Update August 2026
Dear Fellows,
We hope you have all had a wonderful summer.
As we look ahead to another exciting semester, we would like to share a few updates on recent activities and initiatives currently taking shape across the Society of Fellows. As always, we encourage you to join the different tracks, contribute your ideas and get in touch if you would like to become involved.
Summer Social Event
Thank you to everyone who joined our Summer Social Event on 1 June. It was a wonderful afternoon and a valuable opportunity to connect across cohorts in an informal setting. We are grateful to everyone who participated and helped make the event a success.
Website Updates
The Society of Fellows website has recently been updated with a new front-page banner, a revised Blue Book and the latest version of our annual wheel. We will continue to update the website with information about the Society, our members and our activities.
New Student Employee
After one and a half years as the Society of Fellows’ student employee, Jonathan Rud Wu Pedersen has now handed over the role. We would like to thank Jonathan for his dedicated work and valuable contributions to the Society during a period of significant development.
We are pleased to welcome Selma Foss Hagerup as our new student employee. Selma will support the co-presidency and the Society’s ongoing activities across the different tracks. If you have any questions, ideas or suggestions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Academic Freedom Track
The Academic Freedom Track continues to develop several exciting initiatives.
We are pleased to be collaborating with the KU Senior Forum and HUM:Global on the upcoming conference Science Communication: “The Manhattan Project of the 21st Century” on 25 September. The conference will bring together researchers and university leaders to discuss communication between science and wider society. We look forward to contributing to what we
hope will be the first of many collaborations between the Society of Fellows and the KU Senior Forum.
Planning is also underway for our own symposium on academic freedom, which is expected to take place in spring 2027. Its working title is How Do We Secure Academic Freedom in a Changing World? Symposium on Trust and Governance in Academia. Further details will follow as the programme develops.
Before then, we would also like to highlight the PHARMA Symposium on Academic Freedom, which will take place on 28 August from 14:00 to 16:00 (Benzon Auditorium, Universitetparken 2). Members from across UCPH are invited to discuss current challenges and perspectives relating to academic freedom.
Research Leadership Track
The Society of Fellows is launching a new peer initiative, the Leadership Lab, organized by Associate Professor Tibor V. Varga.
The Leadership Lab will offer research leaders a confidential space in which to bring real-life leadership dilemmas to their peers. At each session, two challenges will be explored through smallgroup and plenary discussions, focusing on sharing experiences, perspectives and possible solutions. The first two sessions are on 28 September and 16 November from 13:00 to 15:00.
We very much look forward to seeing this initiative develop.
The Advisory and Media Training Unit: Introductory Seminar
On 26 October from 14:00 to 15:30, the Advisory and Media Training Unit will host an introductory
seminar for members of the Society of Fellows.
The Advisory and Media Training Unit is a new addition to UCPH Communication, offering tailored training and advice to researchers who wish to communicate effectively and navigate an increasingly complex media landscape. The seminar will introduce the unit and present tools for strengthening researchers’ personal communication and strategic positioning. Participants will also learn how the unit’s advisers can support UCPH researchers who wish to improve their LinkedIn presence and presentation skills.
Further information about the seminar will follow.
Contributions to UCPH’s New DEI Leadership Training
As part of UCPH’s strategic framework for diversity, equity and inclusion, a new leadership training programme is being developed for leaders across the university. To ensure that the programme reflects real-life experiences, alumni of the UCPH Forward programme are invited to contribute anonymized cases concerning diversity and inclusion in the workplace before 4 September.
Relevant themes include bias, neurodiversity, multilingual and multicultural workplaces, the prevention of inappropriate behaviour and harassment, and communication and polarisation around DEI.
General Assembly
The Society’s annual General Assembly will take place on 16 December from 15:00 to 17:00 in Udvalgsværelse 3, Nørregade 10. Further information about the agenda and elections will be circulated later in the autumn.
Thank you, as always, for your continued engagement in the Society of Fellows. We look forward to seeing many of you throughout the semester and hope that you will continue to help shape the Society through its tracks, events and discussions.
All the best,
Maria, Tim & Céline