By Lea Laursen Pasgaard, AAU Communication and Public Affairs
Photo: AAU

The majority of AAU staff are knowledgeable about the goals in the AAU strategy. Almost eight out of ten staff members know that the university’s vision is to work in mission-oriented way, and more than one in four researchers are involved in mission-oriented research. 

This is shown by the results of the survey on AAU's strategy that was sent out to all AAU staff members in November 2024. The survey is part of the evaluation of AAU's strategy Knowledge for the World 2022 -2026.

A total of 1,314 staff members responded to the survey. This corresponds to almost 38 percent, and Rector Per Michael Johansen is pleased with the many inputs for additional work on the strategy.

"Employee feedback helps create a picture of the progress of the strategy work, and it helps us identify areas where we can fine-tune the strategy or improve. This is valuable knowledge for the further work on the existing strategy – and for the development of the next strategy period," says the rector.

Culture change takes time

In the survey, one in three staff members indicate that they find it difficult to see how AAU's vision of working in a mission-oriented way makes sense to them in their day-to-day work. At the same time, one in four people find it easy.

For TECH Dean Thomas Bak who is the executive manager for the missions, it is understandable and natural that staff members have different views on the mission work at this point in the strategy period.

The dean believes that we have come a long way with the mission mindset at AAU:

"In terms of how long we have been working with the three joint missions, I think we have made good progress. Not everyone works in areas that fit into the three joint missions, but that’s not the goal. When I’ve been around to the departments, it’s clear that there are a lot of other mission-related activities going on, and that many researchers actually work in a mission-oriented way," Thomas Bak explains.

Both the rector and the dean state that mission-oriented research at AAU is here to stay, but that a culture change also takes time.

Executive Management acts on feedback

The survey shows that more than half of staff members do not feel that their managers have sufficiently communicated about the strategic goals during the strategy. On the other hand, managers experience a lack of interest from staff – and time pressure to achieve the individual goals that are set for each year of the strategy period. 

This is one of the reasons why the Executive Management decided that no new targets will be set for 2026, but that the foundation that has already been created will be strengthened.

"We must make sure to consolidate the strategy, and then management must be better at promoting the success stories and clarifying paths in the mission work for the environments," says Thomas Bak.

Work is currently underway on an intranet page where staff members can read news about the strategy work, find information about the process work, as well as facts and presentation material.

Translated by LeeAnn Iovanni, AAU Communication and Public Affairs