The work on the quality of the study programmes is anchored both in the university’s general management structure and in a dedicated educational organisation with a specific focus on and responsibility for the education area. The quality assurance organisation at AU therefore consists of a well-coordinated interaction between the formal line management and a broader educational organisation that continuously involves staff, students, and external partners in the quality assurance work.
Below the model, the roles of the individual actors and committees at the faculty are described.
The dean is employed by the rector, is a member of the senior management team, and is responsible for financial and academic management of the faculty. The dean is responsible for:
See sections 36-37 in Part 8 of the Aarhus University By-laws.
The vice-dean for education reports to the dean and assists in daily management. The vice-dean is part of the dean’s office, the faculty management, and AU’s cross-university Committee for Education. The vice-dean is also chair of the Health Education Forum and a member of the Health Business Forum.
By delegation from the dean, the vice-dean holds overall responsibility for ensuring the quality and development of the faculty’s study programmes and teaching to the highest international standard. By delegation from the dean, the vice-dean for education has the overall academic responsibility for:
The vice-dean submits recommendations on changes to the structure of the boards of studies to the dean for approval and works closely on a daily basis with the management of the study administration, programme directors, and boards of studies.
Cf. the job description for the vice-dean for education, Health.
The head of department reports to the dean, represents the department externally and, on the authority of the rector and dean, is responsible for academic, financial and HR management at the department. In this context, the head of department is responsible for:
See sections 39-40 in Part 9 of the Aarhus University By-laws
The deputy head of department for education reports to the head of department and assists the head of department in managing and coordinating the department's strategic work on education, including ensuring implementation of the visions and strategic focus areas of the faculty and the department, with particular focus on education.
See the departments' roles and responsibilities
The director of studies is appointed by the dean on the recommendation of the board(s) of studies in question. The director of studies is appointed from among the full-time academic staff on the respective degree programmes.
The director of studies can be elected as the chair of the board of studies of the degree programme, is a permanent member of the Forum for Education at Health, and participates in activities related to this.
In cooperation with the board of studies, the director of studies is responsible for the practical organisation of teaching, tests and other forms of assessment which form part of examinations.
The director of studies approves thesis proposals and the dates of submission for Master’s degree theses and accompanying plans for supervision of Master’s thesis students.
See sections 43(2)-(3) in Part 11 of the Aarhus University By-laws.
The course coordinator is responsible for practical organisation of teaching activities and exams in collaboration with the director of studies and teaching staff.
Together with the other course coordinators on the degree programme, the course coordinator coordinates courses to ensure coherence and quality throughout the degree programme.
The course coordinator prepares learning outcomes for the course and submits them to the board of studies for approval. The course coordinator is also responsible for ensuring evaluation and feedback on own courses.
See the departments' roles and responsibilities.
Lecturers deliver relevant, research-based teaching of high international quality based on the latest academic and didactic knowledge. Lecturers communicate the learning objectives to the students.
Lecturers are part of a collegial collaboration to ensure coherence between the courses on the individual semester, as well as throughout the entire degree programme.
Lecturers maintain and continuously develop their pedagogical and didactic competencies, see the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities.
Representatives are elected to the board of studies from among the academic staff, who thus contribute actively to development and quality assurance of the degree programme as a whole.
Students are offered relevant, research-based teaching of high international quality, and are expected to put a significant amount of effort into their studies. Students actively contribute to the social and academic study environment and assume joint responsibility for their own learning.
From among the students, representatives are elected to the Academic Council and the respective boards of studies. The vice-chair is elected to the boards of studies from among these student representatives. Members of the boards of studies also participate in the annual status review meetings and in the five-yearly degree programme evaluations. In so doing, they make an active contribution to the quality assurance and development of degree programmes at Health.
The faculty's students also organise themselves in student political organisations, degree programme councils and associations.
The dean involves the heads of department in overall management of the faculty through the faculty management team. In addition to this, the faculty management team is composed of three vice-deans, one advisor, the director of administration and the head of communications.
In this way, the faculty management team helps to ensure cross-disciplinary coordination within the four core areas at the faculty: education, research, talent and knowledge exchange.
In addition, the faculty management team decides on the overall financial and strategic direction for the faculty.
The Forum for Education at Health (HUF) is the faculty's coordinating and advisory body and acts as a liaison between the AU Committee on Education, the faculty management team, as well as the departments' management and boards of studies. The Forum for Education at Health ensures implementation of strategic decisions by the university and the faculty and, in return, helps ensure the academic basis for management's strategies and decisions in the field of education.
The vice-dean for education is the chair of the Forum for Education at Health, which also consists of the deputy heads of department for education, directors of studies, the head of studies administration and representatives from CED.
The Forum for Education at Health is a key player in the faculty's work on degree programme quality assurance. This is to ensure and develop the faculty's portfolio of degree programmes and the quality and relevance of existing programmes.
The rector sets up a number of boards of studies, among other things to ensure student and academic staff co-determination and co-involvement in questions regarding education and teaching at the university.
The dean approves the composition of the faculty's boards of studies. Members of the boards of studies are elected from among the academic staff teaching within the area covered by the board of studies in question and students studying within the area of the board of studies in question. The board of studies has an equal representation from both groups. The board of studies elects a chair from among the full-time academic staff members and a vice-chair from among student members.
The board of studies is responsible for assuring and developing the quality of degree programmes. The board prepares and approves proposals for academic regulations and changes to academic regulations, and it approves a plan for the organisation of teaching, tests and other assessments forming part of the exam. The board of studies also approves applications for exemptions and credit transfers, including advance approval of credit transfers, and ensures performance and follow-up of course evaluations.
Moreover, the board of studies discusses and comments on matters of importance to education and teaching presented to it by the rector. The board of studies also helps implement the faculty's strategy and action plan within the field of education, and collaborates with the business community.
See section 18(1)-(6) in Part 3 of the Act on Universities and section 44(1)-(5) in Part 11 of the Aarhus University By-laws.
