By Lea Laursen Pasgaard, AAU Communication. Translated by LeeAnn Iovanni, AAU Communication

The name of the university's new joint communication unit is AAU Communication and Public Affairs and as of 1 October it will set a new, more strategic direction for communication at Aalborg University (AAU). With the new organisation, AAU will concentrate its efforts on prioritized agendas where the university can make a difference.

- In the new communication unit, we will work more strategically and in a recipient-oriented manner so that the university will have greater impact. We need to shift our focus from the more sender-oriented communication about life at AAU to the areas and agendas where AAU has a strong position and can offer knowledge-based solutions to the major societal challenges, says Susse Maria Holst, Deputy Director for Communication and Public Affairs.

With the new configuration of the communication area, the Executive Management wanted to bring all staff handling communication tasks at the departments and faculties, AAU Innovation and the Shared Services units together in one common department. The desire was to create a strong, professional communication environment where staff members, rather than being 'generalists' working with all types of communication tasks, become specialists in a range of different areas.

The new joint communication unit will solve tasks for the entire organization and consists of seven teams that will handle the university's research communication, press work, public affairs, social media, websites, recruitment of new students, bridge-building events and internal communication. 

Resources must be used wisely

Due to strained finances, the Executive Management decided in connection with the organizational changes to cut 25 percent of the total communication budget, corresponding to approximately DKK 7.5 million. The savings were found through voluntary resignations, dismissals, closure of vacancies, and staff members who moved to new tasks in other positions.

- With fewer resources, we need to use our communication resources wisely. Some may experience it as a reduction in service, but hopefully we will not be weakening our external communication because we are concentrating resources where we get the most value for our money. This applies, of course, not only to the mission areas, but also to the areas that the individual departments and faculties want us to prioritize going forward, says Susse Maria Holst.

As part of the transition to the new communication structure, a strategic communication framework for individual departments or faculties will be developed in conjunction with their respective management teams. This will include the goals, priority areas, distinctive features, and target groups the new communications department will help the individual department or faculty communicate to the wider world.

At the same time, the new unit prepares communication plans for the university's strategic agendas that are high priority.

Contact persons in the new communication unit for all departments

To ensure a smooth transition to the new organisation of tasks, contact persons for each department and faculty have been appointed in the new communication unit. They make sure that tasks are solved or passed on to the right teams or people.

When departments and faculties in the new year have tasks solved with the help of AAU Communication and Public Affairs, they will be serviced by a fixed group of people. Across the individual teams, there will be staff members associated with the individual faculties and AAU Innovation. Similarly, a strategic advisor will continue to be attached to each of the four faculties.