Are innovation and entrepreneurship just as important as education?
It is hard to disagree that Danish universities should contribute positively to innovation and entrepreneurship; however, an upcoming revision of the University Act—and its resulting implications—may be taking this too far.
Two Sides of the Same Coin: A column in Inside Health
In Two sides of the same coin, chair of the Academic Council Søren Dinesen Østergaard provides insight into the debates that take place in the council.
The column addresses topics that are up for debate in the council – often issues that also spark discussion in the academic environment at the Faculty of Health Sciences.
At a meeting on August 28, 2026, the Academic Council discussed a proposal for a new common approach to merit assesment in relation to permanent academic positions at Aarhus University.
General satisfaction, but…
There was broad agreement that the initiative for a common approach is positive and that the specific qualifications to be evaluated across three domains—research, education, and knowledge exchange (with innovation at the forefront)—are basically sound.
However, there was greater skepticism regarding the parity established between education and knowledge exchange in the following wording:
“To qualify for a permanent academic position, applicants must demonstrate qualifications at the highest academic level, as relevant to the position concerned, within at least two of the three qualification domains. One of these domains must be research.”
This parity aligns with the increased emphasis on innovation and spin-off companies outlined in the proposed revision of the University Act, which is likely to be adopted soon with broad political support.
In this instance, parity may not be ideal
During the consultation process for the proposed revision of the University Act, the Academic Council expressed criticism regarding the increased focus on innovation and spin-off companies.
The Council maintains that the university’s core tasks are—and should continue to be—(independent) research and (research-based) education. Derived innovation and spin-off companies can be excellent, but should be prioritized in that specific order.
The Academic Council will therefore also point out that the parity between education and knowledge sharing in the proposed joint approach to merit assessment at AU could have unintended consequences—namely, downgrading of teaching competencies and resources, which are already under pressure within the current merit assessment framework.
Contact
Professor & Chair Søren Dinesen Østergaard
Aarhus University, Department of Clinical Medicine
Academic Council
sdo@clin.au.dk
Phone: 61282753