University elections coming up for UCPH board seats

Who will speak up for you when the big decisions, and the small decisions, are to be taken at the University of Copenhagen? You can help to decide this yourself.

At the end of November, students and staff at the university are to choose between eligible candidates that can influence decisions right up from the top of the University’s Board down to the local councils, boards and committees.

This year there is a lot at stake, because staff have to choose new representatives for the Board, something that only takes place every four years. The academic staff (the ‘VIP’ category) have to choose two candidates and the technical and administrative staff (TAP) have to choose one for the powerful 11-person Board of the University.

The students are to vote in three elections: to the Board of the University, the academic councils, and the study boards. The technical and administrative staff (TAP) only have to concentrate on the Board of the University, while the academic staff (VIP), with PhD students, also have to select new members for the PhD committees.

A struggle against the low turnout

The election can have an effect on the decisions that are taken at the university. But the election does not get a great deal of attention.

Only 16.9 per cent of students voted in last year’s board election, and the turnout was about the same in 2017.

The election secretariat at the University of Copenhagen states however that they will set up banners and advertisements, physically and on the internet, to increase turnout, just as they will regularly send out e-mails to employees and students, including when the ballot is officially opened.

If you want to stand for the election, you must report your candidacy no later than 30th October at 14:00. The voting takes place electronically from the 25th until the 29th November and the election results are announced on 4th December at 12:30.

Read more on the University of Copenhagen website.

This article is a translation. See the original here.