On 1 June 2016, AU’s unit for special educational support will move from its current location at Arts to the joint unit for Student Guidance and Academic Support Services in AU Student Administration and Services. The special educational support services for students with special needs will be maintained, but a few services will be discontinued.

2015.11.26 | Signe Hvid Maribo

Photo: Lars Kruse, AU.

The senior management team has decided to move the organisational location of the Counselling and Support Unit from Arts to Student Guidance and Academic Support Services in AU Student Administration and Services. The Counselling and Support Unit offers special educational support for students at all four faculties, and there has been a common desire to find a shared location for the unit.

The special educational support services continue

The move will not affect the mandatory special educational support which approx. 1,000 students receive per semester through the special educational support system. For example, students with dyslexia and students with mental and neurological disorders can receive support.

Deputy Director for AU Student Administration and Services Kristian Thorn says, ”AU maintains the special educational support services which cover the majority of the students who receive support from the unit today. The students who receive special educational support will still be in contact with highly skilled and committed members of staff who make a big effort to give them support during their courses of study”.

Additional services will be phased out

After reviewing the area, the senior management team has decided to phase out AU’s purchase of additional services which exceed the mandatory special educational support. This happens as part of the reductions in joint expenses which AU must make in the coming years. The reductions mean that support and guidance for students with a linguistic and cultural background other than Danish will no longer be offered by the Counselling and Support Unit, but will be part of the student counselling activities at the individual faculties. Today, approx. 50 students receive these services per semester, and all counselling/support processes which have been initiated will be completed by the Counselling and Support Unit.

Kristian Thorn says, ”We had to prioritise, but we will maintain a high level of service and provide the best possible service close to the degree programmes which the students are a part of.”

The Counselling and Support Unit will be physically located with the other AU Student Administration and Services staff at Fredrik Nielsens Vej 5 which is also the location of the Information and Guidance Centre.

About the special educational support programme:

• Special educational support can for example be assistive devices for  visually impaired or hearing impaired students, assistive IT for students with dyslexia or mentor support for students with mental disorders.
• The special educational support programme is administered and financed by the National Agency for Quality and Supervision (Styrelsen for Undervisning og Kvalitet) which is part of the Ministry for Children, Education and Gender Equality.
• Approx. 1,000 students per semester are part of this programme.