By Helge Hollesen
hho@adm.au.dk
Peasants, capitalists and arrogant students of medicine. At Aarhus University you can meet them all. Aarhus University contains more diversity than any other university in Denmark – there’s teaching and research in everything from the human brain and educational theory to nanotechnology, Jesuits, soil bacteria and marketing. There are roughly 100 different Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in the university’s nine main academic areas, so of course there are plenty of different opinions and plenty of prejudice about other departments and faculties.
But is there any truth in all the rumours?
Can it really be true that the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences – one of the newest faculties at the university – is populated by silent peasants walking around in wellington boots? And are students of medicine just as arrogant and busy as people say they are?
Arrogant?
“We’re definitely not arrogant. And even if we were, it would only be because we had good reason to be arrogant,” laughs one of the teachers at the Faculty of Medicine as he jogs down the corridor. Actually he doesn’t think that people at the Faculty of Medicine are busier than anyone else at the university.
“But we’re probably pretty good at LOOKING busy,” he continues, and is suddenly lost in thought.
“Perhaps that’s why people think we’re arrogant.”
A group of students of nursing are in no doubt: students of medicine are definitely arrogant sometimes.
“As students we’re all in the same boat, but lots of students of medicine don’t even say ‘hello’ when we meet them in hospitals,” says one nursing student. The others nod in agreement. And they don’t think that the hospital staff have the same superior attitude.
Capitalists
A group of students are trudging slowly through the snow on their way towards the main entrance of the Aarhus School of Business (ASB). At first sight they don’t look like highly focused, career-minded capitalists – which is how other people at the university see them. But the foyer of the school, with a sign that reads “Careers Centre” and a colourful painting announcing “NASDAQ FOREVER”, seems to indicate that there is actually some truth in the rumours you hear about ASB. And this impression is confirmed in the Careers Centre.
“Everything we do must have a direct and useful function in business life,” says one of the consultants enthusiastically.
And in the canteen a 2nd-semester student confirms that the school focuses a great deal on careers.
“From day one we’re encouraged to aim for a top management position in the business community,” she explains.
On the other hand, it’s hard to find any students dressed in a suit, tie or high-heel shoes – even though lots of people believe that this is the accepted dress code at ASB.
Peasants?
And what about the peasants in wellington boots?
Forget it! The students of agricultural sciences that UNIvers met in their Trøjborg common room were actually pretty smartly dressed. Leather boots, converse shoes and one pair of high heels – but not a wellington boot in sight! And senior researcher Peder Klith Bøcher laughs out loud when he hears the rumour that researchers at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences wear wellington boots.
“I can hardly remember the last time I wore a pair. Hardly any researchers would ever dream of wearing wellington boots in their offices,” he says.
The idea that the faculty is populated with peasants leads the students into a lengthy discussion about how to define a peasant – thereby giving the lie to the idea that students of agricultural sciences never say much, as well. In the end a farmer’s daughter brings the discussion to a conclusion.
“I reckon about two-thirds of the students have parents who are farmers – but that doesn’t necessarily make you a peasant,” she says.
And in fact you hardly ever see any of these students in a cowshed or pigsty – they spend most of their time in auditoriums and laboratories.
