The board would like the Rector to stay on a little longer
The rector’s contract was actually due to expire next year. However, the board has decided to give Rector Brian Bech Nielsen another two years in post, as the board believes he is best placed to implement the university’s new strategy, says chair of the board, Birgitte Nauntofte.
Just as a Danish supermarket chain would like its customers to stay a little longer, the Aarhus University board would like Rector Brian Bech Nielsen to remain in post for a further two years. According to Birgitte Nauntofte, chair of the board, the reason is simply this: “We have the best person for the job.”
She explains that it has long been clear that the rector’s contract will expire next year. Consequently, over the past few months, the board has discussed how it intends to address the expiry of the contract, particularly given that the university has only just begun to implement the new Strategy 2030, which, according to Nauntofte, Brian Bech Nielsen played a leading and key role in formulating in collaboration with the board.
The conclusion of the discussions was:
“The best thing for Aarhus University would be for the rector to stay on.” “He’s the best person to implement this ambitious strategy,” says Birgitte Nauntofte, who was therefore given the task to persuade the rector to stay on a little longer.
The rector’s fixed-term contract allows for an extension of up to three years. In this instance, the board decided to offer the rector a two-year extension until 31 July 2029. Although the extension of the rector’s term would thus ensure continuity for the next three years, the board is already focusing on the transition to the university’s next rector.
“With this timeframe, a new rector will have a year and a half to get to know the organisation, settle into the role and prepare the new Strategy 2035,” she says.
Is that enough time? To use a sporting metaphor, isn’t it a bit like changing the manager just before the finals?
“No, the timing is perfect. To stick with your metaphor, this timing means that Brian Bech Nielsen gets the final round in the sense that he will have the overall responsibility for implementing most of the strategy he helped shape. At the same time, this will give the new rector time to develop the new 2035 strategy,” says Birgitte Nauntofte.
New pro-rector for research and innovation
Brian Bech Nielsen accepted the board’s offer, and the extension was officially approved at the board’s most recent meeting on 9 April. Here, the board also endorsed the rector’s proposal to expand the senior management team with an additional cross-disciplinary member in the form of a pro-rector for research and education.
Among other things, Birgitte Nauntofte justifies this decision by pointing out that the University Act is expected to be revised in the near future, and that universities will have yet another core task added to their remit alongside research and education, namely innovation.
“Adding another pro-rector to the Rector’s Office will provide greater capacity to tackle interdisciplinary tasks that can strengthen research and research-based innovation,” she says, continuing:
“If we look internally, the new strategy includes many cross-disciplinary research activities that need to be prioritised, including new centres such as AU Cyber and those focusing on sustainability. At the same time, our aim with this strategy is to ensure that research and research-based innovation lead to more genuine entrepreneurship,” she says.
“Society also has higher expectations of universities, with stricter requirements regarding GDPR, data security and research integrity,” she explains.
The new pro-rector position is expected to be advertised around the summer holidays. The hope is that the rector will be able to put forward a candidate to the board during the autumn.
A satisfied chair of the board
Birgitte Nauntofte says that she and the rest of the board are delighted that the rector will remain in post for a further two years.
“Over the past three years, during which I have served as chair of the board, he has continued to develop and has demonstrated a visionary and dynamic approach in engaging with society and current trends.”
Birgitte Nauntofte goes on to say that, over the same period, the university’s total annual income has risen from DKK 7 billion to DKK 9 billion.
“AU has undergone a huge transformation. And one person cannot achieve this alone; it also demonstrates that the rector is supported by a talented university and a capable senior management team, and not least by a capable Rector’s Office, and that, together with the pro-rector and the university director, he forms a highly effective trio, which is now being expanded to include a further member.”
This text is machine translated and post-edited by Lisa Enevoldsen.