Kim Kusk Mortensen steps down as Head of Studies Administration but remains at AU

For the past ten months, Kim Kusk Mortensen has served as Acting Deputy Administration Manager at the Nat-Tech Administrative Centre. Now that Administration Centre Manager Gertrud Lindberg Tefre has returned to her position, Kim has decided that the time is right for a new direction in his career. As of 1 October, he will leave his role as Head of Studies Administration to focus on tasks related to automation and artificial intelligence—both within the centre and across Aarhus University.

“Kim has made a long-standing contribution during a period of significant digital development. He has led a well-functioning study administration through major organisational changes and political reforms, always acting as a strong ambassador for a robust educational environment. He has consistently contributed constructively to the centre’s leadership team and has taken on a major responsibility as Acting Deputy Administration Centre Manager over the past ten months,” says Gertrud Lindberg Tefre. She continues:

“As Head of Studies Administration, Kim has shown great trust. He speaks his mind, is development-oriented, and supports and creates space for us to innovate and try new approaches. He is excellent at fostering relationships and accommodating diverse skills and professional backgrounds, which is essential for our continued development.”

Kim Kusk Mortensen has been part of AU since 1978, when he began his studies at the Department of Chemistry. He later earned a PhD there before becoming a lecturer and subsequently Deputy Head of Department at the Department of Molecular Biology. In 2010, he joined the Nat-Tech Administrative Centre as Director of Studies and later Head of Studies Administration. Now, the time has come to pass the baton:

“I’m proud of the work Education has accomplished during my time there. It’s a department in constant development—ready and adaptable. Of course, I’ll miss the team and the work of educating young people to the highest level, which is, after all, the university’s core mission,” says Kim Kusk Mortensen, and adds:

“But I’m also looking forward to working on something I’m passionate about—namely the opportunities for streamlining and eliminating tedious tasks that arise when we can delegate part of our work to machines. That’s essentially what I’ll be focusing on in the coming years. I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you for the collaboration during my time as Head of Studies Administration to all staff, the leadership team, the administration, departments, the directors of studies, and the deaneries.”

Working with automation and artificial intelligence is far from new to Kim Kusk Mortensen. His curiosity and openness have often placed him at the forefront of digital development, always in pursuit of the best solutions.

“Kim has played a major role in the digital transformation of study administration—from the early days of ‘paperless administration’ to today’s focus on robotics and AI. In every context, Kim leads the way, develops solutions, runs training sessions for staff and colleagues, and takes on significant responsibilities in steering groups and projects. He has an exceptional ability to see how technology can make a tangible difference for AU’s students, administrators, and academic environments,” says Anna Bak Maigaard, Deputy director, AU Student Administration and Services at Aarhus University.

As Acting Deputy Administration Centre Manager, Kim has also been part of the Faculty of Technical Sciences’ Dean's Office over the past year, where he has been involved in major development projects such as the engineering initiative and the development of AU Viborg. Dean Eskild Holm Nielsen reflects positively on their collaboration:

“Kim is a valued collaborator and sparring partner for us in the Tech faculty Dean's Office. You can always count on him to speak his mind and to consider students’ wellbeing in everything he does. I want to thank him for the excellent collaboration and am pleased that he’s not saying goodbye, but continuing his work to the benefit of our organisation,” he says.

Recruitment for a new Head of Studies Administration will begin during the autumn. This also means that the current interim arrangements in Nat-Tech Education will continue until the end of the year.