In continuation of the conference on gender balance on 8 March, the senior management team wishes to see significant improvements in gender balance at Aarhus University, and has therefore decided to intensify efforts in this area.

The first step along the way is the establishment of a new Committee for Diversity and Gender Equality at AU. The committee will be chaired by the rector, and Pro-rector Berit Eika will serve as vice-chair. The committee will meet for the first time before the summer holidays for an inaugural meeting. Each faculty will be represented by a head of department/school and a member of academic staff.

“We must make improving the gender balance a top priority, primarily because we need the brightest talents from both genders to ensure the highest possible quality in our research and education. Therefore, I'm very excited that we’ll be gaining this central driving force in this area,” says Rector Brian Bech Nielsen.

One of the committee's first tasks will be to draft a new action plan for diversity, which must be finalised by 1 January 2020. The new action plan will replace the current ‘Action plan for more women in research 2016-2020’.

The senior management team has also decided to hold a conference on the issue at Aarhus University every other year beginning in 2020. The Committee for Diversity and Gender Equality will also be responsible for these conferences.

“With the establishment of our Committee for Diversity and Gender Equality at Aarhus University, I believe that we have taken another big step in the right direction. But the day-to-day concrete work of creating a better gender balance is also very important. To succeed in this, it is essential that our efforts are also firmly anchored in the teaching and research programmes,” says Pro-rector Berit Eika.

Further information:

• “The gender balance at AU must be improved” – the Rector’s announcement after the conference on 8 March
• Find information on gender balance at AU