Department Head: Seminars strengthen cohesion at the department
Department Head at the Department of Biomedicine Thomas G. Jensen did not hesitate to back up on the idea of a monthly department seminar when it came up at a meeting last year.
After almost a year of monthly seminars, he does not doubt the importance of the seminars for the department.
"They’re important for the cohesion of the department, because they help to spread awareness of each other and give inspiration for research activities and new ways of cooperation. There’s also a really good atmosphere at the seminars."
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He views the hour that employees take out of their calendars each month to attend the seminars as a really good investment for the department.
"It’s clearly well worth it. It costs the department a sandwich per employee, and that’s cheap compared to what we get out of it."
Not the only initiative
He emphasises that the department seminars are not the only initiatives being taken in an effort to bring people at the big department together.
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"This is one of several initiatives. But this form has turned out to be very well suited for us. So it’s a form we will continue to work with in other constellations. We have positive experiences with networks for the newly appointed tenured academic staff, associate professors and non-tenured academic staff, which also helps to strengthen the coherence of the department," he says.
Translated by Peter Lambourne