The general objective is for Health to make the results and findings that it has achieved available to the world around it, contributing to economic growth and health, and to be receptive to the issues that affect the society around it.
Health is working in three areas to achieve this objective:
Consolidating and developing the faculty’s collaboration with the healthcare sector, including business and industry, the Central Denmark Region, municipalities etc., as well as a continued focus on general and public sector consultancy.
Improving its range of further and continuing education programmes.
Increasing visibility in the public debate through agenda-setting initiatives.
Since last time, an organisational change at Aarhus University at the end of 2014 has resulted in activities within the field of knowledge exchange becoming part of research and external relations, while further and continuing education continues under the educational area. The core activity of knowledge exchange previously had its own interdisciplinary committee, and Health had a vice-dean who worked exclusively with this area.
Simultaneously with the reorganisation of the area, the position of vice-dean for knowledge exchange was abolished with effect from 1 October 2014. The tasks have subsequently been divided between the vice-deans for research and talent as of 1 March 2016. During the last two years we have had particular focus on:
Centre for Collaborative Health
To promote and facilitate collaboration between the university and external parties in the area of health and welfare, in 2015 Health opened a cross-faculty platform: Centre for Collaborative Health. The centre carries out consultancy, analysis and research-based projects in collaboration with the research environments at Aarhus University's four faculties, leading researchers from Denmark and abroad, and external partners. Among the examples of this collaboration are a project with the Nordea Foundation for the promotion of health in new families and a collaboration with Aarhus Municipality to increase the happiness and quality of life of elderly people in nursing homes.
Collaboration with small and medium-sized enterprises
We support the development of stable networks with small and medium-sized enterprises with a view to the exchange of strong partnerships in connection with the exchange of knowledge and the establishment of research partnerships. Efforts are being made to ensure that the agreements do not remain individual, but are to a greater degree at faculty level.
With managerial focus, we have started to ensure there is an overview of ongoing
collaboration and partnerships, that these are sustainable and that they incorporate more
40
secretariat. Another achievement is that through collaboration with small and medium-sized enterprises, including being visible at courses and other events aimed at students, the
students are exposed to career opportunities outside the university. To further focus on the importance of this work and to support activities locally, each department has appointed industrial ambassadors. In 2014, Health appointed six industrial ambassadors, who were charged with strengthening the relationship between business and industry and the municipalities on the one hand, and the individual departments on the other, and with helping researchers who wish to commercialise their research or start their own business. As the industrial ambassadors are today the central link between companies and the
departments, they play a significant role in the faculty's targeted efforts to create increased activity in the area of business collaboration.
Further and continuing education and income-generating activities
The Department of Dentistry has an internationally recognised three-year profit-making continuing education course in orthodontics (long term Postgraduate Courses in
Orthodontics). The first steps have been taken to expand the activity with a PhD degree programme for the most talented course participants.
In addition, there are very diverse activities in the form of individual courses offered to different types of employers, but there is no clear common platform for the activities, which also have variable pricing.
To encourage the development of new activities in the areas of further and continuing education and income-generating activities, each department was asked to present proposals for three new initiatives that would be systematically supported over a period of two years. Resources have been allocated and the management are following-up on the activities. Work is underway to establish a joint, attractive and visible website for the
activities, as well as a common budget model to ensure that expenditure and revenues are balanced, at the same time covering all expenses and leaving room for incentives.
Income-generating public sector consultancy activities
Public sector consultancy has ongoing managerial attention as the activities contribute to achieving a better balance in Health's finances.
Work is ongoing at departmental level to expand public-sector consultancy. Departments that have not previously contributed to public sector consultancy are focused on attempting to identify possible activities, and departments that already have experience of public sector consultancy are working to expand or revise the existing supply.
Work is also being done to establish international public sector consultancy.
The smallest of the departments at Health have the highest turnover within income-generating activities, in that eighty per cent of the Department of Forensic Medicine’s resources and tasks comprise public sector consultancy. The central element is the cooperation with the Danish police service, for whom the department conducts research-based public sector consultancy. The department has great focus on the development and optimisation of the forensic examinations, so that they correspond to the police’s current
41
needs for assistance, as well as following the applicable quality standards associated with the area of forensic medicine. Further research in relation to public sector consultancy is also undertaken within selected areas. The work of the department also includes the education and teaching of the Danish police in the use and understanding of forensic investigations.
Public sector consultancy
The Dean's Office and the faculty management team are focusing on ensuring that the relevant employees have the opportunity to participate in public sector consultancy in the form of participation in a variety of national and regional councils, working groups and committees.
Agenda setting
Over the last two years, there has been strategic focus on proactive agenda setting. The communications department supports the dean, vice-deans and department heads in their activities in both the written and spoken media. The overall agenda setting is followed with statistical analyses showing the impact of these.
8. september kl. 11:30 - 9. september kl. 13:00
Foto: ALF