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Consultation note on draft strategy for AAU 2016-21 As part of the strategy process, the draft for AAU's new strategy applicable to the period 2016-21 was circulated for general consultation on 26 August 2015; the deadline for submission of comments was 22 September 2015. As part of the consultation process, the members of the Executive Management have held a number of dialogue meetings with staff members at all faculties, the Danish Building Research Institute, Shared Services and students. The following parties received the strategy document for consultation:
The Main Joint Consultation Committee, including: The Equal Rights Committee and the Personnel Policy Committee The Main Working Environment Committee Consultation committees Shared Services units The faculties and the Danish Building Research Institute Academic Councils Departmental Councils Schools and Study Boards Staff Students
62 written responses have been received from councils, committees, faculties, schools, departments, study boards, staff and students (cf. list of respondents at the bottom of this note). The Executive Management is grateful for the large number of consultation responses, which supply comments and suggestions for amendments, and also for the large turnout at dialogue meetings with staff members. The large involvement by staff and students demonstrates great interest in the forthcoming strategy; and that the inclusive process during the strategy formulation phase has been successful in raising awareness and achieving general endorsement of the actions proposed in the strategy. The many good consultation responses constitute a substantial part of the final formulation of the strategy and have contributed to defining the contents of the final strategy document. The Executive Management greatly appreciates all the valuable input contributed by staff and students during the strategy process. At the same time, the Executive Management looks forward to a continuous long-term dialogue and debate concerning our shared future at AAU.
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Processing of consultation responses After the consultation phase ended on 22 September 2015, all received consultation responses were read and considered by Rector, Pro-rector and the strategy secretariat, resulting in the preparation of a new revised strategy document. Following a process by the Executive Management on 5 October 2015 of a draft version of the revised strategy document, final amendments were made, and a consultation note was prepared before the strategy was submitted for the approval by the University Board on 26 October 2015. Any substantial changes and amendments made in the strategy document as a result of the consultation responses received are outlined in the following.
Outline of substantial changes Effect of PBL
The consultation responses express general support of the draft version of AAU’s new strategy 2016-21; in particular, positive response has been expressed to an increase in our focus on the PBL learning model, which is one of AAU’s characteristic features. Several responses welcome the initiative that the results of our problem based learning method should be documented. A strategy aiming at “more of everything”
In several consultation responses and at several staff dialogue meetings concern has been expressed that the new strategy intends to do “more of everything”; this is hardly possible under existing conditions. The Executive Management would like to acknowledge the concern expressed in the organisation as to whether sufficient resources are available, financial as well as in terms of staff numbers, for the visions of the strategy to be fulfilled. An addition has therefore been made to the strategy stating that deselection and prioritisation of other tasks may become necessary in order to implement the selected actions. Moreover, the intention is that in the forthcoming action and implementation plans, the resource impact on the organisation will be taken into account. At the same time, the activities initiated on the basis of the strategy will be planned so as to take into account the day-to-day tasks of the members of staff involved; they will also be timed so as to fit in with ordinary work tasks. Job satisfaction and working environment
Several respondents, particularly trade union representatives and staff members, have called for initiatives relating to job satisfaction and good working conditions in the draft strategy. The final strategy therefore emphasises that members of staff are essential contributors to the success of the AAU strategy; and that AAU as an organisation should be a good and desirable workplace. Solution oriented research
Several respondents from the Humanities and Social Sciences have stated that the draft is biased towards solution-oriented research; they have interpreted this to reflect a special strategic focus on technical and scientific research. The solution oriented approach is considered to be too narrow, not taking into account the extensive critical and problem oriented research being conducted in the areas of the humanities and social sciences. This critique has been acknowledged, resulting in the amended phrasing problem and solution oriented research.
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Examples
The examples given in the draft version of the strategy to underpin and exemplify argumentation in favour of the actions were criticised by the Humanities and Social Sciences; they were said to primarily recognise areas of technology and natural sciences. All examples will be deleted from the final version. Target group
Several of the responses have asked for the target group of the strategy to be identified. The primary target group is our staff and students as well as external business partners; this critique has therefore caused linguistic amendments to be made in the strategy document. At the same time, the volume of the document has been reduced, and its form has been adjusted so as to become more precise. DNA string
Several respondents recognise and vouch for the characteristic features; however, they question what precisely these imply. Moreover, many respondents find it problematic to use the concept DNA about AAU’s characteristic features. This concept has now been deleted, since many have pointed out, and rightly so, that a DNA string sends a signal of a stationary state, excluding the possibility of change. The number of characteristic features has been reduced to four; these reflect better the culture, identity and cohesion of AAU. Knowledge collaboration and small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) Several faculties have expressed concern that the main strategic focus of the knowledge collaboration in the strategy draft was on SMEs. The final strategy still directs a special focus towards SME-collaboration; however, we have added that AAU will continue to cooperate with large knowledge-intensive enterprises and public authorities, recognising the importance of this work. High-impact journals Respondents from Humanities in particular have queried the use of the term “high-impact” journals; this has resulted in rephrasing the action 1.1 into increasing the proportion of contributions to recognised and distinguished publications. Overview of the strategy at the end of the document In the overview presented at the end of the final version of the strategy more precise formulations regarding the action points have been added. This has made clearer what exactly the concrete actions imply. New title
A number of strategy titles were suggested, and the title adopted by the Executive Management is: Knowledge for the world. This title frames the strategy's overall vision for the future of the University. Preparation of action and implementation plans
Several respondents asked for information regarding implementation plans for actions outlined in the strategy. The drawing up of action and implementation plans takes place in six groups appointed by the Executive Management. The groups consist of management representatives from all main areas, and an executive manager chairs each of the groups. The task of the action plan groups is to translate the actions outlined in the strategy into concrete action plans which will 3
support the implementation of the strategy in the organisation. The work must be completed by 10 November to be presented for the approval of the Executive Management on 16 November. Opportunities to learn more about the action and implementation plans will be offered at staff meetings held by the Rectorate during December in Aalborg, Esbjerg and Copenhagen. These meetings will mark the official launching of the strategy will take place. On behalf of the Executive Management, Pro-rector Inger Askehave
Suppliers of written consultation responses: Councils and committees The steering committee of The Danish Building Research Institute, Academic Council and the Cooperation and Safety Committee under The Danish Building Research Institute, The Main Working Environment Committee, the Shared Services Consultation and Working Environment Committee, Academic Council at the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Medicine Consultation Committee, Academic Council at the Faculty of Engineering and Science, the Faculty of Engineering and Science Consultation Committee, the Consultation Committee B-side, the Main Joint Consultation Committee B-side. Shared Services, faculties and Danish Building Research Institute The Danish Building Research Institute staff dialogue meeting, Shared Services staff dialogue meeting, Technical Services staff meeting, Faculty of Medicine staff dialogue meeting, Faculty of Social Sciences dialogue meeting, The Danish Building Research Institute/Faculty of Engineering and Science staff dialogue meeting, Humanities staff dialogue meeting, Aalborg University Library, the Academy for Part-time Master Studies and the Secretariat for Continuing and Further Education, the HR department, International Office, the Faculty Office for the Faculties of Engineering and Science and Medicine, including the Faculty Office Consultation Committee, AAU Innovation and Research Support, the Humanities union representatives (Danish Association of Masters and PhDs and Danish Psychological Association), Humanities Faculty Office Schools and study boards Department of Sociology and Social Work, Department of Business and Management, Department of Law, Study Board of History, Study Board of Economics, Study Board of the Master’s Programme in Social Work, Department of Computer Science, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Study Board of Architecture and Design, School of Information and Communication Technology, Study Board of English, German and Cultural Understanding, Department of Communication and Psychology, Study Board of International Business Communication, Study Board of Danish, Study Board of Music Therapy, Study Board of Communication and Digital Media, Department Council (Humanities), Department of Political Science, LangLing research group, AAU Language and Communication Services (LACS)
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Individual members of staff Birgitta Schiørring Madsen, Birte C. Hornemann, Pernille Lykkegaard Jensen, Mogens Juul Møller, Pascal Madeleine, Karen Gjesing Welinder, Jesper Møller, Rasmus Waage Petersen, Nina Schjoldager, Marianne Rostgaard, Hanne Tange, Margrethe Holm Andersen, Ernst Jan de Place Hansen Students Cecilie Majgaard Olesen Dialogue meetings with students (Aalborg, Esbjerg and Copenhagen) Staff groups Lea Louise Holst Laursen (on behalf of Urban Design) Christian Nielsen, Morten Dahlgaard, Søren Hougaard, Niels Maarbjerg Olesen, Birgitte Gregersen, Jesper Lindgaard Christensen, Kristian Brøndum, Ann Charlotte Thorsted, Claus Andreas Foss Rosenstand, Søren Bolvig Poulsen, Søren Hansen, Frank Gertsen, Christian Tollestrup, Christian Ravn Haslam, Morten Lund, Ivan Aaen, Jens Myrup Pedersen, Lars Krull, Johannes Jan Struijk, Margit Saltofte Nielsen, Thomas Vibjerg Hansen, Marie Fallgaard, Christoffer Baadsgaard, Mikael Vetner, Anete Mikkala Camille Strand, Berit Møller, Lone Dirckinck-Holmfeld, Lone Krogh, Anette Kolmos, Finn Thorbjørn Hansen, Romeo V. Turcan Johannes Andersen, Michael Skipper Andersen, Jens H. Andreasen, Finn Arler, Christian Aunsborg, Janne Bang, Henrike Engele Elisabeth Boer, Thomas Ditlev Brunø, Esben Toke Christensen, Ellen Christiansen, Christian Clausen, Thomas Condra, Joachim Danckert, Mark de Zee, Iskra DukovskaPopovska, Benny Endelt, Kaare Eriksen, Jesper Franch, Frank Gertsen, Jens Ammitzbøll Glud, Rasmus Grøn, Carsten Jahn Hansen, Mette Weinreich Hansen, Poul Henrik Kyvsgaard Hansen, Stine Rosenlund Hansen, Peter Hasle, Per Kvols Heiselberg, Anders Horsbøl, Frede Hvelplund, Hans Henrik Hvolby, Hans Hüttel, Thomas Arvid Jaeger, Erik Appel Jensen, Finn Verner Jensen, Jørgen Elsøe Jensen, Lars Rosgaard Jensen, Ole B. Jensen, Ulrik Jørgensen, Jørgen Asbøll Kepler, Uwe G. Kersting, Hans Kiib, Jesper Kjeldskov, Niels Heine Kristensen, Pernille Kræmmergaard, Raino Mikael Larsen, Astrid Heidemann Lassen, Inger Lassen, Martin Lehmann, Esben Lindgaard, Erik Lund, Henrik Lund, Mette Lübeck, Peter Stephensen Lübeck, Ole Madsen, Brian Vad Mathiesen, Rikke Vestergaard Matthiesen, Thomas B. Moeslund, Mette Mosgaard, Henrik Møller, Jesper Møller, Jørgen Møller, Jeppe Lund Nielsen, Jimmy Jessen Nielsen, Karl Brian Nielsen, Louise Møller Nielsen, Christian Nøhr, Christian Gammelgaard Olesen, Niels Olhoff, Jens Myrup Pedersen, Daniel Pihl, Petar Popovski, Maj-Britt Quitzau, John Rasmussen, Arne Remmen, Lasse Aistrup Rosendahl, Jesper Raakjær, Jan Schjødt-Thomsen, Finn Schou, Carla Smink, Karl Sperling, Kenn Steger-Jensen, Jeanne Strunck, Peder Søberg, Esben Munk Sørensen, Stig B. Taps, Paola Valero, Anders Vestergaard, Michael Voigt, Karen Gjesing Welinder, Peter Westermann, Lars Domino Østergaard.
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