The University of Aarhus is buzzing with life at the moment. The university campus is full
of new students, and our faculties, schools of education and departments are all putting on
special events to welcome them. But the Århus campus isn’t the only place where this is happening:
the Institute of Business and Technology in Herning, the Danish School of Education in
Copenhagen, and the Aarhus School of Business are also opening their doors to new students.
And there really are a great number of them – a total intake of more than 6,000 Danish and international
students. This is the largest intake of new students that the university has ever had,
and once they have all started their courses the university will house more than 34,000 students
and about 9,000 staff.
As a result of the mergers in early 2007 between the University of Aarhus, the Danish Institute of
Agricultural Sciences, the National Environmental Research Institute, the Aarhus School of Business
and the Danish University of Education, the University of Aarhus has grown in both size and
variety; and we now have units based at many Danish locations outside Århus. The mergers have
given the entire university population, students, researchers and staff new opportunities within
a vast range of subject areas, and the chance to meet colleagues and students from other areas of
study. Variety and quality are key concepts for the University of Aarhus, and new students at the
university will be experiencing both of these concepts during their studies here.
As your rector, I am delighted to witness the new energy and life injected into the university by
our new students. The University Park is full of groups of new students being introduced by more
experienced students to their degree programmes, to our campus, and to life at the University of
Aarhus in general. Some are concentrating hard on the information they are being given, while
others seem more interested in having a good time.
But concentration and having a good time go hand in hand when you study here. The Latin motto of
the University of Aarhus means “Seek a firm footing in the depths”, and our logo features dolphins
at play. The university stresses that it aims to promote the creative process – the search for a firm
footing that knowledge can give, and a search that requires concentration on your subject. I hope our
new students will experience the pleasure of being absorbed and fascinated by this search.
The University of Aarhus has the framework needed for an excellent life of study at Campus
Århus, in Herning and in Copenhagen. I promise to work constantly to make this framework even
better, and the management encourages the students and staff to be involved as much as possible
in the task of developing the university and all its many units.
I hope you are all looking forward to an exciting year, and in particular I ask you all to extend a
warm welcome to our new students. Enjoy your time at the University of Aarhus, and be proud
of the fact that you belong to one of the most fertile study environments you will find anywhere.
Because at the University of Aarhus, it really is true to say that the sky is the limit.
A very warm welcome to you all!
