“Look, that’s the king over there!”
On Thursday, King Frederik took a stroll from the University Park and through the University City, much to the surprise of several passers-by. Before presiding over the official opening of Aarhus University’s new campus, the king commented on whether he might imagine his own children studying here one day.
“That is quite the welcoming committee!”
Not words uttered by King Frederik, but rather by a student who happened to emerge from the central passageway between the University Park and the University City at the same moment as the king came walking past, flanked by the Chair of the Board, the Rector and the University Director of Aarhus University, as well as the chief executive of the Aarhus University Research Foundation and the director of the Research Foundation’s Property Company (FEAS).
“Look, that’s the king over there!” exclaimed another, more mature passer-by, who was equally surprised to bump into the monarch himself right in the middle of campus.
Although the king’s attendance at the official opening of the University City, Aarhus University’s new campus, had not been kept secret, it was clear that many people hadn’t quite caught wind of the news. As a result, the king wasn’t greeted by crowds of people, cheering and waving flags around, but rather by everyday student life. Almost, at least. After all, it’s not every day that the red carpet is rolled out in front of the City Auditorium, and the University City had also been given a thorough clean in the days leading up to the visit.
“On Monday, I was woken up in the middle of the night by the biggest street sweeper I’ve ever seen,” said Pauline Corfitzmose, who lives in the student accommodations in the University City and who didn’t want to miss seeing the king stroll right past her balcony:
“It’s funny to watch how everyone instantly forgets whatever they’re doing for 30 seconds when they realise it’s the king,” she said.
Rumours of the king’s presence soon began to spread as he made his way through the University City. Nynne Pedersen, a fourth-semester Economics and Business Administration student, was actually revising for her exams with her fellow students at the Department of Management when her phone suddenly vibrated.
“It was from my friend who’s studying economics in the building next door.” They’d just had a visit from the king, and she’d sent a video. “So, of course, we took a break, we had to go and have a look,” said Nynne Pedersen, who managed to catch a glimpse of the king before he disappeared in the direction of the City Auditorium.
More royal students at AU?
On his way into the City Auditorium, King Frederik briefly paused to answer a single question from the press about whether he could imagine his own children studying at Aarhus University one day.
I would definitely recommend Aarhus University. As you know, I have roots here, which I look back on very fondly.
“I hope that my children will come to appreciate the joy of studying and student life. And I would definitely recommend Aarhus University. As you know, I have roots here, which I look back on very fondly – even to this day. I would wholeheartedly recommend a visit to Aarhus; there’s plenty to enjoy here, both academically and socially,” King Frederik said.
The king holds a Master of Science in Political Science from Aarhus University, graduating in 1995, whilst Queen Margrethe studied political science and archaeology at Aarhus University between 1961 and 1962, during which time she lived at Parkkollegierne (the student halls of residence in the University Park, ed.).
The echo of King Christian X
Inside the City Auditorium, Birgitte Nauntofte, chair of the board of Aarhus University, emphasised in her welcome speech that this is one of those days when you can feel the breath of history in your bones. A day when the past, present, and future come together.
“If you listen very carefully, you can hear the echo of King Christian X from 1933. He inaugurated the university’s first yellow building, just a stone’s throw from here, with these words: In the hope that the scientific and scholarly research which shall take place here may take place in spirit and truth,” said Nauntofte.
”When His Majesty the King follows in his great-grandfather’s footsteps and cuts the ribbon to mark a new era for Aarhus University, it is not merely an inauguration; to me, it is just as much a promise that Denmark will continue to be a country that builds its progress on knowledge, curiosity, drive and creativity and, in the words of King Christian X, spirit and truth,” said Nauntofte.
Rector: “Something truly unique has been created”
In his speech, Rector Brian Bech Nielsen described how, ten years ago, the University City went from being a dream to becoming a project.
“Today, it moves from being a project to becoming a reality. Now, I know full well that people from Jutland may tend to downplay things, but every now and then we need to allow ourselves to make a big fuss and speak with great enthusiasm – and this doesn’t just apply when AGF (football club from Aarhus, ed.) wins the championship. It also applies today, as Aarhus University opens a great, new chapter in its history.”
And so, the rector put all his Jutlandic modesty aside:
“Make no mistake, something truly unique has been created. A beautiful, cohesive campus of the highest standard, where striking architecture and an exceptional proximity to the city will provide the setting for international top-class research, excellent degree programmes and groundbreaking innovation.”
At the same time, the rector emphasised that everyone is welcome in this open, international environment, where people can come to seek knowledge, inspiration, or to enjoy the beauty of the place.
The largest investment in the history of the fund
Jørgen Lang, chief executive of the Aarhus University Research Foundation, took the audience back to when the decision was made for the foundation to acquire the former municipal hospital. It was FEAS, a subsidiary of Aarhus University Research Foundation, which purchased the former municipal hospital from the Central Denmark Region back in 2016 for DKK 807.5 million:
“It didn’t take long to agree that this was an opportunity we simply had to pursue. Regardless of the fact that this would require the largest investment in the research fund’s history. That, to FEAS, this would mean a doubling of a property portfolio that is already by no means insignificant. That it posed a significant risk to the fund that, at the time, the university only had immediate plans for a third of the site – what were we supposed to do with the rest?”
But as Jørgen Lang pointed out, the foundation thinks long-term,
“So we went for it.”
A new way to be a city
Aarhus’s mayor, Anders Winnerskjold, also gave a speech at the opening and suggested that the inauguration of the University City marks the beginning of a new way to be a city, because the new campus blurs the boundaries between the university and the city:
“It is now becoming harder to pinpoint where the university ends, and the city begins. That's exactly the point. This commits the university to being even more open towards the city, and it commits the city to making even wiser use of the university’s knowledge, research, and talent in its development,” said the mayor.
Proud alumnus
And so the time had come for the official opening of the University City, presided over by King Frederik, who cut the ribbon with the words:
“Congratulations to everybody. We have every reason to be proud. As an alumnus, I'm proud."
A dandelion 5 metres tall
Whilst speeches were being made and the official opening ceremony was taking place inside the auditorium, a well-organised event was in full swing outside. Here, a huge wooden crate, which had been concealing the new artwork intended to adorn the square in front of the auditorium, had to be removed. No sooner had the king disappeared into the building than Peter Rosenbäck, a project manager at Johannesen Kran & Maskintransport ApS, reversed a crane truck into the site. With impeccable timing, he and his partner, Michael, removed the wooden crate in just a few minutes.
“Fortunately, I was personally involved in fixing the sculpture to the ground, and I also built the wooden crate around it. So, I was pretty confident it would all work out, even though it’s a bit windy today,” said Peter Rosenbäck, as he looked back on a job well done, happy that everything had gone to plan.
The box contained the artwork A Dandelion’s Odyssey - a five-metre-tall dandelion cast in bronze, created by the artist Maria Rubinke. It pushes its way up through the red paving and releases its light, airy seeds into the world; a few seeds have lodged themselves on the nearby buildings. The bronze flower has also attracted a ladybird, which has landed on a nearby lamppost.
Inside the auditorium, Maria Rubinke spoke in a video about the ideas behind the artwork. About the misunderstood dandelion, which some people just want to remove. Yet, it stubbornly forces its way through even the tiniest crack in the asphalt.
From architecture to musical score
The artwork is not the only thing created for the University City. Marie Koldkjær Højlund, an associate professor in musicology, musician, and composer, has created a musical piece for the opening.
“The starting point is quite simply the buildings as they appear from the air,” she said, standing in front of a map of the University City.
“What you see here is not just architecture; it is also a potential musical score. I've translated the buildings into musical notes; each building has its own note, and together they form a melody," she said, humming the tune.
“As you may have sensed, there was a fanfare hidden within the melody of the buildings; I discovered it by listening to the place,” she said before performing the piece.
The opening celebrations continue on Friday 22 May, when the whole town is invited to a street party featuring concerts, guided tours, and speed lectures in the University City.
This text is machine translated and post-edited by Mie Skov Jeppesen.