Dear all
Enclosed follows an update of last week's meetings. Last Wednesday ( 27.11.2013) rector showed a figure picturing the development of the University's income and expenditure in recent years ( see below).




At the Department meeting there were questions directed to the numbers. I have subsequently received two figures where the numbers are divided on revenue and expenditure (see below).



As can be seen, external grants (including funding) continues to increase, like salaries, whereas it is especially budget revenues which have stagnated.

As to the scope of savings on the main academic areas a distribution based on turnover is being prepared. For Health which has a turnover amounting to 21% of the revenues for all the main academic areas, savings in 2014 will amount to at least 21.1 million dkk and another 10 million in 2015 – resulting in savings totalling at least 31.6 million. These figures are, however, associated with some uncertainty. Savings requirements are based on projections and forecasts, and the 2014 budget will also have to be discussed in the main liaison committee ( HSU) on 13 December and at the board meeting scheduled for 18 December. We will not know the actual economic situation until January, when the final accounts for 2013 will be available, and we have a 2014 budget for the main academic area of Health. And as mentioned earlier, the current plan is that budgets will be communicated to the departments on 10 January 2014 .

The last few years have been challenging to get the revenue and expenditure to balance at our Dept. of Biomedicine, and the latest forecast for the whole of 2013, based on the first 3 quarters shows a deficit of approx  4 million DKr. External funding has increased over the last few years (2013 forecast of approx. 114 million compared with approx 101 million in 2012 and approx 89 million in 2011.)  The number of employees (VIP and TAP), financed by the Department has been at about the same level the last few years - in 2013, this particular cost amounts to approx 105 million. In addition, since our Department is characterized by relatively large and expensive sqm (laboratories and animal facilities), the new constructions and the renovation of the Bartholin and Anatomy complexes are expected to increase the rent expenses, which lead us to expect that savings requirements for 2014 and the coming years will be especially hard for us here at the Department.

To meet the increased costs at the University and the departments in relation to external project funding, we have developed (and reviewed on the basis of responses) guidelines for funding applications. From now on, all budgets for major funding applications (over 1 million DKr) must be approved by the Head of the Department who in each case will assess whether and to what extent it is possible to incorporate related costs. The procedures will enter into force as from 2014.

Recruitment of VIP and TAP in the near future
Due to the somewhat uncertain economic situation, we will be very restrictive as to the hiring of new employees in the near future. This is especially the case when the position is financed by the Department. But also in cases when the position is financed by external funds will we be restrictive until in January when there is more clarity on the economy. An actual qualified job freeze is likely to be announced later.

New prestigious papers from the Department

• SERCA mutant E309Q binds two Ca2 + ions but adopts a catalytically incompetent conformation . Clausen JD, Bublitz M, Arnou B , Montigny C , Jaxel C , Moller JV , Nissen P , Andersen JP , le Maire M. EMBO J. 2013 November 22
• Structural and functional characterization of two alpha -synuclein strains . Bousset L , Pieri L , Ruiz- Arlandis G , Gath J , Jensen PH , Habenstein B , Madiona K, Olieric V Böckmann A, Meier BH , Melki R. Nat Commun. 2013; 4:2575.
• Leptin regulation of Hsp60 impacts hypothalamic insulin signaling . Kleinridders A, Lauritzen HP , Ussar S, Christensen JH, Mori MA, Bross P , Kahn CR . J Clin Invest. 2013 Oct 1

Congratulations to the authors.

Holidays and special holidays (and the possibility of holiday status at mit.au.dk)
On 1 January we will take stock of unused holidays for the biomedical staff. Employees with unused holidays will be notified of their number of holidays to be held in the period from 1 February to 30 April 2014. This also applies to unused special holidays (the 6^th holiday week).
As a new feature, you can check the status of your holiday at http://mit.au.dk. You cannot change the figure yourself. Do you want to change your holiday registrations you should contact your local secretariat, which will be able to help you with any questions you may have relating to holidays.

Secretariat services
Due to illness in the Secretariat, the announced relocation of employees from the Department South (Anatomy) to the Department East (Bartholin) is postponed until further notice. Lene Sloth will continue to work in the Department South until we know more of the situation. Annette Kuhdahl Jensen and Zitta Glattrup Nygaard have already started to work on assignments from the Department South, and they are expected to be finally relocated to the Secretariat South in the near future, as the secretariat premises are expanded and renovated.

Biomedical Christmas party
The Christmas party is held on Friday 13 December in Stakladen.  293 employees have registered (the Stakladen holds 300 people - use of adjacent rooms not including).

Candidates for the Aarhus University Research Foundation PhD - prize
In 2014 the Fund will distribute 3 prizes each of DKr 50.000.  PhD students who have obtained the PhD degree in 2013 and PhD students who submit their thesis in 2013 and to be awarded  by 1 February 2014, are eligible. Proposals must be motivated and should include: the student's name, admission date, date of award of degree, relevant activities (with reference to the attached CV, including references, presentations at international conferences (title and type), others – including visits to foreign research institutions, an assessment of the student's PhD programme. The proposal must be a maximum of one A4 page with the student’s CV attached and forwarded to Thomas G. Jensen not later than Friday, 17 January.

Nominations for Honorary Doctorates
Proposals should be forwarded to ha@sun.au.dk by 5 January 2014. The Honorary Doctoral degree is awarded to researchers who are estimated to having scientifically merited to such an extent that it seems natural to honor them with the highest academic honours. All proposals must include a short and concise explanation of how he/she will be appointed as Honorary + a short CV: Recommendation text of 1-2 pages - please describe the nominee's contact and cooperation relations with Health, and a CV of 2-3 pages incl. references. It is a requirement that information on date of birth, postal address and e-mail address are listed in the CV. You can find a list on previous Honory Doctorates here: http://www.au.dk/om/profil/historie/haedersbevisninger/aeresdoktorer-proklameret-af-aarhus-universitet/

Information PhD Cup
The final deadline for Information PhD Cup 2014 is 6 January 2014. More information at: http://phdcup.dk/om-ph-d-cup/

Media Training Courses Spring 2014
Read more at: http://medarbejdere.au.dk/administration/kommunikation/medier/au-medietraeningsguide/medietraening/

Bioinformatics
Danish e-Infrastructure Cooperation informs that you can apply to a mailing list with calls regarding supercomputing. Please find a link to the newsletter at: http://www.deic.dk/nyhedsbrev1113

That's about it. Remember that you are always welcome to contact me or any other from the management team, if you want to discuss something about the current, uncertain economic situation.

Best regards
Thomas
Mobile 2778 2805