Short news
Read more about a former staff member charged with fraud, this year's distinguished alumnus, Master's Degree Day, how to get an easier life as a student and much more.
Former staff member charged with fraud
Aarhus University has reported a 47-year-old former member of staff to the police for fraud. The employee concerned was in a position of some financial responsibility. In January, just over one year after being appointed, the woman in question started committing the fraud by changing the account numbers on certain invoices in INDFAK, which is the university’s electronic invoice-processing system.
The CPS believe they can prove that the woman transferred money to her daughter’s account on six occasions using this method. The woman has admitted fraud in four of the six incidents. AU has claimed compensation. The case is likely to come before the court in Aarhus some time during the autumn.
A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!
There was a feeding frenzy in the media this spring when it emerged that a number of food manufacturers had put horse meat into ready meals that were supposed to contain beef. And there was a huge debate about whether it’s actually OK to eat horse meat. At this year’s Food Festival, the Department of Food Science at Aarhus University invited people to let their taste buds settle the matter. The researchers asked people to taste two succulent steaks: one containing beef, and the other containing horse meat. Then they were asked to say which steak tasted best. The audience didn’t mind eating horse meat, but the steak containing beef was the winner – although only by a whisker.
“In general people were surprised at how similar the two steaks were,” explains administrative officer Lisbet A. Rauff, who was responsible for coordinating the stand at the Food Festival. But she underlines that in terms of research methodology the ballot was not conducted in strictly scientific fashion. For instance, people may have been influenced by other visitors to the stand when they cast their votes.
“But at least we gave the audience an eye-opener and showed them that our research also focuses on meat quality and the content of meat,” says Rauff. (mga)
ARoS director made this year’s distinguished alumnus
The traditional award of distinguished alumnus was presented at this year’s annual celebration to mark the foundation of Aarhus University. This year the winner was Jens Erik Sørensen, the director of the ARoS art museum, who studied art history at AU in the 1970s. Queen Margrethe presented travel grants to four students: Stine Grove Saxkjær, Rasmus Pihl, Anna Karen Kronsted Lund and Asger Narud. And the Aarhus University Anniversary Foundation Research Communication Award and Educational Award of Merit were presented to Philip Schröder (a professor of economics) and Lisanne Wilken (an associate professor of European studies) respectively. Finally, each main academic area appointed an honorary doctor: Professor David F. Hendry (BSS), Professor Sander Greenland (HE), Professor Pankaj K. Agarwal (ST) and Professor James Phelan (AR). (mga)
Are you in doubt about your Master’s degree?
Thursday 21 November is Master’s degree day at Aarhus University. This is your chance to learn more about AU’s Master’s degree programmes, how to study abroad during your Master’s degree, and how to get extra ECTS credits at the Summer University. You can also find out about how to start getting your career on track while you’re still a student, and how to join AU’s alumnus network. The event includes academic presentations and a trade fair, and will be held in the Lakeside Lecture Theatres in Aarhus. Read more at kandidat.au.dk (mga)
What goes on at the AIAS?
In June AU opened the AIAS – the Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, which brings together researchers from all the university’s main academic areas. Inquisitive souls now have the chance to find out what goes on there, because this autumn the AIAS is holding a series of seminars at which seven AIAS fellows will be presenting their research. The first seminars were held in September; but you still have time to meet microbiologist Niels Peter Revsbech, psychologist Annette Bohn, physicist Jesper Fredenslund Levinsen and art historian Lotte Phillipsen in October and November. Entrance is free of charge, and you don’t have to register in advance. Read more at aias.au.dk (mga)
Calling all teachers
- do you want your own screencasts on YouTube?
Are you interested in producing screencasts and showing them on YouTube or elsewhere? This is your chance to learn how to do this, at a one-day workshop in Aarhus or Emdrup arranged by the Centre for Teaching Development and Digital Media.
Screencasts (recordings using a computer webcam) are a good way of adding visual impact to the points, concepts, models and tables you are trying to communicate to your students. The students can watch your recordings whenever it suits them – on YouTube, for instance.
You can produce screencasts that can be used time and time again – or screencasts in which you pose questions of current interest about a particular text or theme, for instance.
For more information – including registration, time and place, click here
Free Christmas spirit in the Old Town
Students are offered free entrance to the cosy and nostalgic spirit of Christmas in the Old Town from 4 pm during the period Monday 18 November-Monday 23 December inclusive.
But remember to take your student card with you!
What is responsible research practice at AU?
At the beginning of September the senior management team initiated a debate which is intended to inspire discussions of common guidelines for responsible research practice at Aarhus University.
The aim of the discussions in the main academic areas and elsewhere is to form the basis for continued work on these guidelines in the spring.
Join in the debate at: www.au.dk./forskning/ansvarligforskningspraksis/
A shortcut to an easier life for students
Studiz is a website that provides a clear overview of all student discounts. This is where students can also set up their own digital student IDs – so they no longer have to carry confirmation that they are registered students when they visit the cafés, restaurants, shops and other venues offering student discounts on the site. The greater the number of students using the site, the bigger the discounts.
NOVA – a new cross-disciplinary student association at ST
The aim of NOVA, the new student association at ST, is to create the foundations for science-based innovation in the science subjects by bringing together students and PhD students from all the departments of science at AU.
The initiative is the brainchild of a student on a Bachelor’s degree programme, a student writing their thesis, and two PhD students from iNANO.
Are you interested? Nova-aarhus.dk
Research applications?
- Get some good advice from the experts
This autumn, staff at the Research Support Unit are conducting a number of workshops about how to write successful applications.
Researchers with limited experience of writing applications can learn about the basic principles behind writing a successful application during a workshop lasting just half a day and including presentations, exercises and discussions.
Click here for more information about registration, time and place
New website for students suffering from wanderlust
Do you want to work or study? What are the criteria on which your choices are based? What about your grant? And how do you find accommodation outside Denmark?
You will find the answers to these questions and much more on a new site for students suffering from wanderlust. The Danish Agency for Universities and Internationalisation is responsible for the site.
Did you know that…
- Students are always welcome to contact the university chaplains if they are experiencing problems such as loneliness, difficult relationships, or grief following bereavement. Read more
- The Student Council’s legal aid service is run by an independent association and students of law offering free and anonymous legal advice to students. The legal aid service has an office in Aarhus, but is available to AU students wherever they are based. Read more
- Aarhus University Sport (AUS) is the university’s official sports club. It is an umbrella organisation for a total of 18 independent sports clubs: angling, badminton, basketball, bridge, chess, fencing, floorball, football, gymnastics, handball, hunting, kenikan, rowing, shooting, swimming, ultimate, volleyball and water polo. Read more
PhD study gets off to a good start
73.4 per cent of over 2,200 PhD students have now responded to an electronic questionnaire about the quality of the PhD programme at AU.
“We hope to achieve a 75 per cent response rate before the end of the study, which is a really good result,” says Torben K. Jensen with satisfaction in his voice.
He is the Director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning, and is responsible for the study alongside the rest of the analysis group at the centre. Among other things, the study focuses on supervision and on whether the PhD students feel integrated into their academic environments. It also covers their general sense of well-being, including stress and loneliness. The result of the study is expected to be presented in December. The AU Talent Development Committee is financing the study, for which it also took the initiative. (mga)
Exchange your knowledge
This is your chance to learn from the experiences of your AU colleagues with regard to knowledge exchange, as well as gaining insight into how Stanford University and the University of Leeds tackle this field. AU is hosting a conference called “Exchange Your Knowledge” on 14 November in Aarhus. For more information, click here (mga)
Empower your talent
Assistant professors, researchers and postdocs are being offered the opportunity to find a mentor in the form of an experienced colleague under a new mentor scheme at AU.
The “Empower Talent” mentor scheme makes it possible for young assistant professors, researchers and postdocs to find an experienced associate professor to be their mentor with a view to supporting – and not least developing – their career potential.
Any interested parties can join the scheme as a mentor or mentee at www.au.dk/styrktalentet.
AU HR will match the mentors and mentees who sign up for the scheme – but mentors and mentees are also welcome to sign up as a team.
Future mentors and mentees can also find out what they are each expected to contribute to the scheme at au.dk/styrktalentet. (lobi)
Translated by Nicholas Wrigley