Result of the adjustment process

In the period from 23 March to 31 May, management has adjusted SDU’s finances to create a balance between revenue and costs corresponding to DKK 95 million annually from 1 January 2024. 

The DKK 95 million was found through increased revenue of DKK 7.1 million, reduced labour costs of DKK 79.6 million and reduced operating costs of DKK 8.3 million. 

The reduced labour costs correspond to 112 full-time positions (FTEs) being eliminated either through natural attrition, vacant positions not being refilled, severance agreements or unsolicited redundancies. In addition, 27 full-time positions will be converted to either reduced working hours (senior scheme or reduced hours) or to funding for external research projects due to increased external research funding.  

Overall, 139 full-time positions are directly affected by the adjustment. 

The scope of the adjustment is such that it is necessary for all main areas (the faculties and the Central Administration) to adjust their tasks with a focus on task elimination, redistribution of tasks, efficiency improvements and reduced activity levels. It is to be expected that perceived standards of service will be negatively affected, for example through longer response times or changed hours. 

At two faculties, it has also been necessary to discontinue several education programmes and study tracks.  

In some key areas, it will be necessary to make ongoing adjustments to income and costs up to 2027. The management of each main area will provide further information on this.  

At sdunet.dk, you can find a collection of material on the financial situation, including previous announcements by the management. For an overview of the consequences of the financial adjustments at the individual faculties and within the Central Administration, please see: https://sdunet.dk/en/budget2023 

Evaluation of the process 

During June, SDU’s management, together with the collegiate bodies – the Central Liaison Committee, the University Council, the local liaison committees and the academic councils at the faculties – will evaluate the recently completed process of adjustments at SDU. The evaluation will seek to identify learnings from the process.  

If you have any input or comments about the process, please do not hesitate to contact your immediate manager or your union representative. 

Thank you to everyone 

As management, we have assessed that the financial adjustment was necessary to handle the great pressure on the University’s finances, not least as a result of the declining student intake at the University in recent years. 

Institutional adjustments similar to the one we have just completed are not projected in the coming years. However, we cannot rule out the possibility that minor localised adjustments may be needed in some of the main areas in the coming years. 

The adjustment process has been difficult for everyone at SDU. Through dialogues with managers and employees, we are aware of how much the process affects all environments. 

We would like to send a heartfelt thank you to everyone for their efforts during this difficult time. Both to the employees who have been directly affected by the cuts and to the employees who are indirectly affected. We would also like to extend a special thanks to the University’s union representatives, all of whom have contributed greatly to the process.  

The realised adjustments will be felt in the daily work both in the short and long term, as it will take time to incorporate all the decided adjustments into our daily rounds. 

We hope – and will strive to ensure – that all of us get through the upcoming adjustments in the best possible way.  

On behalf of SDU’s Executive Board   

Jens Ringsmose, Rector   

Helle Waagepetersen, Pro-Rector   

Thomas Buchvald Vind, University Director