New director of studies will look for new opportunities in the midst of change
Associate Professor Loni Ledderer from the Department of Public Health is the new director of studies for the Public Health Science programme. She took over on 1 February 2025 and believes that the upcoming changes, including the Master’s degree reform and relocation, also represent new opportunities for development and innovation.
Facts about Loni Ledderer
- Is a trained nurse and holds a Master's degree in public management and a PhD from the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Southern Denmark.
- Lives in Odense.
- Part of the research unit for Applied Public Health and the research group Organising Public Health.
- Has taught the courses 'Health promotion and prevention' and 'Qualitative methods' on the Bachelor's programme in public health science. At Master's degree level, she has previously taught the 'Business-oriented projects' and 'Complex interventions' courses, and she is currently teaching 'Qualitative methods for studying organisational change processes' and 'Interventions in public health'.
- Researches organisational change processes in public health from the perspectives of citizens or health professionals. She has particular focus on health technologies and digitalisation, confidence in expert knowledge and citizen/patient participation. She also has expertise within qualitative research methods and interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Has previously sat on the PhD committee and the board of studies for public health science at Health, and she has participated in the accreditation process across the departments, faculty and university.
It's no secret that the Department of Public Health and the Public Health Science programme are facing big changes. However, Loni Ledderer, associate professor of health promotion and prevention, had no doubts about accepting the director of studies position when it was offered to her.
Establishing a good learning and teaching environment will be crucial
"We’re in the middle of an important change process and I want to help make sure that the process succeeds. Public Health Science has been resized and is moving to Dalgas Avenue, where Sport Science is already located. This will entail significant changes for both students and teachers," she says and elaborates:
"As the director of studies, I want to contribute to creating a strong and productive learning and teaching environment with good physical facilities and an inclusive atmosphere, where both students and teachers thrive and can develop professionally and socially."
For Loni Ledderer, it's all about promoting dialogue and facilitating collaboration.
"We can create a good learning and teaching environment together. My most important task as the director of studies is to establish productive and constructive collaboration with the faculty and department management, teachers and students, with focus on openness, mutual respect and co-determination," she says.
Drawing on teaching experience and insights from her own research
Loni Ledderer researches organisational change processes in public health from the perspective of citizens or healthcare professionals, and her work includes health technologies and digitalisation. This will be useful when she comes to tackle her new tasks as the director of studies.
"I'm very keen to get started. Change can be challenging, but it can also bring new opportunities. I believe I have something to offer both professionally and academically, and I’m already familiar with the most important collaboration partners and colleagues in the degree programme," she says.
The new director of studies currently teaches the subjects 'Qualitative methods for studying organisational change processes' and 'Interventions in public health' on the Master's degree programme.
"Since I joined the department in 2013, I’ve taught a number of different subjects on the Master’s degree programme in public health science, so I’m already very familiar with it. Moreover, I’ve worked on academic regulations, programme accreditation and the development of new courses," says Loni Ledderer, who has also been a member of the study board.
Digitalisation, interdisciplinary collaboration and internationalisation are key
According to Loni Ledderer, her biggest challenge as the director of studies will be to balance her own research, academic leadership and administrative responsibilities, while also facilitating a good environment for students and teachers, including accommodating different interests in connection with the upcoming relocation.
"The digital competencies of students will also be one of my focus areas, just as it was for my predecessor, Associate Professor Kim Iburg. Technology is evolving rapidly, and educators and students alike must learn how to navigate it. Students must be able to use different digital methods and critically reflect on the opportunities and challenges of digitalisation," she says.
Finally, internationalisation and interdisciplinary collaboration are also high on the agenda for the new director of studies.
"Public health issues are complex and dynamic, and solutions often require multidisciplinary knowledge and international collaboration. Students therefore need to acquire a solid expertise within public health science so they can contribute to the needs of society, both locally and globally. That's why I think it's important to have special focus on internationalisation and interdisciplinary collaboration in the future," says Loni Ledderer.
Contact
Associate Professor and Director of Studies Loni Ledderer
Aarhus University, Department of Public Health
Telephone: (+45) 20 46 70 30
Email: loni.ledderer@ph.au.dk