"Everyone thinks they’re not getting their fair share when it’s impossible to understand principles according to which the budgets for the individual departments are drawn up. That’s not necessarily the case, I mean that everyone is not getting a fair share. But that is how people feel.

What’s important for me is that I know my budget. And that I subsequently have the opportunity to hire the employees who are required to implement the strategy that I have put in place for the department. Because if I’m always uncertain about how much money I will have next year, and where it’s going to come from, then I have a very difficult time doing my job as department head.

That is why I think things ought be done as we’ve described them in the consultation response. That is, once I have received the budget I can meet with the dean and discuss strategy – and thus also the people who need to be hired.

But from then on I’m the person responsible for the subsequent appointments, rather than as it is now, where everything ends up taking ages because the decision has to be taken higher up in the system. In future the dean should not have to be involved in the evaluation of people we’re considering hiring at the department. The dean's role should solely be to make sure that all formal requirements have been met in connection with appointments – just as we write in our consultation response from all of the department heads at ST.

This is not least important when it comes to giving more influence to the employees and appearing as a credible department head for them. By doing this we will provide more clarity about who has responsibility. My employees will also know that they can ask me about what actions should be taken in various situations."

Translated by Peter Lambourne

"We are very pleased with the response’s clear message of full transparency regarding revenues and expenses at all levels. This is a clear prerequisite for being able to take action, both at departmental and faculty level. (…)
Four-year budgets are also welcome. Due to the departments' fluctuating financial situation and a wish to be able to e.g. save up for strategic initiatives, there is a strong wish for the departments to have multi-year budgets."

Excerpt from the joint consultation response on finances and budgets from the department heads at ST. 

The 14 department heads joint consultation responses can be found at medarbejdere.au.dk (in Danish only)