First, employees at Aarhus University identified the problems. Next, they identified and commented on proposed solutions. On this basis, the senior management team has reached a range of decisions and designed a plan for the next stages of the problem-solving process.

2014.10.30 | Universitetsledelsen

A new milestone in the process of improving Aarhus University’s organisation, structure and processes has been reached. On Wednesday 22 October, Rector Brian Bech Nielsen announced the decisions made by the senior management team. These decisions were made on the basis of a process in which employees and students have been deeply involved.

These decisions include both changes that will take effect immediately and, where solving problems will require the involvement of employees, the initiation of inclusive problem-solving processes.

“Not all of these decisions will lead to concrete changes here and now. Our goal throughout has been to find the right solutions - the organisation has been involved in a change process for a long time, and we need to wrap that up in the right way,” explains Rector Brian Bech Nielsen.

“There’s been considerable support for the great majority of the solutions we proposed right after the summer holiday. This means that there are a number of solutions that we can implement now, on the background of the problem analysis and the consultation responses. This applies primarily to the administrative area. However, there are still unresolved issues that require that we involve employees in the process in order to resolve them appropriately.”

In October, the senior management team considered all of the consultation responses that were submitted regarding the proposed solutions Rector Nielsen presented in June on behalf of the senior management team.

The consultation responses have formed part of the foundation for the decisions that Rector Nielsen presented last Wednesday. Decisions have been made regarding the same five areas that were presented in the proposal in June:

1. Delegation of authority, including finances and budget as well as appointments
2. Including staff and students
3. The organisation of the faculties
4. Communication
5. Administrative support

The decisions that have been made in regard to each area have been sketched out in the senior management team’s summary of its decisions (see link below).

“We wanted to make it simple and straightforward, so we’ve stuck to the same structure as in the proposals.”

The measures that have been decided on must ensure that Aarhus University functions as a unified institution while at the same time safeguarding respect for different disciplines and core activities.

“In some areas, the desire to create a single, unified Aarhus University has overshadowed the need to give special consideration to the differences between the faculties, departments and centres. We’re correcting this now, and with the changes we’re implementing now, we’re laying the foundation for a better organisation with a good structure and balance between the four faculties and the central administration.”

Background

The senior management team’s decisions have been reached on the basis of

• The expert group's analysis
• Comments on the analysis from the analysis panel
• Consultation responses to the senior management team's proposed decisions announced in June 2014

The goal of the process that was initiated in late November 2013 has been to thoroughly elucidate and address the university’s structural, organisational and administrative problems, their character and extent.

• Read the senior management team’s decisions