
Budget cuts
As things currently stand, we expect that the Faculty of Science will reduce its workforce by 22 full-time equivalent. A number of these will happen through natural wastage or voluntary resignations, or by not refilling all vacant positions. But unfortunately lay-off will also be necessary.
At present, we cannot say how the lay-offs, voluntary resignations and natural wastage will be distributed.
We will abolish both academic and technical/administrative functions. It is expected that these will be divided between 13 academic positions and 9 technical/administrative positions.
Although many of you will undoubtedly wish to know which positions will be affected, we must appeal for your patience. The affected employees are entitled to be informed first, and consideration for them takes priority. We are working with the Faculty's Liaison Committee and the Liaison Committee at SDU on the implementation of savings, based on the wish to orient all affected employees before the end of April.
As soon as that has happened, everyone will be informed about what will be discontinued or reduced.
In order to achieve the required savings, we have used two key approaches: rationalising education activities and discontinuation/reduction of research areas with low attraction for students.
No study programmes are to be discontinued
In contrast to other faculties at SDU, the Faculty of Science will not discontinue any study programmes.
– From the beginning, I have made it clear that I did not wish to discontinue study programmes. The demand for science graduates is growing rather than falling. Although some of our study programmes are small - and therefore less profitable than the large study programmes - it is also among the small study programmes that we find the most demand for graduates; this applies to study programmes such as Physics and Mathematics, emphasises Dean Martin Zachariasen.
On the other hand, there will be an optimisation of our education activities in the near future: a process that is already underway and is expected to continue in the next three years.
– The aim of rationalisation is to reduce the expenditure for each student we educate while making sure that the quality of the study programmes is maintained. This will be implemented in different ways: by differentiating and optimising our costly laboratory teaching through increased use of digital learning; through increased use of full-time lecturers; and through reducing resource consumption in connection with exams, explains the dean.
Some research areas to be closed down
We will close down some research areas at the Faculty of Science. The criteria here are quality and relevance: Research groups will have to have a good scientific production; be attractive for students; attract external funding; and have significant contact with the outside world.
Closing down or reducing a number of research areas will also mean that specialised courses and supervision in these areas will expire.
– This selection has been based on factors such as the attraction of students to the research area, including contributions to supervision of bachelor projects, master projects and PhD projects, explains the dean.
Savings rooted in political decisions
Savings by the Faculty are partly a result of the 8% savings the Government's Budget has imposed on the nation's education institutions in the years from 2016-2019, and partly a result of the so-called dimensioning of study programmes which has led to the loss of many study places. At the Faculty of Science, Biology, BMB and Biomedicine have been subject to dimensioning. Furthermore, there will be a reduction of grants to governmental research funds, which will indirectly have an impact on the Faculty of Science's finances.
Still room for strategic selection
The Faculty of Science wants to have continued scope for development so that we can increase the quality and relevance of our research and study programmes and if possible generate new income. At the seminars in January 2016, many proposals for selection options were put forward, and we are working strategically on how they can help increase our income and strengthen research and education despite the savings agenda.
– On Monday, SDU's Board also decided to increase SDU's joint strategic fund by DKK 30 million, so it will reach DKK 50 million in 2019. This will still allow us to carry out strategic selections at the Faculty of Science. The expectation is that the first allocations from the new fund will be made before the summer break, continues the dean.
Thank you for your input
The strategic deselections have emerged through an extension of the departments' work with their professional development plans, two seminars with selected employees in January 2016 and work undertaken by the Faculty's management group in recent months.
During this process, we have received a great deal of relevant input from the departments, and thanks to their input we can now meet our target of carrying out clear selections and deselections.
– At the Faculty of Science, all members of staff have made constructive contributions to the process throughout, and we in the Faculty's management group greatly appreciate this. We are convinced that the deselections which ultimately have been made are right for the Faculty, concludes the dean.
This afternoon, there will be orientation meetings at the departments and in the faculty administration in which the heads of department and the dean will participate.