Closer collaboration between PHARMA, LIFE and SCIENCE - 09.10.2009

A working group recommends:

A new interdisciplinary instrument centre, strategic academic leadership, an international research elite, a collective strategy for the recruitment of new students. These are just some of the recommendations presented in a report on collaborative possibilities and academic synergies between the Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE), the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences (PHARMA) and the Faculty of Sciences (SCIENCE) . The report is the result of enquiries made by an independent working group (the PhLS committee) appointed by the three faculties.

Over the last year, the PhLS committee has met with 19 departments at the three faculties. These meetings have identified a number of important challenges and opportunities facing the natural and bio-scientific faculties: Ensuring optimal use of expensive and advanced scientific equipment through collaboration and prioritisation across disciplinary borders. Creating strong and focused research environments by establishing interfaculty centres – for example in chemistry and plant biology. Increasing student recruitment and academic development by offering interfaculty mobility and interdisciplinary study programmes. Designing an Integrated Science module to ensure coherence across natural science disciplines. For more details on the committee’s recommendations, please download the full report.

The report, Synergies within the natural sciences at the University of Copenhagen. An interfaculty evaluation of barriers and opportunities to improve the quality of infrastructure, research and education is part of the follow-up on the 2007 merger between the University of Copenhagen, the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, and the Danish University of Pharmaceutical Sciences. In autumn 2008, the deans at PHARMA, LIFE and SCIENCE decided to initiate an enquiry which main purpose was to identify areas with great synergy potential at the three faculties. To conduct this enquiry, the deans appointed an independent working group chaired by Professor Povl Krogsgaard-Larsen (PHARMA), with Professor Birger Lindberg Møller (LIFE) and Professor Erik Hviid Larsen (SCIENCE) as members.

 

The deans will now open a debate on the issues presented in the report. The debate will involve academic committees, heads of department, study committees, liaison committees, education councils, and student councils at the three faculties. All students and members of staff are welcome to participate in this debate by submitting comments via mail to .

 

The debating period closes on 16 November, after which the deans will prepare a collective action plan, outlining how to proceed with the report’s recommendations.

 

Sven Frøkjær Dean Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Per Holten-Andersen Dean Faculty of Life Sciences

Nils Overgaard Andersen Dean Faculty of Sciences