A new beginning
So, we have now landed on the other side of 1 September after celebrating the occasion with cake, media coverage, and a wide range of activities across all our campuses.
I am both delighted and proud to lead SDU Business School at a time when many are watching closely to see how we succeed as a new faculty.
We have ambitious goals, not only in research and education, but also in accreditation and in strengthening our visibility both regionally and internationally. When I look back on my first months at SDU since April, an incredible amount has happened. We have been busy with establishment, operations, and development. Fortunately, amidst all the activity, there was also time to pause and connect across the organisation.
It was wonderful to see the entire SBS community gathered at the seminar at Koldingfjord in August. At the same time, I have greatly appreciated visiting many of our campus locations and meeting colleagues locally. I already sense that we are increasingly working and thinking as one unified SDU Business School.
There are still areas where we need to finalise workflows and processes, but the direction is clear, and we are moving forward. A key prerequisite for achieving our ambitions is strong administrative support, both from our own administration and from our shared administrative centre (ABSS). I am pleased that we have chosen to build on the strong professional environments, relationships, and ways of working that are already functioning well. At the same time, we are shaping a new form of collaboration in which two faculties are supported through a shared administrative framework while pursuing different ambitions. I know that establishing this new setup has required a significant effort from many of you.
Thank you for your commitment and patience in the period leading up to 1 September and in the weeks since.
Strengthening Visibility and Building Stronger Relationships
An important part of our work in the coming years will be to strengthen SDU Business School’s visibility and deepen our relationships with the regional business community. To foster the visibility of SDU Business School, we have launched a number of interconnected initiatives that will extend well into 2027 and help position us as a key regional partner for businesses and organisations.
The goal remains to launch a new alumni system in early 2027, which will help strengthen our relationship with former students.
Nadja Schäfer-Dorn is the responsible lead.
MorgenForum: During the first quarter of 2027, SBS will begin hosting morning events featuring academic presentations for the regional business community on Funen, with the possibility of expanding the concept to other campus locations over time. Fynsk Erhverv is involved in the establishment phase, while the long-term plan is to integrate the alumni network as well. Marianne Harbo Frederiksen is the responsible lead.
As part of the alumni initiative, we will launch a new popular science magazine. The digital magazine will publish three issues per year and present the latest research from SBS academic environments in an accessible format. The first issue is planned for release in early May 2027. Section heads will be involved on an issue-by-issue basis and will receive further information in due course. Marianne Harbo Frederiksen and Katja Broholm are responsible leads for this initiative.
In early June 2027, SBS will launch a recurring annual business conference (working title) for the regional business community. The vision is for at least half of the presentations to be delivered by SBS researchers, while the remaining presentations will come from practitioners and international partners. Marianne Harbo Frederiksen is the responsible lead.
We will participate in Folkemødet Bornholm 2027, with researchers contributing to academic debates in collaboration with the Faculties of Humanities, Social Sciences, Sciences, and Health Sciences in a shared SDU tent. The purpose is to communicate relevant and timely research with broad public relevance and strong academic impact. Katja Broholm is coordinating this effort.
The application process to host the EURAM (European Academy of Management) Conference at SDU in 2029 is well underway.
Nadja Schäfer-Dorn and Martin Hannibal are responsible leads for this initiative. Parallel to these visibility initiatives, we continue to focus on branding and student recruitment to attract talented and engaged students, both from Denmark and abroad. The goal is to increase the visibility of our programmes and support SDU’s ambition to attract the right talent to a strong and attractive study environment.
Collaboration with Fynsk Erhverv
We are strengthening our collaboration with Fynsk Erhverv through a new partnership around the Funen Growth Barometer (Det Fynske Vækstbarometer). This gives SDU Business School a more central research role and access to valuable data, which is expected to be collected from 2027 onwards. At the same time, we see strong opportunities to further develop MorgenForum in close collaboration with Fynsk Erhverv’s CEO, Anne Dyrehauge, helping us connect our research even more closely to practice through relevant companies and real-world case examples.
A Strategy Focused on Impact
As I have mentioned previously, work on our new strategy is progressing well. On 6 October, I will present a first draft to the Academic Council, and I look forward to the discussions that will follow within our sections and administration. One of the central themes of the strategy will be a stronger focus on the societal impact of our research. We must continue to conduct research of the highest quality, but we must also place greater value on activities that translate research into innovation, practical value, and measurable societal impact. For that reason, we will take a closer look in the coming months at how our promotion and merit guidelines can best support this ambition.
Budgets in Place
Finally, I am pleased that section budgets have now been finalised within the framework of the overall budget. This provides much-needed stability and a stronger foundation for daily planning. Among other things, it means that there are once again better opportunities to apply for funding for academic activities and travel.
I look forward to the many tasks we will tackle together in the months ahead and to continuing to develop SDU Business School as a shared endeavour.
There is still much work to be done, but we have made a very strong start, together with the many students who have either begun a new chapter or returned after a long summer break.
We have ambitious goals, not only in research and education, but also in accreditation and in strengthening our visibility both regionally and internationally. When I look back on my first months at SDU since April, an incredible amount has happened. We have been busy with establishment, operations, and development. Fortunately, amidst all the activity, there was also time to pause and connect across the organisation.
It was wonderful to see the entire SBS community gathered at the seminar at Koldingfjord in August. At the same time, I have greatly appreciated visiting many of our campus locations and meeting colleagues locally. I already sense that we are increasingly working and thinking as one unified SDU Business School.
There are still areas where we need to finalise workflows and processes, but the direction is clear, and we are moving forward. A key prerequisite for achieving our ambitions is strong administrative support, both from our own administration and from our shared administrative centre (ABSS). I am pleased that we have chosen to build on the strong professional environments, relationships, and ways of working that are already functioning well. At the same time, we are shaping a new form of collaboration in which two faculties are supported through a shared administrative framework while pursuing different ambitions. I know that establishing this new setup has required a significant effort from many of you.
Thank you for your commitment and patience in the period leading up to 1 September and in the weeks since.
Strengthening Visibility and Building Stronger Relationships
An important part of our work in the coming years will be to strengthen SDU Business School’s visibility and deepen our relationships with the regional business community. To foster the visibility of SDU Business School, we have launched a number of interconnected initiatives that will extend well into 2027 and help position us as a key regional partner for businesses and organisations.
The goal remains to launch a new alumni system in early 2027, which will help strengthen our relationship with former students.
Nadja Schäfer-Dorn is the responsible lead.
MorgenForum: During the first quarter of 2027, SBS will begin hosting morning events featuring academic presentations for the regional business community on Funen, with the possibility of expanding the concept to other campus locations over time. Fynsk Erhverv is involved in the establishment phase, while the long-term plan is to integrate the alumni network as well. Marianne Harbo Frederiksen is the responsible lead.
As part of the alumni initiative, we will launch a new popular science magazine. The digital magazine will publish three issues per year and present the latest research from SBS academic environments in an accessible format. The first issue is planned for release in early May 2027. Section heads will be involved on an issue-by-issue basis and will receive further information in due course. Marianne Harbo Frederiksen and Katja Broholm are responsible leads for this initiative.
In early June 2027, SBS will launch a recurring annual business conference (working title) for the regional business community. The vision is for at least half of the presentations to be delivered by SBS researchers, while the remaining presentations will come from practitioners and international partners. Marianne Harbo Frederiksen is the responsible lead.
We will participate in Folkemødet Bornholm 2027, with researchers contributing to academic debates in collaboration with the Faculties of Humanities, Social Sciences, Sciences, and Health Sciences in a shared SDU tent. The purpose is to communicate relevant and timely research with broad public relevance and strong academic impact. Katja Broholm is coordinating this effort.
The application process to host the EURAM (European Academy of Management) Conference at SDU in 2029 is well underway.
Nadja Schäfer-Dorn and Martin Hannibal are responsible leads for this initiative. Parallel to these visibility initiatives, we continue to focus on branding and student recruitment to attract talented and engaged students, both from Denmark and abroad. The goal is to increase the visibility of our programmes and support SDU’s ambition to attract the right talent to a strong and attractive study environment.
Collaboration with Fynsk Erhverv
We are strengthening our collaboration with Fynsk Erhverv through a new partnership around the Funen Growth Barometer (Det Fynske Vækstbarometer). This gives SDU Business School a more central research role and access to valuable data, which is expected to be collected from 2027 onwards. At the same time, we see strong opportunities to further develop MorgenForum in close collaboration with Fynsk Erhverv’s CEO, Anne Dyrehauge, helping us connect our research even more closely to practice through relevant companies and real-world case examples.
A Strategy Focused on Impact
As I have mentioned previously, work on our new strategy is progressing well. On 6 October, I will present a first draft to the Academic Council, and I look forward to the discussions that will follow within our sections and administration. One of the central themes of the strategy will be a stronger focus on the societal impact of our research. We must continue to conduct research of the highest quality, but we must also place greater value on activities that translate research into innovation, practical value, and measurable societal impact. For that reason, we will take a closer look in the coming months at how our promotion and merit guidelines can best support this ambition.
Budgets in Place
Finally, I am pleased that section budgets have now been finalised within the framework of the overall budget. This provides much-needed stability and a stronger foundation for daily planning. Among other things, it means that there are once again better opportunities to apply for funding for academic activities and travel.
I look forward to the many tasks we will tackle together in the months ahead and to continuing to develop SDU Business School as a shared endeavour.
There is still much work to be done, but we have made a very strong start, together with the many students who have either begun a new chapter or returned after a long summer break.