Collaboration with the outside world is absolutely central to AU's strategy for 2025. Specifically, the university’s goal is to strengthen collaboration: across disciplines; with the private sector and public sector institutions; and in promoting innovation. In this way, the university can increase the value of its contribution to society while at the same time maintaining its position at the vanguard of the needs of the society of the future.
Collaboration with employers ensures the relevance of degree programmes and is a central part of quality assurance at AU. The university wants to adjust the competency profile of its graduates to meet the needs of the private and public sectors, as well as the current and future needs of society in general. Students have the option of more business-oriented elements in their degree programmes, and the aim is to give all students an opportunity to collaborate with relevant employers as part of their education. This will allow students to establish links to the labour market before graduation, and will contribute to higher employment levels of university graduates.
The University Act sets out the framework for setting up employer panels. Employer panels are anchored at faculty level after the rector has approved the composition of the panel. The faculties ensure dialogue with the employer panels on the quality of individual degree programmes and their relevance to society. Employer panels are also involved in the development of new and existing degree programmes and new forms of teaching and examination.
Most of the collaboration with employers and graduates takes place locally at the faculties in order to ensure a close link between academic environments and relevant external stakeholders. Centrally, AU strengthens its collaboration with the outside world through collaboration agreements with companies, organisations and municipalities. Work is coordinated by Enterprise and Innovation, which provides administrative support to the Business Committee.
Educational Development and Analysis provides administrative support to AU's interdisciplinary steering committee concerning ongoing collaboration with the upper secondary school sector. The collaboration includes development and adaptation of targeted continuing and further education activities for the upper secondary school sector, as well as discussions about the sector's development and AU’s expectations of graduates.
