By Lea Laursen Pasgaard, AAU Communication & Public Affairs

Free flu vaccinations, organizational changes and finances. These are just some of the topics that in 2023 occupied the readers of AAU Update's English site as reflected in the most read articles in the past year. See the list below – starting with the article that was tenth in most unique page views in the past year.

10: Welcome Day for International Students at AAU

On Thursday, 31 August, CREATE was the setting of a welcome event for new international students. The event took place after several days of activities for the new students from all over the world, organized by the International Office and others.

Read more about the event

9: New Organization to Create More Targeted Communication at AAU

As of 1 October, AAU gathered all communication resources in a new joint communication unit: AAU Communication and Public Affairs. The new unit will work more strategically and in a recipient-oriented manner to support the university in having greater impact – despite fewer resources.

Read more about the new unit

8: Professor Mie Buhl Creates a Hybrid Learning Space to Support Problem-Based Learning

Professor Mie Buhl at the Department of Communication and Psychology believes that technology should be adapted to PBL, not the other way around. She recently welcomed students to Aalborg University's new ‘Nordic Master in Visual Studies and Art Education’, a collaboration between Aalborg and Aalto Universities. The professor has designed a hybrid learning space that combines technologies in innovative ways. A research project will follow up on the experiences.

Read more about the professor’s hybrid learning space

7: Aalborg University Receives One of Its Largest Supercomputer Grants Ever

Professor Morten Smedskjær received 10 million computer hours on the supercomputer Vega via a new large European computer resources grant. This is one of AAU's largest high-performance computing grants ever and it enables Morten Smedkjær and his team to discover new glass materials by simulating more realistic conditions.

Read more here

6: Pro-rector: We Now Have a Framework for Using Artificial Intelligence in AAU Degree Programmes

The AAU Strategic Council for Education adopted a plan for how AAU will work with artificial intelligence in education today and in the future. At this time, using AI chatbots like ChatGPT for exams is generally not allowed. But in the longer term, artificial intelligence will no doubt play a greater role in education, says Pro-rector Anne Marie Kanstrup.

Read more about the new plan

5: Support AAU Canteens: Buy Your Catering on Campus

Extraordinary price increases are putting pressure on AAU's canteen, café and restaurant operators. The Executive Management therefore decided that going forward all catering must be ordered from AAU's canteen operator or AAU Innovate's café and restaurant in Aalborg.

- As a university, we have a clear interest in having places on campus where our students and staff can buy a good, healthy meal at a reasonable price. We know that this will mean limitations, but we are doing this because we want to be sure that we will also be able to buy food on campus in the future, say University Director Søren Lind Christiansen.

Read more here

4: AAU Gets New Research Indicator: How the University Distributes Basis Research Funds Among the Departments

Collaboration, visibility and openness are the parameters in Aalborg University's new research indicator that going forward will provide the basis for the internal distribution of the university's basic research funds. It replaces the previous, much-discussed Danish Bibliometric Research Indicator points as a yardstick.

Read more about the new research indicator

3: Financial Strains Leads to Changes in Shared Services

A more unified administration and a stronger focus on creating smarter work procedures. These are some of the initiatives that will help future-proof Shared Services at a time when the university's finances are under pressure, says University Director Søren Lind Christiansen in August. In 2024, Shared Services needs to save DKK 4.2 million.

Read more about AAU’s financial situation here

2: New Acting Head of Department at AAU Business School

After a summer of uncertainty about the department's management – and with several major tasks ahead – Dean Rasmus Antoft determines that AAU Business School needs a new beginning. This means several other changes in the management of the department. Mette Vinther Larsen, Professor with specific responsibilities is appointed acting head of department at AAU Business School (AAUBS) and Kristian Nielsen, Associate Professor is appointed as acting head of studies.

Read more about the changes here

Free Influenza Vaccination for all AAU Staff

Again this year, the rectorate at Aalborg University (AAU) decides to offer all staff members a free vaccination against the influenza virus.

- We want to give AAU staff members the opportunity to get through the winter without illness and poor health. A lot of people accepted the offer last year, and we would like to repeat the offer because it can benefit us all in the coming months, says University Director Søren Lind Christiansen.

Read more about the offer here