Degree programmes undergoing changes

The first chapter of the story of the agricultural degree programmes at Aarhus University is now ending. We are leaving Trøjborg, where the courses began with the first few students in 2008. Every year since then more and more students have arrived and in the small classrooms we have experienced lack of oxygen, which inhibits the academic activity. The students have been happy with their reserve, which they made cosy with a bar called DyrkBar (a play on the word ‘arable’) og Agro-have (Agro Garden), but it was necessary to move on.

The teachers and the management in the department and deanship have been aware of the pressed situation at Trøjborg for a long time. They agree that our future lies in being part of a ”bio-chain” in some form or another, where we are physically located close to Biology and to a certain extent share facilities with them. There is still agreement about this plan.  

AU is in the process of leaving Trøjborg and since the establishment of the bio-chain is not just around the corner it has been necessary to find a temporary solution. We have been allocated three large rooms in Ny Munkegade in connection with Physics in building 1523 as well as a range of rooms in Katrinebjerg in ”Ørkenfortet” (second floor in building 5128) where the students will have their area. We will be moving to new, good facilities in an area with many other science students at the end of February 2016.

From quarter to semester

Another big change is in the offing. The structure that comprises four quarters followed by an exam will be replaced by a structure with two semesters followed by an exam. The new programme structure with semesters will be introduced from 1 September 2017. We thus need to have new curricula in place for all the programmes by May 2017, at which time the students must sign up for the autumn 2017 semester courses.

The individual courses must thus be ready with their changes by January 2017, so that the Degree Programme Committee and the Board of Studies can get everything in place by around March 2017 and the new curricula can be coded into the system and be ready for the students.

In the course of the spring meetings will be held for those responsible for the courses at which we will set up the framework for the task. There will be a focus on having as little overlap between courses as possible, progression, and feedback to the students, and there is a strong desire to develop the exam form.

Political control

The university and degree programmes are presently subject to considerable political control. Strategic research has been gathered in Innovation Fund Denmark, grants for basic research has been cut by more than a billion kroner, the universities must save two per cent per year, and dimensioning of the degree programmes has been introduced as has a progress reform which comprises an annual levy of fines in the order of a million kroner based on how much time students that began five to eight years ago have spent on finishing their programme.

These actions all aim to produce graduates as quickly as possible – which is supposed to make us all richer. Many departments and programmes are under pressure due to these economic movements but fortunately the Department of Agroecology is presently in a good financial situation and education is not a big activity with us – even though it is naturally very important for our identity.

However, the students are under maximum pressure. There is not much room for sickness, either in oneself or in the family, for extra-curricular work, for taking a short break and travelling abroad to see the world  or for doing many of those odd things that are part of forming a whole person during the student years. The deanship and the management have a strong focus on this and are identifying the possibilities we have to maneuver in the present situation. The studies administration is working hard at helping students follow the new rules and fulfill the new requirements. The studies administration is also contacting students who are ‘hanging’ in the system with the aim of helping them to either make a plan for continuing at the university or make a new plan.