News from our educations
Quality assurance policy - UMV, status of our educations - and the road to AU Viborg
New quality assurance policy
AU’s quality assurance policy in the field of education has been simplified and rethought with an explicit focus on the students' perspective and increased focus on values in 4 sub-policies.
Sub-policy 1 deals with getting students of to a good start: AU wants to support the right study choice, to give all students a good start in student life and to facilitate the transition to life as a student.
Sub-policy 2 is high-quality, coherent degree programmes: AU wants to offer educations that are based on the deepest academic knowledge, have a clear coherent structure and show a close connection between learning objectives, learning activities and examination methods.
Theme for sub-policy 3 is motivational teaching and learning environments: AU wants to offer students an inspiring learning and study environment based on engaging and learning-promoting teaching with engaging dialogue, academic guidance and supportive activities.
Sub-policy 4 is highly qualified graduates with relevant competencies: AU wants students to acquire both academic and general competencies through their studies and to enter the labor market quickly. The 4 sub-policies form the basis for the various status indicators which are included in the annual status reports.
Read more here: https://medarbejdere.au.dk/en/strategy/education/quality-assurance-policy
Teaching environment assessment
In the autumn of 2021, a teaching environment assessment (UMV) was made for our programmes, which is an assessment of the university's physical, mental and aesthetic environment, where the students' perception of e.g. well-being, feedback, contact with the teachers, the physical conditions, stress and loneliness as well as harassment, are involved with regard to ensure a good teaching environment. The survey was based on a selection of results from the most recent national study environment survey. The survey is conducted every 2 years and data are included in the annual status. An action plan for UMV will be launched in 2022/23.
Status of our educations
In the spring of 2022, there are 71 students enrolled in the bachelor's program Agrobiology. There are 44 in the master's program Agrobiology, and in the master's program Agro-Environmental Management (AEM) there are 22 enrolled students. There are 22 students in the Master's program in Soils and Global Change (IMSOGLO).
All educations are in the 'green area' in many status indicators, such as the teaching evaluation, planned confrontation hours, academic and social well-being. There has been an increase in first-year dropouts in both the bachelor's and master's programs. It is pointed out that many students during the shutdowns due to Corona have experienced challenges with online teaching. Follow-up is carried out to investigate the causes in more detail, and we continue to implement the various identified focus areas in our strategy. The graduating years 2016-2019 for AEM have a high unemployment rate, which has meant that this education has been dimensioned for 10 students. The graduates from Agrobiology and AEM, who are in job respondents, believe that the education has equipped them well for their current jobs.
It is important to ensure a complete picture of how the education is for future students, to facilitate the transition to life as a student and to give all students a good start in student life. On the basis of the target group analysis for Agrobiology, a campaign and marketing on social media has been made in 2022, including the use of videos to convey a clear profiling of the education. It is planned to continue activities in U-days, study internships, etc. We will continue to contribute to the national branding of education in the field of agriculture and food (futu-refood.nu). We will continue our tutor and mentor scheme to ensure that the new students become professionally and socially integrated in the education. A new student study advisor has been hired, and it is recommended that the department heads hire a new education advisor. The large distance between the students and the VIP environment at the research centers remains problematic for the education.
AU Viborg
It has been decided that the Agrobiology education will be moved to Foulum, where educations in Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine will also be established in a joint AU Viborg:
A coordination group will be set up for the development of an overall education model and for the coordination of RUVU applications for pre-qualification. The supervisor of the 3 new educations must coordinate the development of curricula during the involvement of potential future employees. In addition, a market analysis must be made to make the needs of the new educations visible.
The focus of our current educations is a sustainable interplay between nature, the environment and the quality of food. The teaching is interdisciplinary, solution-oriented and research-based. The students is continuously involved in the teaching, for example through work with specific cases, discussions and group work. The aim is to incorporate these principles together with new ideas in the new educations and utilize the many professional and social benefits of being brought together in one common research and educational environment. Let's get started on finding the way to AU Viborg!
