SUND's education strategy
Column: The strategy is in place – now the work begins
The education strategy "Education in Practice" was published just before the summer break. This marked an important step – but not the finish line. On the contrary: this is when the real work begins. Read the column by Merete Munk, Head of Secretariat and Education at the Faculty of Health Sciences.
SUND's education strategy is the result of many meaningful conversations, discussions and shared reflections on the role our study programmes should play in a rapidly changing world. It reflects high ambitions – and rightly so.
We are in the midst of major reforms in both the healthcare system and the university sector. At the same time, the needs of the labour market are shifting, and technology is advancing at a rapid pace. Students and employers alike have new expectations for learning, relevance and social impact.
That’s why we need to move – and we must do so by building on what we already do well, and by doing it together.
The strategy sets the direction – but we create the content together
Education in Practice is not a manual to be followed to the letter. It is a shared direction and a platform for development. The five focus areas provide a framework for where we need to act – but how that looks in your daily work as a teacher, researcher, programme coordinator, study board member or administrative staff member is something we need to figure out together.
We already have a number of initiatives underway. We have experience with part-time Master’s programmes designed for those in employment. We have inspiring examples of practice-integrated teaching and partnerships with municipalities, regions and private stakeholders. We have lecturers experimenting with new pedagogical formats and technologies. This is the foundation we need to build on.
But the strategy also requires us to ask new questions: How do we develop learning environments that support both academic excellence and student well-being? How do we ensure digital technology becomes an asset rather than a barrier? How do we maintain research integration at a time when teaching resources are under pressure? And how do we succeed in opening up our programmes more to lifelong learning?
The next step
In many academic environments, the work has already begun – but for all of us, the publication of the strategy now allows us to define what it means in concrete terms for each study programme.
We need to talk about how we translate the strategy locally – and how we prioritise. Because we can’t do everything at once. The strategy outlines a development process that will happen step by step, as we gain experience and see results.
The strategy only truly comes to life when it unfolds in your administrative work, your teaching, your research, your collaborations and development projects. This will be a shared – and important – effort. We will need everyone’s ideas, knowledge and commitment. I look forward to working with all of you to make Education in Practice a reality.