AAU’s Annual Celebration 2025: See highlights from the ceremony here
: 04.04.2025
Aalborg University's traditional annual celebration was a tribute to some of the university's most innovative students, talented researchers, teachers and important international partners. A recurring theme in this year's speeches was the need for research and knowledge in a changing world.
By Lea Laursen Pasgaard, AAU Communication and Public Affairs
Photos: William Brændstrup
"Even though the world around us seems to be darkening, there is light. The annual celebration is a symbolic light. Because today we celebrate our shared commitment to creating a better future through education, research and innovation."
These were the words of AAU's rector, Per Michael Johansen in his welcome address at the university's traditional annual celebration on Friday, 4 April.
Three hundred and thirty students, staff and partners gathered at Aalborg Congress and Culture Center to pay tribute to research, education and innovation.
The world is currently undergoing major global changes, and the seriousness of the situation was also evident in the remarks from the chair of the AAU Board.
"With a changing world, a US retreating from global leadership, and China accelerating new technology, it's time for Europe to step up. But it requires that we dare to take responsibility. And here our university has a special role. We must build on openness, collaboration and technological leadership," André Rogaczewski said.
In her remarks, Minister for Higher Education and Science Christina Egelund (Moderates) emphasized the enormous importance that AAU has had for the development of Aalborg and Northern Jutland.
The minister emphasized the need to harness the power of change in the turbulent times the world is currently experiencing. This applies to geopolitics, competitiveness and autonomy. In these times, she believes that universities have a very important role to play with research and innovation that creates solutions and technological development.
"We need to be even better at putting the good ideas from academia out into society in order to create development and progress. This is something that this place has always been very good at. You have never been an educational institution that closed itself off. You put your research to use and you solve concrete problems," the minister said.
Since the last annual celebration, two researchers have received a higher doctorate from AAU, and they were also honoured on stage.
The two higher doctorate recipients are:
The rector presented AAU's four new honorary doctorate recipients. They are:
The honorary doctorate is awarded on the recommendation of the faculties. It is awarded to highly recognised researchers who, through international cooperation, have contributed to scientific development at AAU.
Ann Blandford, Professor, University College London, UK
Elena Semino, Distinguished Professor, Lancaster University, UK
Emelia J. Benjamin, Professor, Boston University, US
Liesbeth Lijnzaad, Professor, Maastricht University, Netherlands
Each year, the Spar Nord Foundation awards the Spar Nord Foundation's Research Award of DKK 250,000 to a young, non-established researcher who has completed and had assessed a particularly excellent PhD research project at AAU.
This year, the award went to Nanna Maria Uldall Torp, who in August defended her PhD thesis on elevated metabolism in pregnant women. Her project aimed to elucidate the incidence, diagnosis and complications related to the disease in mother and fetus.
Her research has contributed to AAU and Aalborg University Hospital being among the first in the world to be able to establish a method for measuring a new marker in the blood for elevated metabolism. This is crucial for diagnosing and treating the disease in the individual patient.
Thomas Graven-Nielsen, Professor in the Department of Health Science and Technology gave the presentation speech, and Claus Hald Andreasen, Project Manager at the Spar Nord Foundation presented the research award.
Every year, each AAU faculty selects a Teacher of the Year based on nominations from students at AAU. They were all honoured at the annual celebration and received DKK 25,000 each.
One of the teachers selected is named Teacher of the Year at AAU and receives the Obel Family Foundation Teaching Award of DKK 50,000.
This year, the award went to Sune Qvotrup Jensen, Professor in the Department of Sociology and Social Work. He teaches in the Sociology programme and in the Master's programme in Criminology.
In their recommendation, the students noted that Sune Qvotrup Jensen often weaves a fun and down-to-earth everyday example into his teaching and always encourages his students to ask questions and actively participate. They also highlight the professor as a role model in dealing with his visual impairment because, due to his limited vision, he is more present and, for example, is not dependent on PowerPoints in teaching.
John Amund Tønnes, Director of the Obel Family Foundation gave the presentation speech and presented the award.
The annual celebration rounded off with the award of the NOVI Scholarship 2025 of DKK 250,000.
The purpose of the scholarship is to promote technology and business development in the North Denmark Region. The scholarship is awarded every year to one or more students in the 9th-10th semesters or first-year graduates who can present a sustainable business idea that can be translated into a company.
This year, the scholarship went to Alan Mozafar Khorsid, Esben Nielsen and Mikkel Dalsager Jungersen, the creators of Alai. A platform that uses real-time data to analyze and predict strategic opportunities and identify vulnerabilities during football matches.
Despite the company's youth, Alai has quickly established collaborations with several Danish football clubs like F.C. Copenhagen, Brøndby IF, AaB and Randers FC. They are also in dialogue with several Premier League clubs.
Evald Lange Rise, Chair of the NOVI Board gave the presentation speech and presented the award.
The award also includes accounting assistance, legal assistance and six months' rent at NOVI at half price.
The ceremony was followed by a reception, and then the Aalborg Congress & Culture Centre was the setting for the annual university party where more than 1,500 staff, students and business partners gathered for dinner, live music and dancing.
Translated by LeeAnn Iovanni, AAU Communication and Public Affairs.