A warm welcome To the PBL academy opening day

1. A warmwelcome To the PBL academyopeningday www.pbl.aau.dk

2. Program • Welcome and opening speech – by Rector Finn Kjærsdam • Introduction to the PBL Academy – by Thomas Ryberg • Aalborg University and the Aalborg PBL Model – Challenges and Potentials – by StigLøkke Pedersen – Professional Board Member and Investor • An inspirational talk as background to discussing PBL principles • Reception and open discussion – time for questions

3. Introduction to the PBL academy

4. Background to establishing the academy • Emerging in-between management and an employee driven initiatives to strengthen PBL research and practice at AAU • Application made by representatives from three PBL research environments • UNESCO Chair of PBL • Department of Learning and Philosophy • E-Learning Lab – Center for user driven innovation, learning and design • Management’s ongoing initiative to strengthen awareness of AAU as PBL university (internal/external) • Developing common principles for the Aalborg PBL model • AAU-PBL ‘reality check’ – how is PBL implemented in Schools • Need for continued PBL introduction and training for staff (new as ‘old’) and increasing students’ awareness of PBL

5. The PBL-academy • Application for funding of PBL-academy got accepted – big thanks! • A cross-faculty management board appointed • Thomas Ryberg (Humanities) - current head of the board • Diana Stentoft (Medicine) • Lars Bo Henriksen(Engineering and Science) • Erik Laursen (Social Sciences ) • Administrative support: MortenMathiasen Andersen • In the process of identifying local campus representatives (Cph, Esb, Sbi) – Cph – Rolf Nordahl Jensen

6. Vision and aims • Vision: • ensure AAU remains a leading international player in continuous development and research on PBL in all subject fields • ensure a vibrant internal development and discussion of the Aalborg PBL model and principles • Aims: • Create a strong PBL profile in all AAU subject areas • To render the Aalborg PBL model globally visible • Means: • Organising internal and external PBL related activities in a collaboration between and across campuses, faculties, and departments.

7. The PBL academy – A network hub • Not management and control of activities, projects, teaching or research related to PBL • PBL academy a network or hub to strengthen coordination and collaboration across AAU • Increasing internal and external visibility and awareness of PBL research, resource-persons, teaching and dissemination activities • Draw on existing resource-persons, materials, and activities • But equally organising, coordinating and/or supporting: • Research Activities • PBL Teaching Activities • Dissemination Activities • We welcome participation and inputs – will return to that!

8. Research Activities • Research: • Organising internal research seminars on PBL • Continued development of the AAU PBL principles grounded in research and experiments • Establishing research networks on PBL - connecting people across AAU • Create and maintain an internationally recognised (open access) web based journal on PBL • Developing joint guest PhD programmes • Establish research projects to support the development of the AAU PBL model and general PBL-practice and theory • Providing more weight behind a research application • Developing research projects in the research networks

9. Teaching Activities • Global activities • Develop joint visitor programmes in collaboration with AAU PBL environments • Research seminars and introduction to AAU-PBL model for visitors • Initiating joint PhD courses and running a PhD Summer school on various aspects of PBL and the AAU PBL model in collaboration with AAU PBL environments • Cross-campus activities • Introductory courses for new staff and students (national and international) – in a collaboration with AAU PBL environments • Development of online resources and introductions to the AAU PBL model for new staff and students in a collaboration with AAU PBL environments • Not replacing or displacing existing offers – widening participation and drawing on greater diversity of resources and persons

10. Two recent examples • PBL academy hosted a visit from Siam University (Thailand) • In collaboration with PBL environments across departments and faculties • Presenters from UNESCO-chair, Learning Lab, Department of Learning and Philosopy, e-Learning Lab, Dept. Of Communication • Drawing on Thai PhD students from various departments to act as facilitators and discussants (translating experiences) • Joint course on PBL for new staff in collaboration with Learning Lab and UNESCO Chair • Presenters from UNESCO-chair, Learning Lab, e-Learning Lab • Further developing the course to be run twice a year • Widening participation and engagement across environments – we know there are great resources in various departments – but need better overview

11. Dissemination Activities • Dynamic web-site (www.pbl.aau.dk) to aggregate and present the variety of research projects, publications, activities and resources from the different AAU PBL environments • Presence on VBN to collect and represent AAU PBL research – anyone can link themselves, PBL publications, activities or events with the PBL academy • Gaining overview across campuses, faculties and departments • Collaborating with communication staff on presentation materials to new students about PBL - by developing or drawing together existing resources • Developing open presentational material available for all employees to use in relation to presenting PBL • To help locate relevant people for presentations and activities

12. We welcome participation and engagement • We will organise open research networks on various topics regarding PBL • We welcome people who are interested in sharing experiences with international visitors within their subject areas • We are happy to provide inputs to and support any ongoing activities • We will happily publicise on our webpage: • Activities related to PBL • Publications related to PBL • Resources related to PBL • Research projects related to PBL • Create profiles/link to people who work with PBL as to provide an overview of PBL-resource persons at AAU • We welcome any thoughts, feedback, suggestions which can help develop our common interest in PBL

13. So don’t hesitate to contact us • We are here to connect, facilitate, initiate or support activities and ensure the widest possible platform for a common and broad engagement in the continued development of PBL across AAU • We cannot do it alone and we therefore we heartily welcome participation and engagement from all across AAU • Write to any of us – share your thoughts, comments or suggestions • To pblacademy@hum.aau.dk • Link yourself or publications to PBL academy on VBN • Visit the web page www.pbl.aau.dk for more information