framework
• Current university policy issues
• Vision plan for physical development
• Status of the academic development process
• Presentation of new deans
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
Mette Thunø
• Dean of Aarhus Faculty of Arts
• Associate Dean for Research at the University
of Copenhagen's Faculty of Humanities since
2006
• Director of the European Centre for Chinese
Studies at Peking University
• Board member for International Society for
the Study of Chinese Overseas
• Member of the editorial board for Journal of
Chinese Overseas
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
Brian Bech Nielsen
• Dean of Aarhus Faculty of Science and
Technology
• Head of the Aarhus University Department of
Physics and Astronomy since 2009
• Deputy Director of iNANO, 2006-2009
• Member of the Royal Danish Academy of
Sciences and Letters since 2006
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
Svend Hylleberg
• Dean of Aarhus School of Business and Social
Sciences
• Dean of the Aarhus University Faculty of
Social Sciences since 2005
• Member of the Advisory Board for Center for
Research in Econometric Analysis of Time
Series (CREATES) since 2007
• Associate editor of The Scandinavian Journal
of Economics since 1995
• Associate editor of Macroeconomic Dynamics
since 1997
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
Allan Flyvbjerg
• Dean of Aarhus Faculty of Health Sciences
• Professor at the Department of
Endocrinology, Aarhus University Hospital
since 2009
• Recipient of numerous national and
international awards for research and popular
publications
• President of the Danish diabetes association
Diabetesforeningen for ten years
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN
9 November 2010
AARHUS
UNIVERSITY
Thank you for your attention
And remember: there will be a reception to welcome the new deans on 6 January
in Stakladen
RECTOR LAURITZ B. HOLM-NIELSEN