Open letter: No real opportunity for staff to object to management's decision to phase out iNANO
Opinion
The decision to phase-out iNANO as an independent administrative unit – without involving staff or students in the process – gives rise to serious concern, confusion, and uncertainty, write nine professors affiliated with iNANO in an open letter to the Faculty Management at Natural Sciences. They call for an overall plan and, not least, a professional assessment of the value created by iNANO and encourage further development rather than phasing it out.
Reply: Nanoscience is ready to continue at departmental level
Opinion
Nine professors affiliated with iNANO criticise the Faculty Management of Natural Sciences in an open letter in Omnibus for deciding to close iNANO as a department-like centre. The Dean's Office responds to the criticism in this reply.
COLUMN: Peter hasn’t prepped. Have you? And how about AU?
Opinion
Imagine that the power stops flowing from the sockets. As was the case recently with the major power outage in Spain. Associate Professor Peter Bakker has dwelt a little on that scenario – he is not ready. Is AU?
OPINION: Bachelor's projects written using AI should have an oral defence
Opinion
When the university allows the use of AI for exams, it should also ensure that assessors have a real opportunity to assess the extent to which the answer is based on the student's independent work. Therefore, it is unfortunate that oral defence is being abolished, writes associate professor of dentistry Henrik Løvschall and dentist (Dr.odont.) Bjarne Klausen, supervisor and co-examiner in the dental education.
COLUMN: From salsa to silence
Opinion
The Danish preference for silence felt like a cold rejection at first, even anxiety-provoking, coming from a culture where salsa, laughter and vivid conversations make the soundtrack of your everyday life. Now, Sofía Pereira, an exchange student from Costa Rica, has learned to tame the urge to interrupt silence, and even to embrace it.
OPINION: AU's new exam hall is a concrete box that only accommodates the strongest students
Opinion
With the new exam hall, AU is disregarding fundamental rights and prioritising logistics and finances over the students' legal security, writes Daniel Hjort, chair of the Student Council.
REPLY: We are building on the experiences with the Exam Hall
Opinion
Of course, it's a huge shame that the exam hall hasn’t lived up to everyone's expectations, but it’s important that we get feedback from the students, as this is the only way we can improve the exam experience. This is what Anna Bak Maigaard, deputy director of AU Student Administration and Services, and Nikolaj Høncke Keldorff, team leader of the Educational Administrative Systems Management, write in their response to the criticism of the exam house from the Student Council's chair Daniel Hjort.
OPINION: Board member of Aarhus Pride: Surprised and hurt by AU’s decision to stay out of Pride
Opinion
It would have been nice if Aarhus University had used Aarhus Pride as its primary source, instead of basing its decision on something 'supposed', Sara Arvidsson Corneliussen writes. She is a member of Aarhus Pride's board and an anthropology student at AU.
OPINION: Should ideals be hidden when things get political?
Opinion
It’s disappointing and a cause for concern that Aarhus University has chosen not to support Aarhus Pride this year, citing what they describe as the event’s politicisation. It makes one wonder whether the university is actually living up to its ideals of inclusion and diversity, or simply talking the talk without walking the walk, PhD student Dina Winther writes.
OPINION: The erotic Fordism of the university
Opinion
Too many people experience unwanted sexual attention at university. Although the legal framework is clear, there is a need for better communication to staff on how to respect others’ boundaries – and for support in saying “fuck off” if those boundaries are crossed, writes Olav W. Bertelsen, associate professor at the Department of Computer Science and joint union representative for Natural Sciences.
