This year's degree programme report shows that the students at the faculty are satisfied with the academic study environment. The social study environment, on the other hand, has been challenging due to the long coronavirus lockdowns.

2021.12.16 | Vibe Bregendahl Noordeloos

Evaluations and the social study environment are areas of concern, but Vice-Dean Lise Wogersen Bach is overall happy with this years degree programme report.

Health has managed to maintain a high level academic study environment at all of its departments despite the lockdowns and the limitations associated with the coronavirus pandemic, according to the degree programme report. Vice-Dean for Education Lise Wogensen Bach is pleased with the impressive report and highlights that Health has managed to carry out the vast majority of the practical, clinical and laboratory teaching with in-person attendance.

"Many of our students depend on actually being present in the clinics or laboratories to get a deeper understanding of their learning. So our success in carrying out in person teaching in the midst of the pandemic has been very important for their development and academic competences. In general, the report shows that we at Health have had a very good academic study environment in an otherwise challenging year," says Lise Wogensen Bach.

The social study environment and evaluations lagging behind

However, there are a few areas of concern in the degree programme report, which also shows there is room for improvement in the teaching evaluations at Health. According to Lise Wogensen Bach, several initiatives have already been launched. Among these is the ongoing work on implementation of revised academic regulations, as well as new teaching formats including student-centred learning and EDU IT. At the same time, a more systematic competency development of teaching staff and a new job structure are being implemented. All-in-all a concerted effort which Lise Wogensen Bach hopes will be reflected in the teaching evaluations in the coming years.

"When we look at the action plans we drew up last year, we can see that we are well on the way. We’ve focused on digitisation of learning in EDU IT – which will furthermore continue in 2022. We’ve conducted well-being surveys in which we’ve looked at both the individual degree programmes and the digital well-being during the reorganisation of the teaching. And we’ve also focused on ensuring students enjoy a good start at the university, for example by implementing AU’s shared framework for social and academic integration," says Lise Wogensen Bach.

At the same time, the report shows that the commencement of studies during the pandemic has not been easy. The students have not had the opportunity to meet in study groups, and the majority of social events have been cancelled. This has been a challenge for the social study environment, especially for the newest students.

"Next year we will also have special focus on the students who started during the coronavirus pandemic. Lockdowns and changing guidelines have made being fully integrated into the study environment on campus difficult, so we need to make an extra effort to help the students feel truly integrated," says Lise Wogensen Bach.

Focus on the study environment, internationalisation and even stronger degree programmes in 2022

A well-functioning study environment and a good start at the university so that both current and future students land at AU both academically and socially, thus ensuring the best starting point for their development and student life, are again the focal points next year. Internationalisation is also on the agenda in 2022, and according to the vice-dean, the ambition is for the mobility of both students and teaching staff to be strengthened, so that students can gain a global insight about their subjects and take part in teaching at the highest international level. There also needs to be even more focus on academically strong and cohesive degree programmes that are less about theory books and more about research in the classrooms, says Lise Wogensen Bach and continues:

"For me and the rest of Health’s Forum for Education, it’s important to focus on what research-based teaching actually means. I would like to get the students even more involved in the latest research within their subject. They should have read up on the theory at home and then put it into practice in the classrooms, where they can actively engage with developing ideas and hypotheses and with methods and analyses. That’s what gives students more dynamic and engaging teaching where they experience being able to develop and challenge current research. At the same time, the lecturers and other teaching staff can enjoy having a whole classroom with inquisitive, talented and engaging students who can challenge dogmas, think in new ways, discuss the subject and develop current research projects with new approaches and ideas."

Contact

Vice-Dean for Education Lise Wogensen Bach
Aarhus Universitet, Health
Mail: lwb@au.dk 
Mobil: +45 25 48 85 22