Christmas greeting from Rikke Leth-Larsen

Dear all at the Department of Clinical Research

Christmas is approaching, and I would like to thank you for yet another year of great commitment, collaboration, and continued development. It is a pleasure to work with you – both as individuals and within your respective environments.

The new research strategy for the Department of Clinical Research and OUH will soon be finalised, and I would like to thank everyone who contributed with content and focus. The strategy now needs to be implemented across the environments to ensure that, as a university and hospital, we remain strong locally, nationally, and internationally. This also means that certain areas will receive particular attention for a period of time.

In 2025, we have welcomed many new colleagues – from PhD students to professors – and several departments have appointed new research leaders as part of a generational shift. I cannot mention everyone by name, but a warm welcome to those of you who are new to the department or have taken on new roles.

A big thank-you to the entire group of research leaders, the department management, the department council, and the occupational health and safety committee. Your work makes a real difference to the community at the Department of Clinical Research. Our committees and joint meeting forums are now well consolidated and broadly representative of the department.

Likewise, thank you for the excellent collaboration with the hospital’s executive management and research staff – it means a great deal that two large organisations can work together so closely and with such mutual trust.

There is a lot of change around us. The healthcare reform, the hospital merger, and the move to the new OUH bring both new opportunities and new concerns. At the same time, we are working to centralise educational administration at SDU and to create a more coherent overview and clearer prioritisation of the department’s finances. We will need to make some decisions that not everyone will necessarily agree with.

Administrative support in HR, finance, and grants has been strengthened, and I hope you feel that processes are running more smoothly and that you are receiving the support you need.

We continue to work on improving transparency in teaching, clarifying career paths, and highlighting the many ways in which you contribute to the community. Even though we are a large department, it is important to us that you experience a sense of closeness and have easy access to get in touch with us.

In the new year, I look forward to getting to know you even better in your departments and to supporting you as best I can in the many important tasks you undertake in research, teaching, and career development.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year – and thank you for everything you each bring to the Department of Clinical Research.

All the best,
Rikke Leth-Larsen
Head of department, KI