The Committee on Education at AU has just allocated a pool for the development of the university’s degree programmes. Employees can apply for funding for projects that aim to reduce the time to degree.

2016.02.26 | Mette Louise Ohana

The students need to complete their studies faster. Otherwise it will cost money.

The study progress reform now means that the university will be punished financially if students fail to complete their studies within the prescribed time. Last year this meant a loss of DKK 20 million for AU. In a worst-case scenario, this figure will increase to DKK 175 million in 2019.

The Committee on Education at AU has therefore earmarked 2016 strategic funding for projects that have a specific goal of reducing the time to degree. To be considered for funding, the project must share knowledge and experience with others.

"We hope that the employees will submit good suggestions for how we can support the students in completing their degree programmes within the stipulated time of study. We have already initiated many activities, but we need to be even better. The experience gained from the projects will be shared at AU," says Charlotte Ringsted, vice-dean for education at Health.

Departments must co-finance

The funding requires that at least half of the cost of the project is covered by the department at which the project will be carried out. This means that proposals must be coordinated with the department management team.

The proposals will be assessed by a panel comprising one representative from each faculty, consisting of a department head, a director of studies, a lecturer and a student, while Pro-Rector Berit Eika will chair the panel.

Proposals should be sent to Julie Goodall Bladt at jig@au.dk by 1 April at the latest.

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To be eligible for consideration the projects must

• Have a specific target of reducing the time to degree.
• Be delimited so funding is used in 2016.
• Contribute towards sharing knowledge and experience with others.
• Not finance workload reduction, administration, office space and follow-up research.
• Include local financing that, as a minimum, matches the strategic funding (perhaps to cover the above costs). 

Further information

Vice-dean for Education Charlotte Ringsted
Mobile: (+45) 9350 8222
charlotte.ringsted@au.dk