Job descriptions

The head of department is always responsible for the entire department's resources, operations, finances, etc. The head of department may delegate responsibilities to the deputy heads of department.

By delegation, the deputy head of department for education has the overall responsibility for the department's educational activities with support from the heads of degree programme (UAs), a study planner and the secretariat.

The deputy head of department for education reports to the head of department and is part of the department’s management team.

Below is an overview of the most important tasks performed by the deputy head of department for education at ECE:

• Manage and coordinate work on the educational strategy and ensure the operation and implementation of new educational initiatives.
• Responsible for economy and budget for the degree programmes.
• Represent the head of department together with the other deputy heads of department and the head of secretariat in case the head of department is absent.
• Overall responsibility for quality assurance of the teaching provided by ECE
• Head of the department’s Degree Programme Council.
• Development and implementation of education and teaching formats.
• Conduct and follow up on evaluations from the students.
• Ensure a proper framework and foundation exists for the conducting of tests and exams.
• Sign NDAs for student projects.
• Ensure, plan and develop the physical framework for academic activities.
• Overall responsibility for the teaching schedule at ECE.
• Provide input for/support the heads of section in ensuring the ongoing development of the pedagogical competencies of the teaching staff.
• Involved in tasks related to the study activities with which the department contributes at other departments and faculties.
• Participate in coordinating activities at the faculty level.

Last revised: 19-04-2022

The head of department is always responsible for the entire department's resources, operations, finances, etc. The head of department may delegate responsibilities to the deputy heads of department.

The deputy head of research must, in close collaboration with the department's Research Committee, lead and coordinate the research strategic work at ECE.
The deputy head of department for research is also responsible for the development and implementation of the department's research strategy in close dialogue with the head of the department, deputy head of department for innovation and entrepreneurship and the section heads.

The deputy head of department for research, in close collaboration with the department's management team, has the overall responsibility for talent development at ECE, including the responsibility for ensuring close coordination and development of

the area in collaboration with the faculty's graduate school.

The deputy head of department for research reports to the head of department and is part of the department's management team.

Below is an overview of the most important tasks performed by the deputy head of department for research at ECE:

• Create and drive strategy for the ECE department in research projects.
• Development and follow-up on strategy for research at the department.
• Dialogue on and implementation of faculty management decisions within the research area.
• Participate in and implementation of decisions from Tech’s Research Committee.
• Dialogue on and implementation of decisions from the graduate school.
• Responsible for activities related to responsible research practice and research integrity.
• Recommendations and appointments to various awards.
• Evaluation of professor evaluation reports.
• Professional back-and-forth in connection with research applications.
• Evaluate budgets for research applications.
• Represent the head of department together with the other deputy heads of department and the head of secretariat in case the head of department is absent.
• Lead the ECE department’s Research Committee.
• Drive the strategic direction and coordinate and initiate research activities and labs across the entire department and faculty.

Last revised: 19-04-2022

The department is divided into several sections; each section represents a major engineering field within the department of ECE. The sections are formed in size and subject to address global challenges and compete for global talents and students.

The sections contain and develop the necessary competencies to support research, education, innovation, entrepreneurship and public consultancy within their field.

A section drives and executes the research activities, innovation and development projects. The responsibility of executing the degree programmes lies with the deputy head of department for education with assistance from the heads of degree programme (UAs), and it is the responsibility of the sections to provide the technical knowledge and resources to enable the execution of the degree programmes.

By delegation, the head of section is responsible for people and economic management, including (a) resource management and resource allocation, balancing the education, research, innovation and development activities; (b) driving strategy work; and (c) section representation inside and outside AU.

Below is an overview of the most important tasks performed by the head of section:

Main professional responsibilities:

• Drive the strategic direction of the themes for the section.
• Contribute to the department's strategy and its implementation.
• Identify staffing needs and space requirements within their section.
• Contribute to the department's staffing and recruitment plans.
• Build and maintain a strong professional forum within the section's themes.
• Budget responsibility for the section, including contributing in a timely manner with input and follow-up in connection with the department's budget round, and reviewing of budgets for external proposals to guarantee compliance with ECE guidelines.
• Allocate staff from the section for degree programmes in collaboration with the deputy head of department for education and the study planner.
• Represent the section in the department’s management team and in all relevant forums by highlighting its competencies, qualifications and research facilities.
• Support the department by identifying key section members able to perform committee work.

Main personnel responsibilities:

• Handle personnel management of the section's employees.
• Inspire and work for a good work environment in the section, where different disciplines are respected and involved for the benefit of the individual employee, the entire section and the entire department.
• In collaboration with the heads of department, ensure optimal interdisciplinary collaboration within the section and across the department, faculty and the surrounding environment so that professional, personnel and financial resources are utilised efficiently to the benefit of all.
• Discuss and coordinate significant staffing issues with the head of department.
• Contribute to a high level of information, openness and timely communication in the section, e.g., through holding section meetings as well as updating websites.
• Carry out SDD with all employees in the section every year (personally or via delegation).
• Contribute to staff’s personal and professional development based on SSD.
• Contribute to a good work environment between colleagues with a combination of professional and social events.
• Lead the mentorship and onboarding of new talents into the section. This could be either by directly participating in the mentoring process or by delegating this task to relevant and experienced members of the section. Support can also be received from the Research Committee to further develop new hires and young faculty members.

Last revised: 19-04-2022

The head of department is always responsible for the entire department's resources, operations, finances, etc. The head of department may delegate responsibilities.

By delegation, the head of workshop has the overall responsibility for the workshops at ECE. The head of workshop reports to the head of department and is part of the department's management team.

Below is an overview of the most important tasks performed by the head of workshop at ECE:

• Staff management and competency development of the workshop staff at ECE.
• Coordination with teaching and research laboratory managers, including:
  • Prioritising and coordinating tasks in the workshops and laboratories in connection with teaching and student projects.
  • Ensuring the necessary support for innovation and research activities.
• Budget manager for the workshop area, including approval of invoices.
• Manage procurement and lending of instruments and booking of workshop and laboratory facilities in collaboration with researchers and laboratory managers.
• Coordination of the department’s workshop facilities, including implementation of an economic model for the use of these facilities, both internally in the department and in relation to external partners.
• Develop and ensure the quality of interdisciplinary collaboration between workshops across different departments.
• Ensure the necessary TAP support at ECE.
• Daily occupational health and safety coordinator at ECE.
• Ensure that the mandatory courses within the field of electricity (Electrical Energy Technology) are carried out.
• Develop our workshop facilities to reflect the latest technologies.
• Contribute to ensuring a good work environment for staff and students.

Last revised: 19-04-2022

The head of secretariat manages the department secretariat by planning and distributing work tasks that ensure professional and efficient secretarial service of the department’s staff/students/professional activities and ensures good internal and external communication.

The head of secretariat assists and reports to the head of department and is part of the department’s management team.

The head of secretariat represents the secretariat and the department in all relevant forums by ensuring visibility of its competencies, qualifications, and task solutions.

Below is an overview of the most important tasks performed by the head of secretariat at ECE:

• Responsible for personnel management of secretarial staff via dialogue and SDD, as well as recommendations for salary improvements.
• Strategic and administrative professional back-and-forth/competent feedback regarding e.g., good behaviour in the public sector, HR, sick leave, working environment, as well as current issues.
• Prepare meetings in collaboration with the head of department, e.g., Liaison Committee (LSU), Local Occupational Health and Safety Committee (LAMU), management meetings and staff meetings.
• Contribute to a high level of information, openness, and timely communication in the department, e.g., through department meetings as well as updating websites.
• Be part of various collaborative relationships internally in AU, primarily in relation to the administrative center and the faculty secretariat.
• Discuss and coordinate significant staff issues with the head of department
• Ensure that various policies are established in collaboration with the employees, e.g., absence.
• Ensure staff policy and administrative issues, including definition and follow-up on administrative procedures.
• Ensure that all administrative support functions are staffed and delegated.
• Continuously monitor and identify the administrative needs of the department and prioritise the allocation of secretarial resources accordingly
• Perform ad hoc tasks in connection with e.g., analyses, reports etc.
• Inspire and contribute to a good work environment in the secretariat and the department, where different professions are respected and involved, benefitting both the individual employee and the entire department.
• Contribute to the development of the strategic direction of the department
• Employment and other employment-related tasks in collaboration with HR
• Ensure collaboration across the engineering secretariats.
• Represent the head of department together with the other deputy heads of department in case the head of department is absent.

Last revised: 19-04-2022

The deputy head of department for education has the overall responsibility for the department's educational activities with support from a number of degree programme managers (UAs), a study planner and the secretariat.

By delegation the head of degree programme has the overall responsibility for the individual degree programme.

The head of degree programme maintains a broad overview of the individual degree programme. Accordingly, the head of degree programme can ensure proper academic progression through the entirety of the degree programme.

The head of degree programme is responsible for the day-to-day coordination of teaching, study guidance and course evaluation. Additionally, the head of degree programme is responsible for the day-to-day coordination between the course coordinators of a degree programme and is in regular contact with the students.

In collaboration with the sections, the head of degree programme is responsible for developing and assuring the quality of the degree programme.

For the science degree programmes in particular, the head of degree programme prepares contracts with the students.

Below is an overview of the most important tasks performed by a head of degree programme at ECE:

• Responsible for the development of the courses offered and the academic profile of the degree programme.
• Maintain a continuous and ongoing assessment and determination of the courses offered, including the potential need for new course initiatives.
• Ensure coherent, progressive and relevant educational pathways within the degree programme.
• Ensure the societal relevance of the degree programme.
• Contribute to the dialogue with the Employer Panel.
• Coordinate with the sections to ensure courses are properly staffed. This includes ensuring sufficient hours are allocated to the courses, as well as academically qualified staff.
• Coordinate and align the degree programme with the other degree programmes at ECE.
• Coordinate the preparation of course descriptions and potential changes to the academic regulations.
• As the academical, professional part, contribute towards and ensure coordination of tasks with the Tech Administration centre.
• Contribute to course evaluation follow ups, with concrete follow up actions and general measures to further improve teaching and strengthen the degree programme.
• Monitor the everyday implementation of the degree programme.
• Contribute to the quality development of education and teaching, including a discussion with teachers on teaching methods, and forms of examination to best facility pedagogical and didactic development of the teaching.
• Contribute to the dialogue with the Education Committee.
• Contribute to the annual status meetings for degree programmes and follow up on agreed action plans.
• Contribute towards ensuring correct communication regarding the degree programme. This is done in collaboration with the communication department.

Last revised: 03-05-2022

The deputy head of department for education has the overall responsibility for the department's educational activities. 

The deputy head of department for education may choose to delegate administrative tasks related to study planning to a study planner.

The study planner assists the deptuty head of department of education with the following tasks:

• Drive the departments studyplanning process, in close collaboration with the deptuy head of department of education. This includes arranging study planning meetings, taking minutes and contious follow-up with heads of degree programmes, heads of section and employees with allocation tasks. 
• Maintaining and updating the "Allocation of Teaching" Excel spreadsheets.
• Maintaining and updating employee access to the studyplanning SharePoint/Teams site.
• Maintaining and updating the "Teaching Allocation" subsection of the Staff Portal.
• Delivering course scheduling data to the Nat-Tech Course and Exam Administration office.
• Assisting the deputy head of department for education regarding employment of TA's (student assistant teachers).
• Delivering information based on study planning data to the department's management.

Last revised: 10-11-2022

Role description

The tasks of the semester coordinator can be divided into the following two main areas:

General responsibilities

• Coordinate even workload for the students during the semester, including coordination of assignment deadlines within the semester.
• Act as a sparring partner between the teaching staff on the semester, ensuring that the teachers are familiar with each other’s courses.
• Participate in the Education Committee, by agreement with the Head of Degree Programme.
• Invite students to participate as a representative for the Education Committee.

Responsibilities related to semester projects

• Planning the project teaching.
• Coordination of supervision and related information.
• Responsibility for group formation.
• Communicating the group allocations to Study Services for examination purposes.