By Bo Jeppesen, Rector's Office

- The next few years are important for AAU and SUND. We must succeed in realizing the synergies, visions and, not least, the strategy decided for AAU and for SUND. We must not miss out on the opportunities we have right now with the establishment of a visionary health science hub at AAU SUND and the hospital complex. At the same time, it is important that we continue and expand our productive partnerships with the other health science faculties at the University of Copenhagen, the University of Southern Denmark, and Aarhus University on research as well as the national agendas in the health area. This includes that we maintain our focus on increasing AAU's relative share of the national quota of medical students. And at a time when the region's research budget is under pressure, we must constantly seek new ways of cooperating to ensure a high level of research for the good of citizens and their treatment, Rector Per Michael Johansen says, and continues:

- It is also crucial that we strengthen the focus on external funding at SUND in the coming period with intensified efforts targeting both private foundations and the EU. Therefore, AAU must right now have a dean at the helm who knows his faculty and who has a strong network – regionally, nationally and internationally. This will ensure constructive collaboration between AAU and all the many relevant actors in the health area, and will support and develop the opportunities and visions that the new framework for AAU SUND provides.

Lars Hvilsted Rasmussen has been with the Faculty of Medicine since its inception, and along with talented staff, has developed the faculty into a recognized, successful health science faculty.