One of Aarhus Universitet’s core responsibilities is to educate graduates for the labour market of the future, cf. AU’s Strategy 2025. To ensure constructive interaction between students and the labour market, AU has set a sub-goal of increasing the proportion of business-oriented elements in its degree programmes. This strengthens students’ attachment to the labour market during their studies while also supporting the transition from education to employment.

AU therefore focuses on providing more students with the opportunity to write their Master’s thesis in collaboration with a company or organisation that the student has contacted and entered into an agreement with. A Master’s thesis collaboration remains an academic thesis; however, the collaboration enables the student to translate theory into practice. At the same time, the student gains insight into a specific company, an industry, and the conditions that characterise a workplace. In addition, the student strengthens their professional network and gains practical experience, which may facilitate entry into the labour market.

Theses written in collaboration with companies and organisations are anchored at faculty and board of studies level and follow local frameworks and guidelines. Information and guidance for students are therefore available on the local study portals.

AU’s business engagement initiative serves as a single point of entry for companies and organisations wishing to collaborate with students from Aarhus University on Master’s theses. Here, companies and organisations can find relevant information about collaboration opportunities as well as local contact details. In addition, the AU Job and Project Bank connects students with employers seeking collaboration on relevant projects.

Educational Development and Analysis prepares an annual thematic report in Power BI on students’ collaboration with companies and organisations — including Master’s thesis collaborations — to support quality assurance and management reporting.