Kickstart your career in management with new programme

The new career development programme derives from the faculty's strategic focus area 'recruitment and competency development' and it is open for tenured academic staff.

"The objective of the career development programme is for the participants to develop managerial competences on a high professional level which are targeted at the academic world, so that they have a better starting point for performing managerial tasks in the future," says Dean Lars Bo Nielsen. He emphasises that it is important for academic staff who do not have formal managerial positions to have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and interest for management.

"The programme also focuses on ensuring that we’re better equipped to increase gender diversity at management level, both in the formal managerial positions, but also in the academic forums and networks at Health," says the dean and adds: "At the same time, we’d also like to put a framework in place and facilitate a process that allows our employees to build a strong professional network that will be of benefit during the programme, but hopefully also long after."

Career on the programme

The programme is designed to provide the participants with tools and knowledge about management in a broad sense. The participants improve their organisational understanding, strategic insight into the tasks and challenges faced by the faculty, and get an insight into what a managerial position entails. They will also develop their own resources and competences in relation to future managerial tasks.

"The programme includes presentations and workshops with competent external speakers and seasoned internal veterans. It will undoubtedly inspire, develop and give the participants new knowledge," says Lars Bo Nielsen.

There are twenty places available on the career development programme which consists of four one or one-and-a-half day workshops during 2020. The first workshop will take place on 23 April 2020. Employees who are interested in applying can do so after agreement with their immediate supervisor. The immediate supervisor will nominate the employee to the department management team, who will then carry out the final prioritisation.

All participants are expected to actively participate in discussions and to work with joint and individual home assignments which address specific strategic managerial challenges at the departments and faculty.

Expanded competences

Department head at the Department of Dentistry and Oral Health, Siri Beier Jensen, took part in a similar programme while associate professor at the University of Copenhagen. She signed-up for the career programme because she felt it was time for new challenges:

"Taking part in the programme expanded my competences. I gained insight, tools I could use and learned a lot about management in the field of research and education, and what it demands administratively. Management demands that you prioritise your time and that you focus on the core task you really want to succeed with within a given framework, as well as aim for what’s meaningful academically. And also that you enjoy working closely with other people," says Siri Beier Jensen.

In reality, she had imagined she would develop her competences as a research group leader, but just a few days after the course finished, the opportunity of applying for the position of department head at Health presented itself.

"The career development programme really did prepare me for taking the plunge and making the move from associate professor at the University of Copenhagen to department head at Aarhus University. But just as importantly, it also helped to make the whole idea of being a manger less dramatic. So if you feel you’re ready to take on the manager role, then you shouldn’t be discouraged,” she says.

Get a professional network

While the career development programme may also develop suitable candidates to management positions at Health, such as e.g. positions as (deputy) department head and (vice) dean, participation in the programme does not of course automatically lead to a managerial position at the faculty. According to Lars Bo Nielsen, the aim of the programme is to ensure that talented employees now have the opportunity to strengthen their managerial competences and personal networks. In the long term, this will increase the faculty's ability to develop and implement existing and new initiatives.

"The competences you acquire via the programme can be used in many contexts. You can look at it as an exciting opportunity to get some insight into management, develop personal qualities and build a professional and productive network," explains Lars Bo Nielsen. He also emphasises that the development programme is not a lone initiative but supplements the existing management development opportunities that already exist at the university.

Read more about the career development programme and the application process on the faculty's website.