{"id":174074,"date":"2025-03-03T08:34:44","date_gmt":"2025-03-03T07:34:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/taenk-at-det-hele-gik-wegener-takker-af-efter-otte-aar-som-rektor\/"},"modified":"2025-03-03T13:53:30","modified_gmt":"2025-03-03T12:53:30","slug":"just-think-it-all-worked-out-in-the-end-wegener-steps-down-after-eight-years-as-rector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/just-think-it-all-worked-out-in-the-end-wegener-steps-down-after-eight-years-as-rector\/","title":{"rendered":"Wegener steps down after eight years as rector with mixed emotions of melancholy and relief"},"content":{"rendered":"

T<\/span>he large corner office in the museum building on N\u00f8rregade street in central Copenhagen is stacked with moving boxes.<\/p>\n

When we talked to him, Henrik C. Wegener was packing up his life as rector. In a few days time, he will hand over the position to his successor, David Dreyer Lassen<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Now he feels melancholy, and relief.<\/p>\n

Packing up marks the end of eight intense years in which he was \u00bbgiven the opportunity\u00ab to lead Denmark\u2019s largest university \u2014 and it has been both exciting, wild, and educational, Wegener says.<\/p>\n

He feels relieved at the same time, because, as he puts it: \u00bbWho would have thought, that it all worked out in the end.\u00ab<\/p>\n

\u00bbI clearly remember my first days as rector. I had butterflies in my stomach and thought, Can I handle this? What am I even supposed to do?<\/em> That sort of thing,\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n

READ ALSO:<\/strong> In the wake of Wegener<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00bbEnding a chapter feels completely different. There is a hint of melancholy, but also a great sense of fulfilment. And a sense of calm knowing that things turned out as they should have. I look back and think, well, that actually went pretty well<\/em>. I survived, and I\u2019m leaving behind something I am proud of.\u00ab<\/p>\n

Being rector at the University of Copenhagen is a job with an expiration date, Wegener believes. He has been ambitious on behalf of the institution, and it is as if he has been running at full speed for eight years.<\/p>\n

\u00bbYou can\u2019t do this job forever. At least, I can\u2019t. So for me, it has also been about stepping down in time, while there\u2019s still fuel left in the tank. And before others start saying, isn\u2019t it about time that the old fool calls it quits?<\/em>\u00ab he laughs.<\/p>\n

Modern times<\/h1>\n

Henrik C. Wegener has led the university through a series of major changes.<\/p>\n

Changes that, according to the outgoing rector, have had the all-encompassing goal of unifying the university, which in the past had been marked by fragmentation and a multitude of systems that did not communicate well with each other.<\/p>\n

\u00bbI think it\u2019s the big picture that stands out. We have created strong, unifying strategies that we have delivered on. And we have handled all the things we could never have foreseen \u2014 and there have been a helluva lot of them.\u00ab<\/p>\n

The debate about an offensive Mexican sombrero at an intro event<\/a> from 2018 \u2014 marked the beginning of a new era of fierce value debates at the university, making Wegener the first rector to navigate them.<\/p>\n

\u00bbSuddenly, we found ourselves in an entirely new discussion about how we relate to one another, interact, and communicate,\u00ab he says, adding that during his tenure, there have been many movements within what has been labelled as wokeness.<\/p>\n

\u00bbAnd most recently, the debate about Palestine and Gaza has taken up a lot of space,\u00ab Wegener says.
\n
\nIt has surprised him, he says, that it has primarily been debates about language use, social norms, and most recently foreign policy, that have led to internal discussions at university boiling over and attracting external media attention.<\/p>\n

\u00bbMaybe I\u2019m just an old fool, but I can\u2019t understand why the debate about the climate and the future of our planet hasn\u2019t taken up more space relative to debates about the Mexican sombrero and Palestine,\u00ab says Wegener, shaking his head.<\/p>\n

READ ALSO:<\/strong> Henrik C. Wegener: Being rector is about solving wicked problems<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

He believes nevertheless that the university has navigated through the different debate storms.<\/p>\n

\u00bbI am quite satisfied that we have come out on the other side without compromising the university\u2019s fundamental principles, values, and ideals. We are an institution of enlightenment, founded on academic freedom and independence. That is worth fighting for, and I believe we have done so.\u00ab<\/p>\n

Specifically, Wegener believes that the university has always made room for different movements and trends but has never allowed itself to be subordinated to any particular ideology.<\/p>\n

\u00bbThe university should not be a political battleground where it is about securing a majority and forcing through an ideology. It\u2019s not about being right, but about being understood,\u00ab he says, in a thinly veiled reference to the organisation Students Against the Occupation, which has repeatedly protested \u2014 in various creative ways \u2014 against UCPH collaborations with Israeli universities.<\/p>\n

READ ALSO:<\/strong> No more patience from UCPH management: These students may no longer demonstrate<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\u00bbI think the dialogue from our side was handled reasonably. And that the students had their freedom of expression well accommodated. From the students\u2019 side, I think there was perhaps less understanding that at a university, you do not impose your views on each other.\u00ab
\n
\nAs rector, Wegener has had to accommodate many different interests. During his tenure, he has had to navigate between students who, on the one hand, demanded new forms of social interaction and terms of address \u2014 and, on the other hand, right-wing politicians or commentators who argued that enough is enough<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u00bbWe are not an institution for moral upbringing, and I have always found it liberating that the university can provide a space for discussion and experimentation. Even when university management is occasionally accused of being too lenient,\u00ab he says, adding:<\/p>\n

\u00bbAnd to that, I must say: If politicians want to change the conversation at the university, they have to legislate against it \u2014 then we will follow suit. But until then, the conversation flows freely at the university.\u00ab<\/p>\n

Institutionalised scepticism of management<\/h1>\n

When Wegener speaks of feeling of being \u2019sated\u2019 with the job, it is not only about steering the university through the big cultural shifts of the time.<\/p>\n

It is also about leading a university with a long democratic tradition that, at times, has prolonged and complicated the many development opportunities he has seen within the institution.<\/p>\n

Wegener previously served as prorector at the Technical University of Denmark and is the first of UCPH\u2019s more than 250 rectors who did not come from within the university\u2019s own ranks. When I ask him what it has been like to be the first outsider<\/em> in history, he shrugs.<\/p>\n

\u00bbThat is difficult to answer because I have nothing to compare it to. But I do believe that it can be a strength for any organisation to occasionally bring in someone from the outside who can see things from a different perspective,\u00ab he says, adding:<\/p>\n

\u00bbThere was certainly some scepticism towards it. And that probably says something about the history of this place. You would be hard-pressed to find many other places in Denmark where it would be entirely unthinkable to bring in a manager from the outside. But here\u2026\u00ab he laughs, leaving the sentence unfinished.<\/p>\n

READ ALSO:<\/strong> The keys, please<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

If he had to point to a noticeable difference between DTU and UCPH, it would be the \u00bbinstitutionalised scepticism of management,\u00ab which, at times, has crept into the many obvious changes Wegener has wanted to implement, he says.
\n
\n\u00bbWhen I arrived, the faculties were very different, both administratively and in terms of governance. A recurring theme was that it was difficult to navigate UCPH and collaborate across departments. You constantly encountered barriers and roadblocks. For me it was a no-brainer that I had to address this.\u00ab<\/p>\n

\u00bbBut it is only now, after eight years, that we are close to reaching the finish line with this transformation process,\u00ab says Wegener, pointing specifically to the governance<\/em> reform, which standardised a strategic annual cycle for all faculties, budget and policy reforms, and, finally, the administration reform that takes effect on 3 March \u2014 when he will no longer be at the helm of the institution.<\/p>\n

Patience tested<\/h1>\n

Before becoming a university manager, Wegener did research on zoonoses, diseases that cross over between humans and animals. So when the COVID-19 crisis broke out, guiding the university through it was somewhat familiar territory, he explains.<\/p>\n

He thrives, in fact, in crises, and in situations that require quick thinking and decisive action.<\/p>\n

\u00bbThere are many things during my time as rector that have taken longer than my patience could endure. At times, I have had to convince people that what I wanted to implement wasn\u2019t completely ridiculous. But I think we have evolved a lot in this area, and there is now a shared understanding that we all want what\u2019s best for the university,\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n

As for the administration reform \u2014 which during the lengthy process was particularly criticised for lacking sufficient employee involvement \u2014 Wegener says:<\/p>\n

\u00bbI can confidently say that I have never been involved in anything that has been so thoroughly prepared. That doesn\u2019t mean we haven\u2019t listened to the criticism and taken it into account. We have, and the reform has been adjusted many times along the way.\u00ab<\/p>\n

\u00bbSome might find it provocative, but I am actually proud of this reform.\u00ab<\/p>\n

READ ALSO:<\/strong> 300 million, expensive consultants, and upset guests: Here is the full University of Copenhagen administration reform story<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Laugh at yourself<\/h1>\n

As rector, you don\u2019t just have to take responsibility for the debates that take place within the university \u2014 sometimes, you become the object of media attention and criticism yourself. Wegener has experienced this several times, not least on the University Post.<\/p>\n

How has that been? I ask him. Especially when he now and again has been the object of satire.<\/p>\n

\u00bbI think criticism is completely fine, as long as you understand what it represents. And satire \u2014 I actually would have liked to see more of it. I use a lot of humour in my management style, and sometimes it\u2019s really good to step aside and laugh at yourself,\u00ab says Wegener.<\/p>\n

Wegener \u00bbactually found it funny\u00ab when the Danish section of the University Post released a story last autumn with the headline \u00bbHere is who we think will be the new (female) rector of UCPH<\/a>,<\/em>\u00ab featuring a photoshopped image of Wegener wearing a wig and lipstick.<\/p>\n

\u00bbIt was a different way of addressing something serious,\u00ab he says.
\n
\nI ask Henrik Wegener whether there was anything about being rector that turned out to be more difficult than he had imagined. And whether he would have done anything differently if he could do it all over again.<\/p>\n

\u00bbNo,\u00ab he says, bursting into laughter.<\/p>\n

\u00bbOkay, maybe it is be a bit arrogant to say this. I do think there have been times when I would have liked to have the necessary management information to make decisions. And sometimes, I wish I had been better informed before making a decision,\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n

\u00bbBut in reality, I think success should be measured by everything that didn\u2019t happen. Some things could easily have blown up in our hands, but they didn\u2019t.\u00ab<\/p>\n

At the end of our conversation, we get to the big question that Henrik Wegener has yet to reveal the answer to: What will he do now that he is no longer rector?<\/p>\n

\u00bbI can share a little, but not everything \u2026 \u00ab he begins.<\/p>\n

\u00bbI will be first and foremost advising university sectors in other countries, including Poland and the Czech Republic. Unfortunately, some Central European countries lag behind the rest of Europe, and there is a need for improvement,\u00ab he says, before continuing:<\/p>\n

\u00bbAnd I am also in discussions with one of our foundations about preparing an initiative focused on the global fight against infectious diseases, which I am working hard to bring to life.\u00ab<\/p>\n

Specifically, this new \u2018initiative\u2019 will support countries around the world in developing better preparedness to monitor diseases that have the potential to develop into new pandemics.<\/p>\n

Wegener speaks with barely concealed enthusiasm about the new things that lie in store for him.<\/p>\n

\u00bbOf course, I will miss this job. I think one day I will look back on this and think, damn! What a wild experience it was to get this opportunity. To be part of such an amazing organisation that can achieve such extraordinary things. It has been absolutely incredible.\u00ab
\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Relieved and sated. That\u2019s how he describes himself. For eight years, Henrik C. Wegener has led UCPH through major internal transformations and external media storms. It has required patience, he says, and it has been \u00bbabsolutely incredible.\u00ab<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":99,"featured_media":174025,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3160],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-174074","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","expression-portrait_article"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n\u00bbJust think, it all worked out in the end\u00ab \u2014 Wegener steps down after eight years as rector \u2014 University Post<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/just-think-it-all-worked-out-in-the-end-wegener-steps-down-after-eight-years-as-rector\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u00bbJust think, it all worked out in the end\u00ab \u2014 Wegener steps down after eight years as rector \u2014 University Post\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Relieved and sated. 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That\u2019s how he describes himself. For eight years, Henrik C. Wegener has led UCPH through major internal transformations and external media storms. 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Han efterfulgte Ralf Hemmingsen, der var rektor fra 2005 til 2017. 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Han efterfulgte Ralf Hemmingsen, der var rektor fra 2005 til 2017.\n\nPhoto: Jonas Pryner Andersen","name":"henrik-caspar-wegener-koebenhavns-universitet-rektor-11","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":174014,"date":"2025-02-28 08:52:12","modified":"2025-02-28 08:53:08","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1200,"height":800,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener1-480x320.jpg","medium-width":480,"medium-height":320,"medium_large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener1-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener1.jpg","large-width":1200,"large-height":800,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":800,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":800,"featured-soft":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener1-290x193.jpg","featured-soft-width":290,"featured-soft-height":193,"featured-hard":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener1-290x180.jpg","featured-hard-width":290,"featured-hard-height":180,"narrow":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener1-700x467.jpg","narrow-width":700,"narrow-height":467,"extended":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener1-990x660.jpg","extended-width":990,"extended-height":660}},"style":"full","text_placement":"metadata-below","image_link_url":"","image_link_title":"","caption_prefix":"","enable_alternative_caption":true,"alternative_caption":"\u00bbI think that one day, when I look back on this, I\u2019ll think, damn, what a wild experience it was to get this opportunity,\u00ab says Wegener, who 1 March handed over the rector\u2019s chain of office to David Dreyer Lassen."},{"acf_fc_layout":"Standfirst","subject":"Farewell","text":"Lettet og m\u00e6ttet. S\u00e5dan beskriver den afg\u00e5ende rektor sin afsked med K\u00f8benhavns Universitet. Gennem otte \u00e5r har Henrik C. Wegener ledet universitetet gennem b\u00e5de store interne forandringer og eksterne mediestorme. Det har kr\u00e6vet mere t\u00e5lmodighed, end han havde forestillet sig, og det har \u00bbeddermame v\u00e6ret vildt.\u00ab","use_post_excerpt":true},{"acf_fc_layout":"Byline","is_author":true,"contributors":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p><span class=\"dropcap\">T<\/span>he large corner office in the museum building on N\u00f8rregade street in central Copenhagen is stacked with moving boxes.<\/p>\n<p>When we talked to him, Henrik C. Wegener was packing up his life as rector. In a few days time, he will hand over the position to his successor, <a href=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/here-is-the-new-rector-of-the-university-of-copenhagen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">David Dreyer Lassen<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Now he feels melancholy, and relief.<\/p>\n<p>Packing up marks the end of eight intense years in which he was \u00bbgiven the opportunity\u00ab to lead Denmark\u2019s largest university \u2014 and it has been both exciting, wild, and educational, Wegener says.<\/p>\n<p>He feels relieved at the same time, because, as he puts it: \u00bbWho would have thought, that it all worked out in the end.\u00ab<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbI clearly remember my first days as rector. I had butterflies in my stomach and thought, <em>Can I handle this? What am I even supposed to do?<\/em> That sort of thing,\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n<p><strong>READ ALSO:<\/strong><em> <a href=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/in-the-wake-of-wegener\/\">In the wake of Wegener<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00bbEnding a chapter feels completely different. There is a hint of melancholy, but also a great sense of fulfilment. And a sense of calm knowing that things turned out as they should have. I look back and think, <em>well, that actually went pretty well<\/em>. I survived, and I\u2019m leaving behind something I am proud of.\u00ab<\/p>\n<p>Being rector at the University of Copenhagen is a job with an expiration date, Wegener believes. He has been ambitious on behalf of the institution, and it is as if he has been running at full speed for eight years.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbYou can\u2019t do this job forever. At least, I can\u2019t. So for me, it has also been about stepping down in time, while there\u2019s still fuel left in the tank. And before others start saying, <em>isn\u2019t it about time that the old fool calls it quits?<\/em>\u00ab he laughs.<\/p>\n<h1>Modern times<\/h1>\n<p>Henrik C. Wegener has led the university through a series of major changes.<\/p>\n<p>Changes that, according to the outgoing rector, have had the all-encompassing goal of unifying the university, which in the past had been marked by fragmentation and a multitude of systems that did not communicate well with each other.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbI think it\u2019s the big picture that stands out. We have created strong, unifying strategies that we have delivered on. And we have handled all the things we could never have foreseen \u2014 and there have been a helluva lot of them.\u00ab<\/p>\n<p>The debate about an <a href=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/ten-little-indians-and-then-there-were-none-how-do-you-do-intro-camp-without-giving-offence-in-2019\/\">offensive Mexican sombrero at an intro event<\/a> from 2018 \u2014 marked the beginning of a new era of fierce value debates at the university, making Wegener the first rector to navigate them.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbSuddenly, we found ourselves in an entirely new discussion about how we relate to one another, interact, and communicate,\u00ab he says, adding that during his tenure, there have been many movements within what has been labelled as wokeness.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbAnd most recently, the debate about Palestine and Gaza has taken up a lot of space,\u00ab Wegener says.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Quote","quote":"The university should not be a political battleground where the goal is to secure a majority and force through an ideology. It is not about being right, but about being understood.","quotee":"Henrik C. Wegener, departing rector","style":"extended"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>It has surprised him, he says, that it has primarily been debates about language use, social norms, and most recently foreign policy, that have led to internal discussions at university boiling over and attracting external media attention.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbMaybe I\u2019m just an old fool, but I can\u2019t understand why the debate about the climate and the future of our planet hasn\u2019t taken up more space relative to debates about the Mexican sombrero and Palestine,\u00ab says Wegener, shaking his head.<\/p>\n<p><strong>READ ALSO:<\/strong> <em><a href=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/henrik-c-wegener-being-rector-is-about-solving-wicked-problems\/\">Henrik C. Wegener: Being rector is about solving wicked problems<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>He believes nevertheless that the university has navigated through the different debate storms.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbI am quite satisfied that we have come out on the other side without compromising the university\u2019s fundamental principles, values, and ideals. We are an institution of enlightenment, founded on academic freedom and independence. That is worth fighting for, and I believe we have done so.\u00ab<\/p>\n<p>Specifically, Wegener believes that the university has always made room for different movements and trends but has never allowed itself to be subordinated to any particular ideology.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbThe university should not be a political battleground where it is about securing a majority and forcing through an ideology. It\u2019s not about being right, but about being understood,\u00ab he says, in a thinly veiled reference to the organisation Students Against the Occupation, which has repeatedly protested \u2014 in various creative ways \u2014 against UCPH collaborations with Israeli universities.<\/p>\n<p><strong>READ ALSO:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/no-more-patience-from-ucph-management-these-students-may-no-longer-demonstrate\/\"><em>No more patience from UCPH management: These students may no longer demonstrate<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00bbI think the dialogue from our side was handled reasonably. And that the students had their freedom of expression well accommodated. From the students\u2019 side, I think there was perhaps less understanding that at a university, you do not impose your views on each other.\u00ab<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Image","image":{"ID":174022,"id":174022,"title":"Henrik Caspar Wegener, K\u00f8benhavns Universitet, rektor","filename":"wegener2.jpg","filesize":283489,"url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener2.jpg","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/taenk-at-det-hele-gik-wegener-takker-af-efter-otte-aar-som-rektor\/henrik-caspar-wegener-koebenhavns-universitet-rektor-10\/","alt":"","author":"99","description":"","caption":"Henrik Caspar Wegener (f\u00f8dt 23. oktober 1958) er rektor ved K\u00f8benhavns Universitet. Han efterfulgte Ralf Hemmingsen, der var rektor fra 2005 til 2017.\n\nPhoto: Jonas Pryner Andersen","name":"henrik-caspar-wegener-koebenhavns-universitet-rektor-10","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":174014,"date":"2025-02-28 08:52:10","modified":"2025-02-28 08:53:27","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1200,"height":800,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener2-480x320.jpg","medium-width":480,"medium-height":320,"medium_large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener2-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener2.jpg","large-width":1200,"large-height":800,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener2.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":800,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener2.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":800,"featured-soft":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener2-290x193.jpg","featured-soft-width":290,"featured-soft-height":193,"featured-hard":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener2-290x180.jpg","featured-hard-width":290,"featured-hard-height":180,"narrow":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener2-700x467.jpg","narrow-width":700,"narrow-height":467,"extended":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener2-990x660.jpg","extended-width":990,"extended-height":660}},"style":"extended","text_placement":"metadata-below","image_link_url":"","image_link_title":"","caption_prefix":"","enable_alternative_caption":true,"alternative_caption":"Henrik C. Wegener (born 23 October 1958) has been rector at UCPH from 1 March 2017 to 1 March 2025. "},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>As rector, Wegener has had to accommodate many different interests. During his tenure, he has had to navigate between students who, on the one hand, demanded new forms of social interaction and terms of address \u2014 and, on the other hand, right-wing politicians or commentators who argued that <em>enough is enough<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbWe are not an institution for moral upbringing, and I have always found it liberating that the university can provide a space for discussion and experimentation. Even when university management is occasionally accused of being too lenient,\u00ab he says, adding:<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbAnd to that, I must say: If politicians want to change the conversation at the university, they have to legislate against it \u2014 then we will follow suit. But until then, the conversation flows freely at the university.\u00ab<\/p>\n<h1>Institutionalised scepticism of management<\/h1>\n<p>When Wegener speaks of feeling of being \u2019sated\u2019 with the job, it is not only about steering the university through the big cultural shifts of the time.<\/p>\n<p>It is also about leading a university with a long democratic tradition that, at times, has prolonged and complicated the many development opportunities he has seen within the institution.<\/p>\n<p>Wegener previously served as prorector at the Technical University of Denmark and is the first of UCPH\u2019s more than 250 rectors who did not come from within the university\u2019s own ranks. When I ask him what it has been like to be the first <em>outsider<\/em> in history, he shrugs.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbThat is difficult to answer because I have nothing to compare it to. But I do believe that it can be a strength for any organisation to occasionally bring in someone from the outside who can see things from a different perspective,\u00ab he says, adding:<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbThere was certainly some scepticism towards it. And that probably says something about the history of this place. You would be hard-pressed to find many other places in Denmark where it would be entirely unthinkable to bring in a manager from the outside. But here\u2026\u00ab he laughs, leaving the sentence unfinished.<\/p>\n<p><strong>READ ALSO:<\/strong> <em><a href=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/noeglerne-tak\/\">The keys, please<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>If he had to point to a noticeable difference between DTU and UCPH, it would be the \u00bbinstitutionalised scepticism of management,\u00ab which, at times, has crept into the many obvious changes Wegener has wanted to implement, he says.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Quote","quote":"Some may find it provocative. But I am actually proud of this reform","quotee":"Henrik C. Wegener on the reform of the university administration that goes into effect 1 March 2025","style":"extended"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>\u00bbWhen I arrived, the faculties were very different, both administratively and in terms of governance. A recurring theme was that it was difficult to navigate UCPH and collaborate across departments. You constantly encountered barriers and roadblocks. For me it was a no-brainer that I had to address this.\u00ab<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbBut it is only now, after eight years, that we are close to reaching the finish line with this transformation process,\u00ab says Wegener, pointing specifically to the <em>governance<\/em> reform, which standardised a strategic annual cycle for all faculties, budget and policy reforms, and, finally, the administration reform that takes effect on 3 March \u2014 when he will no longer be at the helm of the institution.<\/p>\n<h1>Patience tested<\/h1>\n<p>Before becoming a university manager, Wegener did research on zoonoses, diseases that cross over between humans and animals. So when the COVID-19 crisis broke out, guiding the university through it was somewhat familiar territory, he explains.<\/p>\n<p>He thrives, in fact, in crises, and in situations that require quick thinking and decisive action.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbThere are many things during my time as rector that have taken longer than my patience could endure. At times, I have had to convince people that what I wanted to implement wasn\u2019t completely ridiculous. But I think we have evolved a lot in this area, and there is now a shared understanding that we all want what\u2019s best for the university,\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n<p>As for the administration reform \u2014 which during the lengthy process was particularly criticised for lacking sufficient employee involvement \u2014 Wegener says:<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbI can confidently say that I have never been involved in anything that has been so thoroughly prepared. That doesn\u2019t mean we haven\u2019t listened to the criticism and taken it into account. We have, and the reform has been adjusted many times along the way.\u00ab<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbSome might find it provocative, but I am actually proud of this reform.\u00ab<\/p>\n<p><strong>READ ALSO:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/dkk-300-million-expensive-consultants-upset-guests-here-is-the-full-university-of-copenhagen-administration-reform-story\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>300 million, expensive consultants, and upset guests: Here is the full University of Copenhagen administration reform story<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h1>Laugh at yourself<\/h1>\n<p>As rector, you don\u2019t just have to take responsibility for the debates that take place within the university \u2014 sometimes, you become the object of media attention and criticism yourself. Wegener has experienced this several times, not least on the University Post.<\/p>\n<p>How has that been? I ask him. Especially when he now and again has been the object of satire.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbI think criticism is completely fine, as long as you understand what it represents. And satire \u2014 I actually would have liked to see more of it. I use a lot of humour in my management style, and sometimes it\u2019s really good to step aside and laugh at yourself,\u00ab says Wegener.<\/p>\n<p>Wegener \u00bbactually found it funny\u00ab when the Danish section of the University Post released a story last autumn with the headline \u00bb<em><a href=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/her-er-vores-bud-paa-kus-nye-kvindelige-rektor\/\">Here is who we think will be the new (female) rector of UCPH<\/a>,<\/em>\u00ab featuring a photoshopped image of Wegener wearing a wig and lipstick.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbIt was a different way of addressing something serious,\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Quote","quote":"Success has to be measured on everything that didn't happen. Some things could have exploded in our hands, but they didn't. ","quotee":"Henrik C. Wegener, departing rector ","style":"extended"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>I ask Henrik Wegener whether there was anything about being rector that turned out to be more difficult than he had imagined. And whether he would have done anything differently if he could do it all over again.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbNo,\u00ab he says, bursting into laughter.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbOkay, maybe it is be a bit arrogant to say this. I do think there have been times when I would have liked to have the necessary management information to make decisions. And sometimes, I wish I had been better informed before making a decision,\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbBut in reality, I think success should be measured by everything that didn\u2019t happen. Some things could easily have blown up in our hands, but they didn\u2019t.\u00ab<\/p>\n<p>At the end of our conversation, we get to the big question that Henrik Wegener has yet to reveal the answer to: What will he do now that he is no longer rector?<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbI can share a little, but not everything \u2026 \u00ab he begins.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbI will be first and foremost advising university sectors in other countries, including Poland and the Czech Republic. Unfortunately, some Central European countries lag behind the rest of Europe, and there is a need for improvement,\u00ab he says, before continuing:<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbAnd I am also in discussions with one of our foundations about preparing an initiative focused on the global fight against infectious diseases, which I am working hard to bring to life.\u00ab<\/p>\n<p>Specifically, this new \u2018initiative\u2019 will support countries around the world in developing better preparedness to monitor diseases that have the potential to develop into new pandemics.<\/p>\n<p>Wegener speaks with barely concealed enthusiasm about the new things that lie in store for him.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbOf course, I will miss this job. I think one day I will look back on this and think, damn! What a wild experience it was to get this opportunity. To be part of such an amazing organisation that can achieve such extraordinary things. It has been absolutely incredible.\u00ab<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"ArticleEnd"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Newsletter","lang_select":"en","identifier":"Newsletter","headline":"Get an email with our top stories","button_text":"Sign up here","class":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"OtherStories","headline":"","hand_picked_posts":false,"references":false,"category":false,"theme":false,"number_of_posts":"4","style":"default"}]},"taxonomyData":{"category":[{"term_id":3160,"name":"People","slug":"people","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3160,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":58,"filter":"raw"}],"post_tag":[],"post_format":[],"expression":[{"term_id":14,"name":"Portrait Article","slug":"portrait_article","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":14,"taxonomy":"expression","description":"","parent":0,"count":796,"filter":"raw"}],"translation_priority":[{"term_id":5468,"name":"Optional","slug":"optional-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5468,"taxonomy":"translation_priority","description":"","parent":0,"count":672,"filter":"raw"}]},"featured_media_url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/wegener1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174074","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/99"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=174074"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174074\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":174144,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174074\/revisions\/174144"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/174025"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=174074"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=174074"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=174074"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}