By Lea Laursen Pasgaard, AAU Communication. Translated by LeeAnn Iovanni, AAU Communication. Photos: William Brændstrup

- We must not stop artificial intelligence, and history shows us that we cannot stop it. Instead, we must use artificial intelligence as a mirror and a window. AI should give us the opportunity to reflect on what it means to be human. AI codes are on their way to – and will probably surpass – what we can do as humans – but not what we are!

These were the words of AAU's rector, Per Michael Johansen, when he spoke at the annual celebration, an event steeped in tradition, at Aalborg Congress and Culture Centre on 21 April. He had used the much-hyped AI robot, ChatGPT, to write the opening of his speech – something most in the room had been fooled by at first.

The rector pointed out that AAU is very much inspired by new technology across the main academic areas and must teach future graduates to navigate in the world of artificial intelligence.

The universities – preferably with Aalborg University at the forefront – must take the lead in teaching our students that AI is not an enemy, but an aid, also for exams, just like the calculator was, said the rector.

University Board Chair: Missions to change the world

The notion that interaction of machine and humans will move the world to a better place is something University Board Chair André Rogaczewski supports. In his speech, he also emphasised that the university's mission-oriented approach is exactly what it takes to change the world. And that collaboration across areas of expertise and sectors is crucial.

- As a university we are used to reaching out. We have the foundation and prerequisites that make us particularly suited to a mission orientation. The world is also embracing missions in these times because we need to act on the major, pressing challenges the world is facing, something that can best be done across professional strengths and sectors. We must work together to find the right solutions in a world that needs solutions right now, he said.

Minister praised AAU's interdisciplinarity and mission-oriented mindset

AAU's close collaboration with the wider world and the mission-based approach to research was also one of the central themes in Christina Egelund's, Minister for Higher Education and Science, video greeting. 

- You think with a mission-based mindset. That many of the complex challenges of today and tomorrow cannot be confined to individual research projects but must be seen as part of a larger whole. This is a mindset that I believe we must increasingly explore and use to overcome our challenges and do exciting new research projects in the future.

The Minister emphasised that the mission-based approach calls for interdisciplinary collaboration, a way of thinking that is largely practiced at AAU today. And one that reflects the reality of many of the country's workplaces.

Criticism of the one-year Master's degree programme

The outgoing chair of the Student Society, Christian William Hansen, was also on stage, and the focal point of his speech was the SVM (Social Democrats, Liberal, Moderates) government's proposal for a one-year master's programme. The chair expressed concern about the quality of the shorter Master's programmes and considered that the reform could reduce a student's opportunity to do an internship or have a student job alongside their studies.

Five new honorary doctorates celebrated

After the introductory speeches, the rector named five new honorary doctorate recipients – one from each of AAU's main areas. The honorary doctorate is the highest academic recognition at the university[LI1] . It is awarded to highly recognised researchers who, through international cooperation, have contributed to scientific development at AAU.

The honorary doctorate is awarded on the recommendation of the faculties. The SSH faculty nominated both a social science researcher and a humanities researcher for the honorary doctorate.

The five new recipients of the honorary doctorate are:

• Faculty of Medicine: Professor Alison Kitson, Flinders University (in Danish)
• Technical Faculty of IT and Design: Professor Jacob Benesty, University of Quebec (in Danish)
• Faculty of Science and Engineering: Professor Pedro Rodriguez, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology
• Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Social Science: Professor Saras Sarasvathy, University of Virginia Darden School of Business
• Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Humanities: Professor Jahan Ramazani, University of Virginia (in Danish)

Honours for five new doctors at AAU

Five researchers from AAU have obtained a higher doctoral degree since the previous year's annual celebration. They were also honoured on stage. 

The five higher doctorate recipients are:

• Bent Sørensen
• Benedict Kjærgaard (in Danish)
• Helle Damgaard Zacho (in Danish)
• Michael Skovdal Rathleff
• Mads Græsbøll Christensen (in Danish)

Spar Nord Foundation Research Award to a young researcher from Electronic Systems

The Spar Nord Foundation Research award is given annually to a young researcher with a particularly outstanding research project. The award includes a DKK 250,000 cash prize.

This year, the award went to Anders Ellersgaard Kalør of the Department of Electronic Systems. His PhD thesis 'Methods for Massive, Reliable, and Timely Access for Wireless Internet of Things (IoT)' provides knowledge on how to design the communication networks of the future so they can be used for more applications, in particular IoT. This could have far-reaching implications for many sectors that will have the opportunity to transition from wired to wireless networks, as well as monitoring, for example, industrial processors with wireless IoT.

Read more about the award and the research project in the press release from the Spar Nord Foundation and in the news from the Department of Electronic Systems 

Philosopher receives Obel Family Foundation Award for Teacher of the Year

Every year, each faculty selects the Teacher of the Year. They are all honoured at the annual celebration, and each receives DKK 25,000.

Of these five, one teacher is then named to receive the Obel Family Foundation Teaching Award of DKK 50,000.

This year, the award went to Jes Lynning Harfeld, philosopher and PhD in bioethics. He teaches philosophy and ethics at the Department of Culture and Learning where he is an associate professor.

This year's Teachers of the Year at the faculties are:

• Jes Lynning Harfield, Humanities Teacher of the Year, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities and recipient of the Obel Family Foundation Award for Teacher of the Year (in Danish)
• Per Østergaard, Social Science Teacher of the Year, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (in Danish)
• Casper Steinmann, Teacher of the Year, Faculty of Engineering and Science
• Jorge Cardeño, Teacher of the Year, Technical Faculty of IT and Design (in Danish)
• Ludvig Johan Torp Rasmussen, Teacher of the Year, Faculty of Medicine (in Danish)

AR-Simply received the NOVI Scholarship 2023

The last award at the annual celebration was the NOVI Scholarship 2023 of DKK 250,000 that aims to promote technology and business development in the North Denmark Region. The scholarship is awarded every year to one or more students in the 9th-10th semester or 1st year graduates who can present a sustainable business idea that can be turned into a company.

This year, the award went to Tobias Harpøth Adamsen, Nanna Heidemann Jensen and Frederik Nørgaard Jensen – an interdisciplinary group of students who teamed up to create the company AR-Simply. They have created an app that can optimise servicing of industrial machines and equipment in the maritime industry.

Watch the video to see how the app works and what the judges emphasised in their choice of AR-Simply as this year's winners of the NOVI Scholarship.

After the ceremony, there was a reception, and then AKKC was the setting the annual university party where around 1,500 staff, students and business partners gathered for dinner, live music and dancing.