Have You Hugged Your Professor Today? · 17. February 2012
If not, there’s a good opportunity to do so on February 28 and 29 – "Hug a Professor Days" at Aalborg University. All students on the AAU campuses in Aalborg, Esbjerg and Copenhagen can give professors and other academic staff who are on board with the idea a hug.
The idea man behind "Hug a Professor Day" is Rasmus Lundgaard Christensen who is studying Electronics and IT.
- I heard that the University of Trondheim had "Hug a Professor Day." Not to save on heating bills, but to minimize the distance between students and staff, so why not try it at Aalborg University? asks Rasmus Lundgaard Christensen.
The idea was floated at the university and was well received well by all four faculties. So well, in fact, that the four deans have jointly sponsored a study trip that students who upload a photo of their professor hug on AAU's Facebook fan page can compete for.
Rasmus Lundgaard Christensen believes that because of the project-oriented group work, students at Aalborg University may well have more contact with teachers than at universities with traditional lecturing, but he is also confident that it can be even better.
- We have many supervision hours with student-teacher contact and that of course reduces the distance a lot. But why not also try to minimize the distance in relation to the teachers you wouldn’t be as close to, like those you don’t have as a supervisor? This event is a good opportunity, says Rasmus Lundgaard Christensen, who also sees "Hug a Professor Day" as a celebration of Aalborg University’s teachers, study method and open culture.
-It’s also to show how open things are at Aalborg University. Showing the international students who come here that we are not so ceremonious in Scandinavia and at AAU. That it's okay to ask questions and chit-chat with the teachers.
The hug is just a way to break the ice, says Rasmus Lundgaard Christensen, who does not have plans for a never-ending hug fest at Aalborg University.
-This is just a two-day happening. We are obviously not going to run around hugging all year and start a new hippie movement or something like that, jokes Rasmus Lundgaard Christensen.
Further information and contact:
Rasmus Lundgaard Christensen, mobile: 24 22 67 08, e-mail: lunde@s-et.aau.dk
Eskild Holm Nielsen, Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Science, tel.: 99 40 96 32, e-mail: dekan-teknat@adm.aau.dk
