| Aalborg University (AAU) | |
|---|---|
| Aalborg Universitet (AAU) | |
| Motto | Viis Novis |
| Established | 1974 |
| Type | Public university |
| Rector | Finn Kjærsdam |
| Admin. staff | 1,639 (2006) |
| Students | 14,185 (2006) |
| Doctoral students | 575 (2006) |
| Location | Aalborg, Esbjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Campus | Aalborg Esbjerg Copenhagen |
| Affiliations | ECIU and ENTREE |
| Website | www.aau.dk |
Aalborg University is located in Aalborg, Denmark. With its opening in 1974 it became the fifth university in Denmark. In 1995 Esbjerg Engineering College was integrated in the university followed by the creation of the School of Architecture & Design in 1996, the inauguration of the Copenhagen Campus in 2003 (Copenhagen Institute of Technology), the founding of the School of Medicine in 2006, and the integration of the National Building Research Institute in 2007.
Aalborg University differentiates itself from the older and more traditional Danish universities with its focus on interdisciplinary, inter-faculty studies; an experimental curriculum based on an interdisciplinary basic course with subsequent specialization; a pedagogical structure based on problem-centred, real-life projects of educational and research relevance - which internationally has become known and recognized as The Aalborg Experiment or The Aalborg Model. With the problem-based, project-organized model, a great part of a semesters teaching and student work revolves around complex real-life problems which the students wonder about and try to find answers to in scientific manners while working together in groups.
The university is governed by a board consisting of 11 members: 6 members recruited outside the university form the majority of the board, 2 members are appointed by the scientific staff, 1 member is appointed by the administrative staff, and 2 members are appointed by the university students. The Rector is appointed by the university board. The rector in turn appoints deans and deans appoint heads of departments. There is no faculty senate and faculty is not involved in the appointment of rector, deans, or department heads. Hence the university has no faculty governance.[1]
Aalborg University has five faculties with a number of institutes, centers and study boards in these faculties. Since 1 January 2007, Aalborg University has been divided into the following faculties;
AAU conducts research within all faculties. The strongest area of research is in the field of engineering, and the University has selected health science technology and wireless communication as special action areas.
AAU has always adopted a cross-disciplinary approach to research, as this, just like the tuition, is problem-based. This often requires contributions from a number of scientific disciplines, when a current problem is to be solved. Aalborg University has five cross-disciplinary action areas:
Since its regional start in 1974, AAU has turned its focus towards an international orientation, making it a local university with an international outlook. AAU focuses on international collaboration in research and has, among other things, established a department for wireless communication and satellite navigation at University of Rome Tor Vergata, and Kolkata University in India and two centres for telecommunications, one at Birla Institute of Technology in India and one at Bandung Institute of Technology in Indonesia.
25% of University's researchers come from abroad, and over the years the number of international students has steadily increased, making up today 10% of the total student population.
A recognition paid to the Aalborg University was the foundation of the UICEE Centre for Problem Based Learning (UCPBL) in 2001, which has subsequently led to the appointment of AAU as Unesco Chair in the problem-based learning.
Aalborg University is known for its project-oriented education system. A large part of education in Aalborg University is based on teaching students to learn on their own and in group projects. This approach has yielded results similar to those of other Danish universities with less hours of theoretical teaching. This method of group-based, project-oriented learning is applied across all subject areas (from computer science to sociology) and begins at the first year of university. Local high schools in Aalborg also prepare their students for this way of learning.
The following student organizations have been directly associated with Aalborg University and its students:
* Aalborg University - Esbjerg * Aalborg University - Copenhagen
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