This autumn, the so-called 'academic quarter' will be implemented throughout the entire Aarhus School of Business and Social Sciences to bring class hours into line and thereby improve the opportunities for interdisciplinary teaching.

2011.02.24 | Marianne Gammelgaard

As of the beginning of next semester, the timetables will be synchronised at Aarhus School of Business and Social Sciences, and this should make it easier for teachers to give lectures and students to attend classes at different locations.

The academic quarter will be introduced in order to adapt to the general lines at Aarhus University and give teachers and students longer transition periods to travel between class locations. This will also provide much better opportunities for interdisciplinary courses.

Cooperation across AU
- It’s positive that Aarhus School of Business and Social Sciences is now able to organise courses with the rest of Aarhus University. In future, teachers and students may sometimes be on different locations, and the synchronisation of timetables is introduced to ensure that everyone can get to class on time, says Peder Østergaard, Vice-dean of Education.

The challenge for the former Aarhus School of Business will be to organise the Graduate Diploma programmes in Business Administration, which again this autumn will take place between 5:30 pm and 9:00 pm. In the evening, the classrooms are fully booked, but the Planning Office will look for a workable solution. Students at the former Aarhus School of Business must also get used to having a lunch break of only 15 minutes instead of the usual 30 minutes.

About the academic quarter
In short, the academic quarter means that everybody meets 15 minutes later than indicated on the timetable. So if students have lessons scheduled for 9:00 pm, the lessons will actually start at 9:15 pm.

The academic quarter originates from the two old Swedish university cities Lund and Uppsala. The academic quarter originally dates back to a time when students in general did not wear watches. So when the church bell struck the hour, the students had 15 minutes to leave home and get to class on time.

> See the new timetable (only available in Danish)

For further information

Peder Østergaard
Vice Dean, Director of Education
Aarhus School of Business and Social Sciences
E-mail: ps@asb.dk
Tel.: 89486644