Dear All Please find latest news:

2016.12.15 | Thomas G. Jensen

Economy

We have now approved the budget for 2017 in such a way that there is balance. It is due to a large fund the Faculty received to cover costs related to construction processes.

 

The building processes

As I have told at house meetings the construction of the Skou-building has been delayed for various reasons (such as bad weather). Updated plan:

We can start by using Skou-building: October 2017

Renovation of the research wing of the Anatomy complex: February 2018 - April 2019

Renovation of the Bartholin building: February 2018 - November 2019

 

Status of plans for the Skou Building

We have held all the meetings for each wing in the Skou-building. Find the plans here.

Please note that the plan is still preliminary - there will probably be changes (due to departures and recruitments) before the move to be made during the period October 2017 - February 2018. And it is still possible to suggest changes.

 

Space for TNU

We have from the Department of Clinical Medicine been asked whether we in an approximately 3-year period (from 2018) can house animals and related activities from TNU in Risskov before they be located in Skejby. It seems that there may be room for the animals in the Skou-building, and we are now negotiating on economy.

 

Can we give up some space?

The Dean has asked the department to investigate whether we need all the planned space - after all construction projects is over (that is from 2020 and onwards). And what consequences it would have if we would restrict. The reason is that the faculty and the department can expect a large rent increase. A committee has now been formed to examine the possibilities, consisting of: Inger Rønde, Tine Jørgensen and Kenneth Brodersen from Economy, Conor Leerhøy from the Building Service, Steen Harrit Jakobsen from the Administration Center and Morten Pless and the undersigned from Biomedicine.

 

Grant applications

Please remember that all applications exceeding 100.000 kr has to be registered in ReAp, and applications exceeding 1 mio kr should pass me – at least 1 week before deadline.

 

New contact in the Graduate School for PhD students at Biomedicine

Henriette Louise Lausten is employed in the Graduate School to manage PhD students from Biomedicine. Henriette can help answer administrative questions, for example on rules, waivers and submission of thesis. She can be contacted via email hlml@au.dk or graduateschoolhealth@au.dk or tel. 8715 2574. You are also welcome to drop in Katrinebjergvej 89F, Bldg. 5132, 8200 Aarhus N – she will offer coffee.

 

Please consider whether you can spend some more of your grants

As also rector pointed out the last time he was here, there are often problems spending grants as it has been budgeted. This causes problems for the entire university and for the Department. At the department we are a few million behind what is budgeted, and it creates problems with lack of overhead that first transferred to the department when the grants are used. It is fully understandable and reasonable to save some of the funds in the research groups, but grants are of course meant to be used. We have from the economy department received an overview of the accounts where consumption does not follow the budget, and it is quite extensive – actually funds in most research groups at biomedicine. In many cases, there are good reasons why the consumption is slower than budgeted, but my wish here at the end of the year, therefore, is similar to the rector's statement: Please consider if there are some grants that you can use for reasonable purposes – that would be good both for the department and for the AU.

 

Anders Jahres prices

You are welcome to suggest candidates for the Anders Jahres awards distributed by Oslo University: The Anders Jahres main prize, which is 2 million Norwegian kroner, and the Anders Jahres Prize for younger researchers (under 40 per. June 15 2017), where the price is of 500,000 Norwegian kroner. The awards are given for: "Outstanding quality in basic and clinical medicine in Norden." If you have suggestions please send them to the undersigned not later than 28 December 2016.

 

News from the Novo Nordisk Foundation

The Challenge program has deadline 15. February. There are two themes: Big Data in biomedicine and Design and engineering of biological molecules and systems.

 

News from the Lundbeck Foundation

The fund has thematic calls with application deadline 1. March: Improved understanding of disease development / mechanisms and enhanced opportunities for prevention: Inflammation and development of diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system.

 

The next meeting in the LSU (Local collaboration committee) will be held on 19. December

The Agenda can be viewed on the webpage for the department and includes recruitment procedures and alcohol policy.

 

Next meeting in the Department forum is held on 21. December

Agenda include recruitment procedures and how the process best can take place regarding a new strategy for the department.

 

Meeting in the Academic Council held 1. December

Minutes are on the way

 

The last meeting of the Faculty SU (FSU) was held on 2. December

Minutes are on the way. We discussed among other things how the HR policy for the entire university are implemented locally.

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

 

Thomas G. Jensen