Thomas G. takes three more years

Every week, Thomas G. Jensen's calendar includes time blocks labeled "coffee." He doesn't know in advance who he'll be having coffee with. The time is reserved so he can talk with employees he encounters at the Department of Biomedicine.

Thomas G. Jensen - or Thomas G., as many call him - has headed the department since its start in 2011. He has just been extended for another three years.

He is very pleased about this, both because he is deeply connected to the place and its people, and because there are still tasks, he wants to see through.

"We haven't achieved everything we set out to do when we started in 2011," he says.

"But in many ways, we're getting settled."

An example is that the department's employees are currently settling into the thoroughly renovated Bartholin Building, which was inaugurated at the end of April this year.

"The construction projects are close to being completed. By summer, everyone will have moved to where they will be. So that part is essentially completed says Thomas G.

Now, he needs to figure out what the new settings mean for the department. Thomas G. is particularly aware of the importance of relations.

"Who is working in the room next door? Who do you eat bread or cake with? These close relations mean a lot for the well-being and the work environment. But the settings also impact the quality of our research and teaching because you interact more with those, you're close to," he says.

Collaboration is a practice he engages in daily. Currently, he and the rest of the management team are establishing a new department forum to give advises on all topics important to the department.

"Strategy, finance, recruitment, policies, everything," he declares.

The new advisory forum will consist of a representative from each of the physical units the department is now divided into - such as a floor in Bartholin or a wing in the Skou Building - and representatives from administrative staff, the animal facility, etc.

Thomas G. is still unsure about the mandate and role of the new forum, in relation to for example, the management team, liaison committee, and the occupational health organization - but what others might fear as a managerial headache, he insists on calling "exciting."

Overall, Thomas G. is almost unwavering in his positive approach to everyday challenges. He meets the world from a constructive angle and is truly interested in other people and their opinions.

This is reflected in the department's flat structure, which is unique for an organization with nearly 600 employees. No matter your role in the department, it is possible book a meeting with Thomas G. if you have something you'd like to discuss.

"As a researcher and teacher, I've experienced not wanting to go through a hierarchy of middle managers. If you're dissatisfied with something, you should easily be able to contact the people who have influence or can carry it forward. It's important for autonomy, agency, and the joy of going to work," he says.

The role as department head is challenging because you must navigate between employees who don't necessarily agree on the direction, the given political frameworks, and a higher management that also has opinions and influence on what should happen.

It doesn’t get any easier when, as a leader, you choose to engage in honest conversations about how things are really going. Thomas G. spends a lot of time on relational work, from career talks to personnel conflicts, which inevitably arise in an organization with many people, dreams, and opinions.

"Personnel management is difficult and often involves many emotions. One thing I've had to learn is not to take it home. The professional approach to the job is that it's not about me as a person; it's about the job function," says Thomas G., who primarily unwinds with two things: sports and his two-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter, Edith.

"In my free time, I prioritize my family above all, and perhaps especially my new granddaughter. Having her in the family and seeing how she develops is one of the most fantastic things I've experienced. It's incredibly touching to see that it also means something to her to have a grandfather who is fond of her."

He has run a marathon every year for several years but stopped in October. Now, tennis - preferably a doubles match with the team in Grenaa - gives him energy to focus on work areas like the department's finances, the medical education, or a new research strategy.

Biomedical research has developed rapidly since the department's birth 14 years ago. This has resulted in a fruitful environment for entrepreneurial innovation and the creation of several spinouts. Behind the yellow walls, talented people from all over the world work today. Thomas G. is aware that the right employees - and their development - are crucial to the department's success.

"I'm pleased with the recruitment processes we've had. We have a long list of incredibly talented people who will be here for many years and will help develop the department," he says.

For over a decade, Thomas G. has conducted leadership development courses for new group leaders in Biomedicine - a program that lasts up to 12 months.

He has just started a course for nine new group leaders. Most are young, but there are also some more experienced group leaders in this group. Together, they discuss both practical and complex challenges.

"They get to know each other and me, and they help each other get a good start," he says.

But perhaps not as many new faces need to be hired in Thomas G. Jensen's next term. A key theme for the next three years will be quality over quantity.

"I dream of the department moving away from the researcher hotel model, where researchers get space but have to secure all the funding themselves," he says.

"We've had a large increase in external funding. But there are also disadvantages to being dependent on grants. I hope the department can move towards a model where, if you're hired, you have a high degree of freedom and resources in the research groups, so you don't constantly have to apply for funding for everything."

In this regard, Thomas G. is particularly inspired by The Crick Institute in London, which the management team recently visited. Here, many resources are allocated to research groups, providing researchers with more freedom, security, and the opportunity to think long-term, he believes. It simply leads to more daring projects.

But where will the money come from?

"One possibility is that the Department of Biomedicine shouldn't grow any further. That we stop pursuing much more external funding and more employees and instead use resources on the people already here," he says.

"It's not simple, but we've started discussions about what that means."

The new department forum will also help with this task.

Thomas G. is 63 years old. It's natural to ask whether the new term as department head will also be his last.

"I'm taking the three years - what happens afterward, I haven't figured out yet," he says.

"But I know I'll be very sad to leave the department. It will be really hard. I don't like saying goodbye, actually. When I left the institute in Copenhagen, where I had been research director and professor for just over three years, it was also tough because they had treated me incredibly well. I somewhat dread the day it has to happen here."

Why did you agree to another three years?
Being department head is in many ways a dream job. You’re close to many people and can influence strategy and long-term planning.

I enjoy having influence on what happens both in the department and at the university. In the faculty leadership team, we have a strong collaborative spirit and engaging discussions about the overall directions the faculty should pursue.

The best part of my job is having a management space where I can work for the department and help shape how employees succeed.

What will be the biggest challenges in the next three years?
Economic challenges - such as education revenue, enrollment capacity, and rent. Also, following the recent research evaluation, it will be a major and exciting challenge to formulate our research strategy - what areas should we prioritize and focus on?

Another key challenge is ensuring we continue to have excellent students and quality in our educations. A top priority is maintaining high academic standards in our medical education, where we’re currently revising the curriculum.

What are you most looking forward to in the next three years?
I gain energy from being around others in the department and witnessing people with great ideas who take initiative. I love seeing that kind of vitality. We have many incredibly skilled individuals, and it’s rewarding to watch them grow, become independent, and find clarity in their roles.