It’s here: University of Copenhagen’s administration overhaul goes live

It has called ‘the elephant in the room’ and fiercely debated among University of Copenhagen (UCPH) staff.

And now it is finally here: the University of Copenhagen’s new administration.

The university administration officially came into effect on 1 March, but for most administration employees, 3 March was the first time they experienced the new organization in practice.

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For many members of staff this means new tasks, new colleagues, and possibly a physical relocation in the near future.

It is completely okay not to have a full overview yet, and to feel uncertain about certain aspects

Søren Skydsgaard, University Director

»The new administration is the culmination of a long process, and now we are finally going live. It became clearer in the autumn where people would be placed, and in the lead-up to today we have held several onboarding sessions to prepare everyone as best as possible,« says University Director Søren Skydsgaard.

»Some employees have already moved, but most will have reported to their usual workplace today Monday. It will not be until later in March that many will actually relocate. For most, this first week will be about getting a much better understanding of their new role,« he says.

Søren Skydsgaard encourages administrative staff to be »proactive and curious« about the new structure.

»It is completely okay not to have a full overview yet, and to feel uncertain about certain aspects. The new administration is something we are building together, and that is what makes it so exciting,« he says.

Contract addendum for all

University of Copenhagen intranet KUnet has been flashing yellow banners to guide students, researchers and staff on how to contact the new administration from 1 March. According to Søren Skydsgaard, the intranet will continue to look like this for the time being:

»Eventually, we want a simpler and more user-friendly website, but this is where we are starting. And I think the current version provides a reasonably good overview of how to reach the new administration if in doubt,« says the University Director.

Overall, Søren Skydsgaard is satisfied with how far the university has come with the administration reform.

»I think we have come a long way. This is a massive reorganisation and transformation, and we really want staff to be involved in shaping the new administration. This is absolutely crucial for ensuring good processes in the future,« he says.

The majority of the physical relocations will take place over the weekend 14-17 March as mentioned in a news article on KUnet.

Last week, all employees affected by the administration reform received an addendum to their employment contract. Specifically, HR reports that on Wednesday, 26 February, 2,600 contract addendums were sent out to employees.

That includes the University Director himself.

»I received an email the other day with an addendum to my employment stating that I am now officially employed in the University Administration,« he says.