Mergers – a response to global challenges

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen  Facing global challenges  Denmark’s response  Aarhus University’s strategy

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen Looking ahead Distance has disappeared and now the challenge is for universities to stay competitive in a developping global market for higher education

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen Global challenges for universities  Increased mobility and competing to attract the best and the brightest  Increased convergence of national higher education systems (Bologna, ECTS, EULAC etc.)  Increased liberalization and trading in educational programmes (GATS)

Foreign students in tertiary education % of international students enrolled 2005 source: OECD Education at a Glance

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen How is the market for talent working?  The concept of brain circulation  Attracting talent and return rates are not only correlated with income differentials  Individual incentives may or may not work  Attractiveness (ranking?) and visibility of opportunities Source: Thorn & Holm-Nielsen, 2008 in:

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen How do the Nordic universities rank? THES (71) Uppsala 2.(93) KU 3.(100) Helsinki 4.(106) Lund 5.(114) AU 6.(130) DTU 7.(188) Oslo 8.(192) KTH/RIT 9.(197) Chalmers 10. (225) Bergen 11. (243) Stockholm 12. (273) School of Economics (Stockholm) 13. (276) Gothenburg 14. (292) Tromsø 15. (299) Umeå 16. (301) NTNU 17. (317) SDU 18. (371) Linköbing

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen  Facing global challenges  Denmark’s response  Aarhus University’s strategy

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen The Primeminister’s Globalisation Council  Engaging the globalisation  50% of the population in higher education  Fewer and stronger internationally competitive research universities (8)  Fewer and stronger regional university colleges (8)  New education programs combining theory and practice  Support for elite study programs  Concentration of the elite science  Better use of infrastructure, laboratories, equipment etc.  Closer cooperation between science and industri (techtrans)

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen New framework for Higher Education  Reform of HE governance system  Restructuring of the HE and research sector (Mergers)  A new funding compact for universities

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen The research Universities in Denmark  Are self-governing institutions with external Boards  Argue for further increases in autonomy and accountability  Has development contracts with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation  Has new management structure with a Rector being CEO-like  Merged with national institutions and laboratories as of January 1, 2007  New University Act (2003, revised 07, ”midterm” evaluation 09)  New Accreditation Act (2007)  New funding compact (reaching the Barcelona Target in 2010) New Governance and legal framework

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen Why reorganize the research sector 1.Engage more of the researchers in education and enable innovative lines of study 2.Increase international visibility and research impact 3.Consolidate the national innovation system 4.Improve international competitiveness 5.Strengthen applied (government) research

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen  Long-cycle Higher Education (Research Universities) Long-cycle Higher Education (Research Universities) Characteristics: a full bachelor degree programme takes 3 years to complete and a masters degree takes 2 years. A common feature is that they are theory-oriented and students work scientifically and analytical. All teachers have research capacity and a large majority conduct research Danish Higher Education - a three tier system Mergers effective on January 1, 2007: 13 Government Research Institutions (GRI) + 12 Universities = 8 Universities + 3 GRI’s

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen  Medium-cycle Higher Education (University Colleges) Medium-cycle Higher Education (University Colleges) Characteristics: the study programmes take 3 - 4½ years to complete and are often aimed at specific professions or job functions. Most include an internship programme of ½ - 1 year in order to ensure responsiveness to labour market demands. Teachers do not conduct research, but some have research linkages to universities Danish Higher Education - a three tier system Mergers effective on January 1, 2008: 22 Centres for Further Education → 8 Regional University Colleges

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen Danish Higher Education - a three tier system  Short-cycle Higher Education (Colleges & Academies) Short-cycle Higher Education (Colleges & Academies) Characteristics: A study programme takes, as a general rule, 2 years to complete, though it can take longer. Students must have an upper secondary school or vocational diploma to be admitted. Teachers are not researchers Several hundred institutions across the country

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen  Public funding for education follows productivity (quality and quantity). New resources for increased enrollment.  Public funding for research: 60% direct, 40% in competition  Funding of demand and supply in knowledge transfer system: - private: proof of concept, innovation, joint ventures - public: monitoring, analysing, strategic research, governmental support Each funding element will aim at full cost financing with overhead, and at larger, multi-year grants or contracts A new funding compact for Danish Universities

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen Investments in research

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen  Facing global challenges  Denmark’s response  Aarhus University’s strategy

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen Strategy for Aarhus University  Aarhus University, quality and diversity  New strategy approved by the board in November 2007  Conceptual framework rooted in its tradition and including its new obligations  Individual faculty strategies within the framework of AU strategy

Core activities, internal support and priorities

The strategy

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen Internationalisation at AU

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen Examples of internationalisation at AU  A new China-strategy – and the strategy in Chinese  Leadership and participation in international fora  A focus on climate change  A developing country strategy

Does size matter?

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen Results – yes size matters * Placement among European universities. Results from the Leiden lists (van Raan et al.) Blue list Simple Citation rate Yellow list Number of publications Orange list citations times # of public Green Citations relative to field&size Average Aarhus University University of Copenhagen

A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T AARHUS UNIVERSITY IMHE-NUS conference Reykjavik Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen The real challenge -- is not funding but competing for the most advanced human capital…. and size matters

Thanks for the attention