The last Rector elected by staff has died
As Rector, Niels Christian Sidenius planted many of the seeds that have since grown into key strategic priorities for Aarhus University, according to a memorial tribute.
Niels Christian Sidenius crowned a long academic career with three years as Rector of Aarhus University from 2002 to 2005. He was thus the last Rector elected by staff, after the 2003 University Act transferred the appointment to the university’s board.
Despite only three years at the helm, many of the initiatives he set in motion have had a lasting impact on the shape of the university today, the tribute (in Danish) notes. It was written by Christoffer Green-Pedersen, a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; } Head of the Department of Political Science; Thomas Pallesen, a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; } Dean of Aarhus BSS; and Brian Bech Nielsen, Rector at Aarhus University.
a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; }
They highlight initiatives such as the establishment of the Centre for Entrepreneurship; the so-called U-days (when the university, together with other educational institutions in the city, seeks to attract prospective students to Aarhus each year); a wide-ranging set of international partnership agreements with universities around the world benefiting both researchers and students; and collaboration with the then Engineering College on new MSc in Engineering programmes.
”Niels Christian Sidenius a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; } thus helped to sow many of the seeds that have since become key strategic focus areas for AU, and which have only grown in importance over time,” write Christoffer Green-Pedersen, Thomas Pallesen and Brian Bech Nielsen.
Niels Christian Sidenius a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; } spent almost his entire working life on campus. He earned a master’s degree in social science and history from Aarhus University in 1977. He went on to conduct research in industrial and business policy at the Department of Political Science before becoming Dean of what was then the Faculty of Social Sciences in 1990. Twelve years later, he took the rector’s office for three years, before concluding his career as director of Research Park Aarhus, later INCUBA A/S. He retired in 2015.
Niels Christian Sidenius a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; } died on 30 April, aged 77.
This text was machine translated and post-edited by Marie Groth Andersen