Actions

We acknowledge that research management is demanding, and it requires competencies and leadership development.

We offer courses in research management aligned with other offers for competence development for researchers.

We identify future research leaders and ensure research leadership development in all departments.

We wish that department managements can gain adequate insight in research management to strengthen research as a core task.

We put research on the agenda in discussions between department managements, the Hospital Management and the management of Department of Clinical Medicine in recurring meetings and dialogues about research.

Objectives

At least 80% of all professors will complete a research management programme before the end of 2027.

All department managements at Aarhus University Hospital are offered targeted research management programmes before the end of 2023.

Actions

We stimulate increased national and international collaboration in all aspects of clinical research.

We more often host international symposia, congresses, conferences and similar events.

Objectives

At the research dialogue meetings in 2023, agreements are made with each department on the extent of research publications made in collaboration with researchers internationally and/or researchers from other Danish institutions before the end of this strategy period.

75% of all publications are published in the top 25% of journals relevant to the research field.

Actions

We invest in building relations with foundations, authorities etc.

We make clinical research more visible – internally and externally.

Obejctives

We make a joint action plan to coordinate relationship building concerning funding before the end of 2024.

We increase the proportion of external funding by 20% in 2027 compared with 2021.

Obtained funds above DKK 5 million is increased by 10% in 2027 compared with 2021.

The following five development areas will all have obtained funding amounting to at least DKK 10 million at the end of the strategy period: Children and adolescents, transplantation, precision medicine, infectious diseases and the highly specialized hospital covering all cancer pathways.

Actions

We stimulate synergies between basic, clinical and health services research.

We encourage research activities across professions, areas of specialization, faculties and sectors. Across sectors is also understood as research in integrated care pathways and research collaboration with the life science industry.

We increase the number of publications based on interprofessional research collaboration by 10% during the strategy period.

We support interdisciplinary networks (at the drafting of the strategy, the following networks were established: Network for translational cancer research, The cardiovascular network, Network for food and nutrition, Network for personalised medicine and Neurocampus Aarhus).

We are involved in the partnership Human First, a collaboration on ground-breaking research, development, education and clinical practice – for better health and a better society.

We develop partnerships between research environments to provide competent support to ensure growth of less established research environments.

We make it possible for researchers to interact and discuss with colleagues across departments who have been successful in achieving larger fundings.

We expand international networks by attracting visiting professors and other international researchers.

We increase the number of international visiting professors including the Honorary Skou professorships at Health by 50% during the strategy period (appointments for new Honorary Skou professorships every second year – 2024-2026)

We focus specifically on international collaborations in highly specialized areas with a very low patient volume.

We ensure coordination and close collaboration between units at Aarhus University Hospital and Aarhus University working with health innovation.

We are part of Health Innovation Aarhus (HIA). The purpose of HIA is to attract investments, international businesses, start-ups, students, researchers, developers and other professions and talents to the Aarhus area.

Objectives

At two annual seminars, we strengthen dialogue and coordination between research councils across departments and hospital. The purpose is to discuss initiatives to strengthen the synergy between basic, clinical and health services research.

We increase the number of publications based on interprofessional research collaboration by 10% during the strategy period.

Establishment of a partnership arrangement (at team/department level) between larger and smaller research environments. A trial action for this arrangement will be initiated in 2023 on the requests from researchers in less established research environments.

The trial action is evaluated during the spring of 2024.

An overview is made of recipients of larger fundings (above DKK 5 million) in the previous 4 years. The overview is available before the end of 2023.

We increase the number of international visiting professors including the Honorary Skou professorships at Health by 50% during the strategy period (appointments for new Honorary Skou professorships every second year – 2024-2026)

We increase participation in international networks e.g., Circle-U (European University Alliance), European Reference Network, European Hospital Alliance, COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology), The Guild etc.

Actions

We aim for a broader inclusion into research  projects to offer patients from all population groups, particularly complex patients and patients with multimorbidity, the possibility to participate in research projects.

We increase patients’ participation in research projects by targeted use of several different communication channels.

Obectives

Before the end of 2023, all researchers are introduced to how we can make a broader inclusion with the overall purpose to ensure inclusion of all types of patients in research projects.

All relevant patients are offered to be part of at least one clinical research project. Before the end of 2024, all clinical departments make an action plan on how the local research environments can include more patients and/or broader inclusion of patients in research projects. The effects of the action plans are evaluated at the research dialogue meeting during the course of 2027.

Actions

We offer specific and relevant advice on patient involvement in research projects to all researchers – including how to formulate research questions.

Our research protocols describe how patients are involved as partners in the research process and the expected effects of this for the research the patients are part of.

We report main findings to the patients who have been involved in the research projects.

Objectives

In 2023, we make an education programme for all researchers on patient involvement in research projects, including advice to researchers on how patients obtain the best conditions for being partners in research processes.

In 2024-25, a digital platform will be established where patients and relatives can contribute to research questions.

In 2024, digital forms have been developed, which can be used to report main findings to patients.

Actions

We make the university hospital’s investments in research visible by making statements of the annual consumption for research at Aarhus University Hospital.

More clinical research positions in all professions are established.

We work continuously to create an attractive research and working environment with focus on thriving and work-life balance.

We make it possible for talented and excellent researchers to do lifelong research from pre-graduate to senior researcher level.

Aarhus University Hospital offers mentorship to all new researchers as a follow-up on the onboarding programme at Department of Clinical Medicine and the general programme at Aarhus University.

We make career pathways more transparent and thus accessible to all.

We pool data to follow the development over time of the gender distribution among associate professors and professors with joint positions at Aarhus University Hospital and Aarhus University (based on existing data from Health).

We revise recruiting processes concerning representation, language and criteria to ensure equal conditions for advancement (this applies to job advertisements, establishment of assessment committees, appointments committees and appointment interviews and criteria)

Objectives

In 2027, at least 5% of the payroll budget at Aarhus University Hospital is spent on research.

We strive to offer at least three associate professorships annually and at least three professorships during the strategy period among qualified researchers with a health professional background.

We establish several postdoc positions by the end of 2024.

In the first half of 2023, we decide a level for the financing of professorships which departments are expected to contribute with.

Before the end of 2025, we make an action plan to ensure we retain talented and excellent researchers.

A mentorship programme is developed for newly employed staff in research positions.

In the second half of 2023, an overview of research positions from PhD to professor level will be made, including specifications for and financing of each level.

Annual statistics are made on the current gender distribution.

No later than in the first half of 2024, gender distribution will be on the agenda at meetings in the Research Council at Aarhus University Hospital.

In 2023, we establish a working group to review current knowledge in the field. The working group will draft a suggestion for revision of recruitment processes.

No later than the end of 2024, we have made a coordinated revision of the recruitment processes.