The Nursing Master’s programme in Emdrup will continue under the auspices of Roskilde University
The Master’s degree programme in Nursing in Emdrup has been awaiting its final fate, since the faculty nominated it for closure in November 2021 as a consequence of the political agreement “More and better educational possibilities throughout Denmark”. Now, the staff and students have been informed of what the future will bring: On 1 February 2023, the programme will be transferred to Roskilde University.
Background for the transfer of the Master’s degree programme in Nursing in Emdrup from AU to RUC
- The Danish government’s political agreement “More and better educational possibilities across Denmark” instructed Aarhus University to relocate or reduce 5-10 per cent of its student places in Aarhus and Copenhagen.
- In November 2021, Health nominated the Master’s degree programme in Nursing at the Emdrup campus for closure. This was the faculty’s contribution to AU’s overall nominations for the institutional plan, which was the concrete result of the political agreement “More and better educational possibilities throughout Denmark”.
- In the negotiations between the Ministry of Higher Education and Science and the universities, it emerged that Roskilde University wished to take over the Master’s degree programme in Nursing in Emdrup.
- Sixteen employees from the Department of Public Health (full-time and part-time associate professors) will be transferred to RUC, together with approximately 170 current students in the programme, as of 1 February 2023.
- The transfer of employees from AU to RUC will take place in accordance with the principles embodied in the Danish Act on the Transfer of Undertakings. This means, amongst other things, that RUC will take over the employer’s obligations towards those employees at Health whose terms of employment are being transferred.
- Employees will be transferred from AU to RUC with their current rights, including pay and employment terms, seniority, collective agreements, earned holidays and special holidays, etc.
- The Master’s degree programme in Nursing in Emdrup admits approximately 75 students annually, with the students distributed between the tracks in Advanced Practice Nursing and Nursing Science.
- All students enrolled at the Emdrup campus can complete their degree programme under the curriculum they are currently following, and the main principle of the agreement is that no students may be disadvantaged by the transfer to RUC.
- The Master’s degree programme in Nursing at the Aarhus campus will not be affected by the transfer, and will continue as before.
The Master’s degree programme in Nursing at Emdrup campus will be transferred to Roskilde University (RUC) as of 1 February 2023. This has been underway for some time, and now the Minister for Higher Education and Science – at the absolute last minute before the announcement of the general election – has approved the agreement to transfer the Master’s programme in Nursing from AU to RUC without comments. The approval is conditional on RUC receiving positive institutional accreditation from the Ministry before 1 February 2023, but this is expected to be a formality.
“We are pleased that RUC is taking over the Master’s degree programme in Nursing, so that it will be possible to maintain a relevant and socially useful degree programme that both students and staff are pleased with. Now, in collaboration with our colleagues at RUC, we are looking forward to handing over the programme in the best possible way, so that it can continue at the same high academic standard,” says Lise Wogensen Bach, Vice-Dean for Education.
The Minister’s signature on the agreement between AU and RUC means that Health will no longer be accepting students to the Master’s degree programme in Nursing in Emdrup under the auspices of AU, and that 16 employees from the Department of Public Health, as well as the current approximately 170 students in the programme, will be transferred from AU to RUC as of 1 February 2023. The employees and students affected were informed yesterday, Monday 10 October 2022.
Important to have clarity
“Even though the news of the transfer is not an easy message for the affected employees to receive, I’m pleased that they have now been given clarification – concrete information to relate to. It did not come as a surprise to them, but it has been difficult to remain in limbo for so long, and I am impressed with how the staff have handled it all,” says Ole Bækgaard, Head of Department at the Department of Public Health, which is currently home to the degree programme. He continues:
“It is my impression that RUC almost cannot wait to welcome our employees and start up the programme in Roskilde. Even before the agreement had been approved by the Ministry, RUC invited us to coffee, both management and staff, and I know that the employees were pleased with that.”
The transfer guarantees unaltered terms of study and employment
The agreement stipulates that RUC will maintain the existing programme in unaltered form, and that the employment conditions of the staff will be transferred on the same terms. This means that the curriculum will be transferred 1:1, regardless of whether we are talking about the content of the programme, its qualification profile and/or its maximum degree completion time, and that RUC will take over the employer’s obligation towards Health employees whose terms of employment are being transferred to RUC.
“We are pleased that the agreement into which we have entered with RUC, and which has now been approved by the Minister, safeguards the interests of both our staff and our students. It has been a crucial concern for us throughout the process that everyone should be treated properly, and I would like to wish the staff and students at Health to whom we must now say farewell all the best in their new framework at RUC,” says Vice-Dean Lise Wogensen Bach.
Contact
Vice-Dean for Education Lise Wogensen Bach
Aarhus University, Health
Mobile: +45 2548 8522
E-mail: lwb@au.dk
Head of Department Ole Bækgaard
Aarhus University, Department of Public Health
Mobile: +45 6020 2674
E-mail: obn@ph.au.dk