The University Board is the highest authority of Aalborg University and is responsible for the overall and strategic management of the University. The University Board bears the overall responsibility for the University engaging in research and for the University offering research-based education to the highest international level in the disciplines covered by the University etc. The University Board bears the overall responsibility for the continuous development of the University’s research and degree programmes. The University Board must administer the University’s funds effectively in a way that best benefits society.

The University Board has the following responsibilities and duties:

1. to establish the University’s organisation upon recommendation from the rector
2. to enter into a strategic framework agreement with the Minister
3. to appoint the rector
4. to appoint the pro-rector(s) and the university director upon recommendation from the rector
5. to establish the framework for the interaction between the University Board and the rector
6. to approve the University’s overall strategy upon recommendation from the rector
7. to establish and abolish faculties
8. to approve the University’s budget and overall budgetary principles upon recommendation from the rector and to sign the annual financial statements
9. to establish rules on the election of internal members for the University Board upon recommendation from the rector
10. to ensure that staff members and students are involved and included in processes relating to significant decisions.

The University Board consist of six external and five internal members. Collectively, the members must have experience and insight into research, research-based education, knowledge dissemination, knowledge exchange and public sector services and be able to use this in undertaking the overall and strategic management of the University. The internal members must serve to promote the interests of Aalborg University and must include the perspectives of the academic staff, the technical and administrative staff and the students in the activities of the University Board.

The internal members of the University Board are elected as follows:

• Two members must be elected by and among the academic staff, including employed PhD fellows
• Two members must be elected by and among the students
• One member must be elected by and among the University’s technical and administrative staff.

Members elected by and among the University’s staff members are appointed for a four-year period and are eligible for reappointment. Members elected by and among students are appointed for a two-year period at staggered elections and are eligible for reappointment.

For each faculty, an academic council is set up. The academic council helps to ensure that academic staff and students have influence on academic and discipline-specific issues. The academic council is responsible for developing and maintaining a high academic standard at the faculty. The academic council advises the dean on academic issues presented by the dean and may comment on academic issues of significance to faculty activities, which the council consider to be relevant.

The responsibilities of the academic council include:

1. to advise the dean on strategic issues related to the faculty
2. to advise the dean on the faculty budget and budget principles
3. advise the dean on key strategic areas relating to research and education, and on plans for knowledge exchange
4. to advise the dean on quality assurance and development of the faculty’s research environment, degree programmes, PhD programmes and research-based teaching
5. upon recommendation of the dean, to approve the composition of assessment committees for the assessment of applicants for scientific positions as well as to advise the dean on principles for this
6. upon recommendation of the dean, to approve the composition of assessment committees for the assessment of candidates for the titles of honorary professor and honorary associate professor as well as to advise the dean of principles for this
7. to award PhD and higher doctoral degrees
8. to establish guidelines for the promotion of good research practice.

An academic council consists of 15 or 8 members as determined by the dean. The dean is an ex-officio member of the council. The remaining members must be elected by and among the academic staff, including PhD fellows, and by and among the students in the ratio 5:2. The representatives of the academic staff are be elected for four-year terms, whereas representatives for the students are be elected for one-year terms. The council members elect their chairperson among the members.

The head of department set up a department council for the department. The department council helps to ensure that academic staff, technical and administrative staff, and students have influence on academic and discipline-specific issues. The task of the department council is to discuss and advise the department management on issues related to the department’s research, education, knowledge dissemination and possibly public sector services. The department council advises the head of department on issues presented by the head; furthermore, the council may comment on issues of significance to department activities, which the council considers to be relevant.

The responsibilities of the department council include:

• to advise the head of department on strategic issues related to the department
• to advise the head of department on department budget

The number of members of a department council is determined by the head of department but must not exceed 13 members. The head of department is an ex-officio member of the council and is also the chairperson. All other members must be elected by and among the academic staff, including employed PhD fellows, by and among the technical and administrative staff and by and among the students in the ratio 2:1:1. The representatives of the academic and the technical and administrative staff are elected for four-year terms, whereas representatives for the students are elected for one-year terms.

The deans set up one or several study boards covering one or more degree programmes or parts of degree programmes. The study board helps to ensure staff and student involvement and influence on issues relating to education and teaching. The study board is responsible for ensuring the organisation, implementation and development of degree programmes and teaching activities. The study board comments on issues presented by the day-to-day management of the University. Furthermore, the study board may comment on issues of significance to department activities, which the study board considers to be relevant.

The responsibilities of the study boards include:

1. quality assurance and quality development of degree programmes and teaching; and follow-ups of programme and teaching evaluations in cooperation with the head of department
2. to prepare drafts for curricula and regulations and amendments hereof
3. to approve the plan for the organisation of teaching and tests and other assessments included in the examination and, in collaboration with the head of studies, to undertake the task of the practical organisation hereof
4. to approve applications for credit transfers, including advance credit transfer, and for exemptions
5. to recommend a head of studies
6. to discuss inquiries concerning problems in the teaching and to forward information on this and any recommendations to the head of department.

The dean determines the number of members of a study board; however, a study board must consist of a minimum of four and a maximum of 12 members. All members must be elected by and among the academic staff, including employed PhD fellows, and by and among the students in the ratio 1:1. The representatives of the academic staff are elected for four-year terms, whereas representatives for the students are elected for one-year terms. The study board elects a chairperson from among its academic staff members and a deputy chairperson from among its student members. The dean must approve the elected chairperson.

For each doctoral school, a PhD committee is set up. The PhD committees help to ensure that PhD students and academic staff have influence on discipline-specific and academic issues of the PhD programmes.  The PhD committee advises the head of doctoral school on issues presented by the head; furthermore, the committee may comment on academic issues of significance to faculty activities, which the committee considers to be relevant.

The responsibilities of the PhD committees include:

• to submit recommendations to the dean on the composition of assessment committees
• to approve PhD courses
• to prepare proposals for internal guidelines for the doctoral school, including PhD supervision, to the head of doctoral school
• to comment on the evaluation of the PhD degree programmes and PhD supervision, including international evaluations of the doctoral schools, to the head of doctoral school.
• to approve applications for credit transfers, including advance credit transfer, and for exemptions.

The dean determines the number of members of the PhD committee; however, the committee must consist of a minimum of six and a maximum of 14 members. Two of the members must be elected by and among the PhD students, whereas the other members must be elected by and among the academic staff. The representatives of the academic staff are elected for four-year terms, whereas representatives for the PhD students are elected for one-year terms. Upon recommendation by the PhD committee, the chair and the deputy chair must be approved by the dean. The recommended chair must be one of the academic staff members of the committee and the deputy chair must be one of the PhD students of the committee.