Change in focus at theme day for TAP managers

Changes have been piling up at the University of Southern Denmark in recent years.

Significant long-term government investments in research and innovation, the Master’s Degree Reform, small youth cohorts, restructuring the study administration, a new campus in Vejle and discontinuation of the campus in Slagelse, digitalisation and artificial intelligence, cuts in public sector administration and geopolitical changes.

These are some of the changes that have been impacting the University of Southern Denmark and the entire university sector in the past few years.

Leadership during change

This being the case, change leadership was the natural focal point at the theme day for SDU’s technical-administrative management, which took place in October. The theme day brought together 115 managers from technical and administrative areas across SDU and focused on the importance of leadership during change processes.

- The University is in a constant state of change, and good management is crucial in times of change. It is, of course, about moving people but at the same time ensuring a sense of direction, security and commitment within the process of change. As a leader you can’t make change happen unless the employees are motivated and on board, University Director Thomas Buchvald Vind emphasises with regard to the reasoning behind the theme. He elaborates:

- This places great demands on the agility of managers and employees; that’s why it’s essential to bring together the entire network of TAP managers across SDU for a shared dialogue and discussion about how we lead during changes. Change leadership involves many choices, paradoxes and ethical dilemmas, so you need good management colleagues to exchange ideas with.

Networks bring SDU together

The theme day for TAP managers and its focus was well received by the participants.

Britta Løck Worm, head of department in the Secretariat of Professional Development and Executive Education, says:

- In a time of constant change, we can’t be too well prepared to work with and during changes – so the theme of change leadership is extremely relevant. The models, narratives and good reflections in the groups are something we can all take with us and use – and it can help us all in a time when the tectonic plates are shifting. She elaborates:

- The most important result of the day is probably that everyone connects with other managers across the main areas and geographical locations. A day like this fosters a network that is the tissue that binds SDU together. Because at the end of the day, organisations aren’t just organisational charts – they’re made up of people.

Mikkel Linnemann Johansson, Team leader for the Dean's Secretariat and Science Communications at the Faculty of Science, agrees:

- It’s incredibly valuable that we get the opportunity to meet and share experiences across the organisation – especially on a topic that is as current and tangible as change leadership is at SDU right now. Change leadership is relevant to all of us – and everyone I spoke to had something interesting to share. I think many of us are already looking forward to the next time we get this opportunity.