On 1 October 2016, Dean Allan Flyvbjerg will take up a new position as head of the Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen (SDCC) in the Capital Region of Denmark. As a consequence, Flyvbjerg is stepping down as dean of the Faculty of Health at Aarhus University after six years in this position.

2016.08.31 | Anders Correll

Dean Allan Flyvbjerg will take up a new position as head of the Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen (SDCC). Photo: Lars Kruse, Aarhus Universitet.

Rector Brian Bech Nielsen regrets Flybjerg’s resignation.

“First of all, I would like to extend Allan my sincere congratulations on the job as director of SDCC. I am certain that he will be an extremely capable and dedicated leader of the new centre. At the same time, I regret that Allan will not be continuing on as dean. I have always valued our working relationship, first as fellow dean and later as rector. Allan has made an enormous effort on behalf of the faculty, Aarhus University as a whole and not least the extremely fruitful partnership with Central Denmark Region on education and research. For example, Allan made a major contribution to the establishment of the national research and treatment centre for particle therapy at Aarhus University Hospital in Skejby,” says Rector Bech Nielsen.

Flyvbjerg became dean of Health on 1 November 2010. At that time, he had also been chair of the Danish Diabetes Association for 11 years, and had been one of the driving forces behind the national diabetes action plan. Although he gave up the chairmanship when he became dean, he has remained strongly engaged in diabetes research and has continued to publish both scientific articles and educational materials in the field. 

Flyvbjerg is thus highly qualified to head the establishment of Northern Europe’s largest and most modern diabetes centre.

“The centre is rethinking diabetes treatment and prevention by putting expertise in treatment, health promotion, research and diabetes education under the same roof. This will not only be an exciting and challenging task. It is also a historic opportunity to do things even better for people and families affected by diabetes,” states Flyvbjerg, who is looking forward to meeting employees, partners and not least patient representatives.

Flyvbjerg will continue on as dean of the Faculty of Health at Aarhus University until 30 September, after which Ole Steen Nielsen, currently vice-dean for research at Health, will serve as acting dean until a new dean is appointed.

The process of recruiting a new dean will begin immediately, and the job announcement is expected to be published in mid September.