From the Dean's desk: A move that can make a huge difference
When the National Centre for Register-based Research moves to Health, we’ll have new opportunities to strengthen research based on large amounts of health data and contribute to better health for all. But how can we realise our ambition for synergy and collaboration? I’ve been thinking about this a lot.

"From the Dean’s Desk" – a column in Inside Health
Shortly after a meeting in the Academic Council at which we talked about involvement, I received an email from one of the members of the council. She had thought about our discussions and suggested that I write directly to employees at Health in the faculty's newsletter. She suggested that I could write about some of the initiatives currently on my desk, so that all employees can keep abreast of some of the things we’re working on at the faculty.
I think it's a brilliant idea - thank you! I intend to continue this column once a month from now on.
I use this column to write about some of the issues currently on my desk. One of these matters that has been much on my mind recently is the transfer of the National Centre for Register-based Research from Aarhus BSS to Health, which is to take place at the turn of the year.
There have been numerous practical and administrative decisions, and we have had discussions with the management at the Department of Public Health, which will house the National Centre for Register-based Research, with the centre management, with the management at Aarhus BSS and with the liaison committee.
Now that the framework is falling into place, we can really start talking about the vision and the scientific opportunities that we as a faculty and centre can realise together. And that's really what I'm looking forward to the most.
The centre has delivered crucial research in areas such as autism, epilepsy, eating disorders, ADHD, affective disorders and more.
With its strong profile in register-based research and epidemiology, the Department of Public Health was the obvious choice of location for the centre as there’s a significant overlap in research methods and a common, professional focus on mental health.
By bringing the two units together, I see potential for an extremely strong and more unified epidemiological environment.
I have no doubt that the transfer will strengthen the connection between register-based research and our established research environments. As I see it, all the departments at Health can benefit from the collaboration, because we can now link expertise in register-based research more closely with the existing research infrastructure at the faculty.
But how can we realise this vision? How can we actually create these data collaborations and open this unique opportunity to more faculty researchers? It won't happen by simply giving the National Centre for Register-based Research a new address.
One possibility could be to invite researchers across departments and the centre to develop or realise our visions for collaboration jointly. A professional group that will help define the potentials, identify barriers, and uncover opportunities for specialist synergies to create new research collaborations and projects.
I’ll be thinking more about this and working with motivated and inspiring people from the centre and the Department of Public Health in the coming months.