The consultation is now concluded. Thank you for your contributions to the department’s response, which has now been submitted to the University Director. The many valuable inputs provide food for thought in the ongoing process. The HSU discussed the analysis and the main points from the responses on Tuesday, and the steering committee will review the responses and the recommendation to the Executive Management after New Year.

The short version of our response is that we advocate for a hybrid model, where centralization is only applied where it provides a genuine economy of scale, while HR and finance functions with strategic and relational significance remain locally anchored to ensure quality, proximity, flexibility, and managerial space.

Key Messages:

• The report’s assessment of local HR and finance does not reflect reality at BIO
• The optimal solution is a combined setup
• Full centralization threatens the Department’s autonomy and academic environment 
• Proximity, local knowledge, and relationships are crucial for quality in HR and finance
• Risk of quality loss, bottlenecks, and staff attrition with centralization 
• The service agreement must not be unilaterally determined by Shared Services
• Need for a clear service model, process responsibility, and real interfaces
• Departmenets must be substantially involved in designing future systems and processes
• The Executive Management (Direktionen) will make a final decision on the future organization in January 2026. 
   

Many of you have expressed interest in a department-wide BioRender license, and I’m pleased to share that we’ve found this to be the most cost-effective solution compared to individual licenses. We will acquire 150 licenses to distribute among those who need this software. More details will follow in the new year. 

In 2025, we introduced the concept of birthday meetings, and I’m delighted to say that 12 of these gatherings have already taken place. We still owe meetings to celebrate our January and February birthdays, and these have been scheduled to be held early in the new year.

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and we’ve decided to continue this tradition. These meetings offer a fun and informal way to connect with colleagues across the department and give me the chance to learn more about the fascinating work being done here. As a little treat, I’m sharing the latest photos from the meetings so far—something that has become a tradition in itself! 

Please note that AAU will operate with reduced service from December 29, 2025, to January 2, 2026 (inclusive) as part of the annual Christmas period adjustments. During this time, access to buildings will require a valid AAUcard, and several services will be unavailable, including cleaning, mail, Facility Support, meeting catering, and the telephone switchboard. Heating will be reduced to night-time levels, no snow or ice clearing will take place, and the Study Hall in the Student House will be closed throughout the period.

Cafeteria closures vary by location, with all cafeterias closing from December 22, 2025, and reopening between January 5 and January 26, 2026, depending on campus.

Regarding administrative opening hours, each team will display notices on their doors showing specific staffing levels. In general, staffing across administration will be limited between December 20 and January 4.

Management holiday contact: In case of urgent matters during the Christmas holiday, Kim Lambertsen Larsen can always be contacted at kll@bio.aau.dk or head@bio.aau.dk