I’m sure that we’ll still be one of the best universities in the world a hundred years from now
Same procedure as last year...? No, because unlike Miss Sophie in Dinner for One, AU doesn’t turn 90 every year. Omnibus is celebrating the university’s 90th with a series of short interviews with employees about their relationship to the university.
AU’s 90th
- “In the hope that that the scientific and scholarly research which shall take place here may take place in spirit and truth, I hereby inaugurate Aarhus University.”
- King Christian X inaugurated the first university in Jutland with these words, on 11 September 1933. The very university where you work – or study: Aarhus University.
- Omnibus is celebrating AU’s 90th birthday with a series of short interviews: we asked AU employees to answer three questions about their relationship to the university. And about their birthday wishes for the guest of honor.
- Together with university historian Palle Lykke, we’ve also delved into the archives to find photos from the first nine decades at AU. They’re accompanied by a short text by Palle that illuminates the high points (and low points) documented by the photographer’s lens over the years.
- And we’ve asked the photographers from AU Photo to revisit the same spots to show you what they look like today. The anniversary series ‘AU’s 90th’ will run throughout the autumn.
Susie Petersson, employed at DPU (the Danish School of Education) since 2002, formerly as IT operations manager, currently buildings inspector at Emdrup Campus.
Why are you still here?
“Because it’s an exciting place to work where there’s still development and new challenges. What I’m passionate about is things not getting routine. The merger between AU and DPU (in 2007, ed.) contributed to that, and I’m really happy that I’ve gotten colleagues on the other side of the Great Belt that I can bounce ideas off. Even though geographically speaking I’m far away from Aarhus, I feel that I have an influence on my work in relation to the development of Emdrup Campus. The cooperation between academic staff, technical/administrative staff and students is also really important.”
What’s your favorite spot at AU?
“Actually, I have two. One of them is the top of our tower on campus where you have a view of the entire campus and the outskirts of Copenhagen. The other one is down in the campus garden where we have a big amphitheater with terraced steps. All the new students sit there during introduction week. There’s life, they’re studying – I feel like it’s the beating heart of Emdrup Campus, even though it’s outside, and it’s fantastic to watch.”
What is your birthday wish for AU?
“It’s for the university to continue to be able to attract and retain the most qualified employees. There has to be space for the employees’ professional development, and for them to put their competencies to good use, and there also needs to be tolerance of differences. The employees are the best resource AU has at its disposal – both in relation to research and the support functions the technical/administrative staff has. If we can’t get the best, most creative employees, we don’t have a university. It’s the key to everything. It takes involving employees and trust, regardless of whether you’re academic or technical/administrative staff, to attract and retain the best, and if we keep on doing that, I’m sure we’ll still have one of the best universities in the world a hundred years from now.”
Susie Petersson in front of the amphitheater steps in the Emdrup Campus garden, which she describes as the beating heart of the campus. Photo: Sisse Stroyer.
AU’s 90th
- “In the hope that that the scientific and scholarly research which shall take place here may take place in spirit and truth, I hereby inaugurate Aarhus University.”
- King Christian X inaugurated the first university in Jutland with these words, on 11 September 1933. The very university where you work – or study: Aarhus University.
- Omnibus is celebrating AU’s 90th birthday with a series of short interviews: we asked AU employees to answer three questions about their relationship to the university. And about their birthday wishes for the guest of honor.
- Together with university historian Palle Lykke, we’ve also delved into the archives to find photos from the first nine decades at AU. They’re accompanied by a short text by Palle that illuminates the high points (and low points) documented by the photographer’s lens over the years.
- And we’ve asked the photographers from AU Photo to revisit the same spots to show you what they look like today. The anniversary series ‘AU’s 90th’ will run throughout the autumn.