SDU launches new staff policy

SDU has a new staff policy. The staff policy sets a common direction for how the University as a workplace supports well-being, development, strong professional environments and good conditions of employment – and how all employees should contribute to SDU’s ambition to create knowledge and value for and with society.

The staff policy is aligned with SDU’s strategy and is based on the University’s academic values: freedom of research, teaching and expression, along with the fundamental values of fairness, trust and respect.

According to Rector Jens Ringsmose, the policy is a key foundation for attracting, engaging and developing talented employees in all parts of the organisation.

‘A university is something special. Creating new knowledge requires freedom, courage and curiosity – and it takes strong professional communities and a good work environment to succeed. Through our staff policy, we chart the course for how we as a university create the best conditions for employees and managers, foster innovation and quality – and maximise the value we create together for society, says Rector Jens Ringsmose.

Four themes – one common culture

The staff policy is built around four themes that together form the framework of SDU as a workplace:

• Well-being and inclusive communities
• Recruitment
• Employment
• Career and skills development.

 Helle Waagepetersen, Pro-Rector for Education, is firmly convinced that a common staff policy is indispensable in an organisation as diverse as the University of Southern Denmark. This is to ensure a top-tier workplace, both professionally and socially.

‘SDU is a complex and diverse organisation, which is why we need a common basis for how we work, collaborate and develop. The staff policy makes it clear what to expect from each other and how we – academic and technical-administrative staff alike – share the University’s mission. It unites us across the organisation and supports both academic quality and a sense of community,’ says Pro-Rector Helle Waagepetersen.

Developed in close collaboration between management and employee representatives

The staff policy has been created through a broad and inclusive collaboration process. During the process, the Staff Policy Committee has contributed perspectives from all parts of the organisation, and the policy has been discussed continuously within SDU’s management and the Central Liaison Committee throughout 2025.

Associate Professor Anne Magnussen has been involved in developing the staff policy in her capacity as a union representative.

‘Academic freedom, curiosity and a strong sense of collegiality are crucial for us as researchers. This requires mutual respect and integrity in all contexts. From my perspective, the new staff policy is a great tool for ensuring that these values permeate the entire University,’ says Anne Magnussen, associate professor and union representative.

The dialogue between employee representatives and management has been crucial in ensuring that the policy reflects both the University’s values and the practical needs of everyday life – across faculties, centres and the Central Administration.

University Director Thomas Buchvald Vind is delighted and has high expectations that the staff policy will truly come to life and prove beneficial across the organisation.

‘We did not write the staff policy for our own enjoyment. It needs to be a living tool. We invite all managers and employees to use it in dialogues about well-being, expectations, career and development – both in everyday life and in the more structured conversations like MUS and LUS performance reviews. Together, we will turn the staff policy into something that creates value in practice,’ says University Director Thomas Buchvald Vind.

Materials and local dialogues

SDU provides a range of materials to support the continued work with the staff policy:

• Webinar for managers where the policy is presented
• Presentation and outline for local discussions
• Background material on SDUnet

In the coming weeks, managers are invited to work with the staff policy in their units.

Read the staff policy

You can find SDU’s staff policy at www.sdunet.dk/staffpolicy as well as a PDF presentation.