Research plan 2012 -14

Research Plan 2012-2014

Research Plan 2012-2014 AARHUS SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE 1

Research Plan 2012-2014

CONTENT

Claus Peder Pedersen

Introduction

Head of research

Introduction

s. 3

The relevance and organisation of research The concept of knowledge

s. 4

s. 6

Researchers training programmes and talent management

s. 9

Dissemination of research

s. 12

Incentives and quality assurance

Udarbejdet by the Research Committee at Aarhus School of Architecture 2013 Front page: Anders Gammelgaard ”Pavillion”, photo: Jacob Bredahl Back page: Niels Martin Larsen Layout: Hanne F. Gjelstrup

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s. 14

In 2011, the Aarhus School of Architecture carried out a comprehensive restructuring of both research and teaching. The former structure, which was based on subject areas divided according to scale and organised as institutes, was replaced by a number discipline-specific platforms organised around current professional issues and challenges. The purpose of this change was to create a more flexible and dynamic structure. The ambition is that the new platform-structure should: • Make it easier to experiment, create new forms of cooperation, and test fields of research and development • Support cooperation across traditional architectural subject areas and cooperation with external parties from the practice of the architectural profession and from other academic institutions and research settings • Ensure a high degree of participation by employees vis-à-vis identifying and focusing professional objectives The Research Plan 2012-14 must support the implementation of these objectives in research carried out by the Aarhus School of Architecture. The Research Committee has placed a special focus on identifying structural and administrative challenges which need to be overcome in order to provide the best possible framework within which the new platform structure can unfold research. The intention is that it should provide management and employees at the Aarhus School of Architecture, as well as other interested parties, an insight into the future development of research.

It should also function as a work schedule for The Research Committee, which will gradually work its way through the challenges and questions raised by the plan, well-knowing

that a number of the challenges described cannot be resolved once and for all.

In order to suggest possible directions this work might take, the text will continuously present development objectives. These objectives are preliminary and incomplete, and some are described in more detail than others. They are intended as a guideline and inspiration for the continued work of the research committee.

It is the ambition of The Research Committee to support the development of research clusters, understood as dynamic and changeable constellations of researchers that work on related research themes and issues. These research clusters may coincide with individual platforms, or they may work across several platforms. The aim is, furthermore, that research clusters should seek out external and international cooperative partners. Such clusters provide an important starting point for the creation of professional environments and the creation of a volume of research sufficient to ensure quality and impact. In a more long-term perspective, it is, consequently, the wish of The Research Committee to prioritise giving resources to active research clusters and research clusters that hold many perspectives. The Research Committee has, however, deliberately chosen not to identify any specifically prioritised research themes in this plan. We have chosen not to do so in order to accommodate an overall ambition of the Aarhus School of Architecture to give its employees extensive influence on the academic/professional organisation of the school. The Research Committee are consequently of the opinion that it is necessary to give the newly formed platforms time to develop and consolidate before making any decisions on possible priorities for specific research themes and clusters.

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Research Plan 2012-2014

The Relevance and organisation of research Research areas and their relevance It is crucial to the Aarhus School of Architecture that the school’s production of knowledge should contribute to developing the architectural profession. This applies to social issues, to the development of the practice of the profession, as well as to architecture as a discipline. The knowledge production of the Aarhus School of Architecture is aimed at academia,

The basis for research of the Aarhus School of

the physical environment.

Architecture is the individual research time which

Relevance also implies that research must comply

the school’s researchers have been given as a

with academic or artistic requirements and criteria

consequence of their employment; supplemented

connected with the specific form of knowledge pro-

by external research funding and, possibly, internal

duction that a researcher uses.

research funds. As a starting point the individual researcher is responsible for his research, but it is the

The organisational framework of research

intention of The Research Committee to provide opportunities for distributing and organising research

at practice, at teaching, and at the public in general.

The intention is to incorporate research in individual

For this reason, the school operates with a broadly

platforms or in cooperation between several plat-

defined concept of research that includes knowl-

forms. This should be done based on the profession-

edge production within and in relation to the subject

al focus areas of platforms, which are again based

The purpose of the discipline-specific platforms is

areas of the Aarhus School of Architecture, in their

on the research interests of the associated research-

to strengthen the connection between research and

full width and across areas of scale, themes, subject

ers. The specific research themes are intended to

teaching. The idea is that the professional themes

areas, and fields of research.

provide a basis for the school’s cross-disciplinary,

and areas of development of platforms should pro-

cross-institutional and international cooperation.

vide a starting point for incorporating teaching and

Within this framework, based on development plans,

research, and for creating new ways of involving

the individual platforms are free to organise and

students in research projects. This can be achieved

carry out research. There is consequently going to

through a more direct involvement in research pro-

be a natural differentiation of research themes and

jects, by communicating the knowledge production

research volumes based on this freedom to organ-

of research directly to students and incorporating it

ise. One objective will be to support platforms that

in their project work or by letting the work of stu-

develop research clusters and consequently achieve

dents form part of research projects.

Under the slogan ‘Engaging through architecture’, the school has placed a special focus on developing the relationship to practice, understood as the interaction with parties, institutions and processes that influence the planning and design of the physical environment. This, of course, also applies to research - an area in which the Aarhus School of Architecture wants to be a key contributor to the production of knowledge and to project development that will form

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the basis for the future arrangement and design of

a critical mass that makes it possible to carry out research at the highest international level.

in a way that supports the professional ambitions of platforms in the best possible way.

Development objectives In the short-term: • To consolidate the new structure and clarify the focus areas and research themes of platforms • To rethink and adjust administrative structures, to enable them to support the activities and development of platforms • To encourage researchers to let their research form part of projects that involve several colleagues, and, if possible, external parties affiliated with the platform in question • Research-based teaching and teaching-based research is to be given priority in the curricula of the bachelor and Master’s degree programmes as well as in the courses offered under these programmes • To study and develop forms of cooperation between research and practice In the long term: • To develop a more differentiated research structure - also across platforms – that will make it possible to promote particularly relevant research areas and research areas that hold many perspectives • To make it possible for chosen areas to operate with a longer perspective as a precondition for being part of large-scale research cooperation • To ensure that it will still be possible and attractive to formulate and develop new areas of research

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Research Plan 2012-2014

The concept of knowledge insights and awareness), Transparency (the applica-

to develop knowledge related to architecture across

tion of relevant methods and theories) and Validity

scales, fields of disciplines, and fields of knowledge.

(accounting for the relationship of work to relevant

This knowledge must be relevant to the understan-

categories of knowledge).

search settings focusing on this approach to re-

Over the years the Aarhus School of Architec-

chitecture is well qualified to develop and qualify

ture has focused on strengthening and developing

project-oriented research as an extension of the

scientific research - not least through the researcher

traditional working methods of the architectural

training programme - and the school wants to main-

profession. Research in this area conducted by the

tain and consolidate this development. It is still es-

Aarhus School of Architecture is on a par with re-

sential that the research environment of the Aarhus

search at other institutions; the school consequently

School of Architecture should have a strong scientific

has a good starting point for creating new relations

foundation, based on the architectural profession

between the research of the architectural profession

and on the research methods and traditions of other

and that of other scientific environments. It is also

relevant fields of knowledge.

an ambition that project-oriented research should be

ding and development of architecture as a discipline and a profession, but also in relation to related subject areas. The Aarhus School of Architecture uses a concept of knowledge that includes knowledge produced by research and by artistic development work.

The School sees the two categories as being equally important and indispensable to architecture. The two categories are characterised by different cognitive and qualitative paradigms, which means that they have to be assessed and evaluated in different ways in accordance with generally recognised criteria and international standards within each category. The Aarhus School of Architecture has had good experiences with research and development projects that involve both categories in mutual dialogue, and the school wishes to further promote this interaction, where it is relevant.

Research

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which means that it has close contacts with the arts.

It is the wish of the Aarhus School of Architecture

This research is characterised by its interest in knowledge resulting from the development of projects and objects - conducting research by doing, experimenting, and testing. It includes aestheticnormative, ideological and culturally-dependent issues, based on a qualitative interpretive practice possessing a value which cannot be assessed based on criteria of truth, but which may lead to useful ex-

In its work the Aarhus School of Architecture applies

planations and bring new opportunities to the world

a universal concept of research in accordance with

with a view to modifying and improving it. Such in-

the overall definitions stated in the Frascati Manual

terventions, to a large extent, depend on a creative

of the OECD. According to this concept, research

ability to see, feel and visualise future potential.

must be characterised by three overall criteria:

That is to say, the modes of operation and principles

Originality (the development of new knowledge,

of the imagination is an area of study for research,

The school has already established important research. Consequently, the Aarhus School of Ar-

has chosen to emphasise the following criteria in its assessment of artistic development work: •

The work must be connected with an articulated intention

•

The artistic development process must be documented, including the choices made

•

The work must manifest itself in concrete artistic artefacts, statements, or interventions

•

The work must relate to other/existing examples

The school already has significant experience with artistic development work, but there is still a need to develop and clarify the framework and quality criteria for this type of development work.

allowed to play a significant role in developing cooperation between the Aarhus School of Architecture and practice.

Artistic development work

Development objectives

As a provider of further and higher artistic educa-

•

tion, the Aarhus School of Architecture carries out artistic development work. At the School of Architecture, artistic development work must be based

•

on the production of statements or artefacts of the highest possible artistic level. Artistic statements, however, cannot stand alone. There is a commitment to explicate insights and knowledge in relation to

•

To continually strengthen and develop scientific research and to actively carry out exchanges with contiguous traditions of research Project-oriented and innovation-driven research should be qualified - through, inter alia, increased research collaboration with other scientific environments, and with practice To develop and clarify the framework and quality criteria of artistic development work

artistic practices. The Aarhus School of Architecture

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Research Plan 2012-2014

Researcher training programmes and talent management There is a general societal desire to strengthen the knowledge basis and research capacity and to increase the number of PhDs trained. The Aarhus School of Architecture wants to contribute to qualifying the architectural profession with regard to research. Doing so will, however, require a reconsideration of the type of PhD projects advertised. The PhD programme must continue to ensure a sufficient and qualified basis of recruitment for future senior researchers in the field of architecture, but it must also, to a greater extent, provide a basis for employment in public institutions and in the practice of the architectural profession and help develop research competences in these areas. In order to accommodate this development, the school intends to strengthen the connection between research, education, knowledge exchange, career planning, and talent development.

It will also be necessary to increase the awareness of bachelor and Master’s degree students of the possibility of choosing a career based in research. One way of doing this might be to intensify teaching in theory of science and architectural theory and to increase the focus on research-based teaching. For this reason the Aarhus School of Architecture intends to develop a talent development programme that supports students with a talent for and an intePhoto: Marie Markman - eatable landscape

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rest in research.

PhD programme(s) The PhD programme is a central element in the research strategy of the Aarhus School of Architecture. PhD students deliver quantitatively extensive research work. This work is, of course, characterised by being part of an educational programme, but is also often characterised by an open and openminded approach to research issues and results. It would be possible to use the researcher training programme for strategically exploring and developing new research areas and for consolidating existing areas. It is consequently an important tool in the development of the school’s research profile as well as for talent management and career development.

As a minimum, the Aarhus School of Architecture offers a PhD programme in the field of architecture, but the school will also look into possible cross-institutional PhD programmes, e.g. in the field of design.

The aim is to ensure a continuous and inspiring educational environment for PhD students and to make maintaining a researcher training programme possible. It is consequently important for the school to maintain a sufficient number of enrolled PhD students as well as an appropriate distribution between internally, externally and co-funded scholarships.

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Research Plan 2012-2014

The doctoral school The Aarhus School of Architecture is currently working on developing researcher training courses from a cross-institutional perspective. Today, the PhD programme of the Aarhus School of Architecture is characterised by a strong, general educational programme which has been able to attract students from a number of related research areas. The ambition is to continue this general researcher training programme in closer cooperation with related research institutions, but also to develop courses for researchers that are more specialised with regard to the individual needs and projects of researchers in training. The Aarhus School of Architecture is particularly aware of how and to what extent project-oriented and innovation-based research as well as artistic development activities ought to or could be integrated in the researcher training programme.

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The Aarhus School of Architecture wants to develop cross-institutional cooperation on researcher training with national, and in the slightly longer-term, international cooperative partners - primarily from Nordic and European countries. In this context, we will have to examine how already established international, professional contacts and research networks may be used to strengthen the international profile of the researcher training programme.

In parallel to this, the researcher training programme ought to be integrated in the other activities of the Aarhus School of Architecture to a greater extent; for instance, it should be ascertained whether it is possible to integrate parts of the offered course into the Master’s degree programmes and into postgraduate programmes.

Development objectives In the short-term: • The recruitment of a head of the PhD school, who will be responsible for organising and carrying out courses aimed at researcher training, who will have budget responsibility and report to the head of research • Entering into agreements on PhD school cooperation with other institutions that grant PhDs which were previously under The Ministry of Culture • The doctoral school should be developed organisationally and professionally in accordance with an expected update of the Ministerial Order on PhD Programmes • The Aarhus School of Architecture should establish an adequate economic framework to ensure a critical mass of PhD students. Ideally, the school will budget for 10 internally-funded PhD full-time equivalents and will ensure external funding to, as a minimum, a similar number of full-time equivalents • The knowledge production of the Aarhus School of Architecture with regard to theory of science, architectural theory, and architectural history has to be consolidated, and educational elements that prepare students for conducting research need to be strengthened

In the long term: • Where relevant, the offering and carrying out of researcher training courses will have to be incorporated in the Master’s degree programme, and/or in the postgraduate masters of the Aarhus School of Architecture and in other types of supplementary education • Examining the possibilities and criteria for developing and offering courses and supervision focusing on Research-by-Design/Practice and on artistic development work •

Establishing a program with recurring courses/seminars for PhD supervisors

•

It is possible that it will be necessary to develop an actual education for PhD supervisors as part of future PhD school cooperation

•

It will have to be ascertained whether the 4+4 system ought to play a more prominent role in the recruitment of research talent among students

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Research Plan 2012-2014

Dissemination of research The dissemination of research activities and results

the highest possible merit and the highest possible

can play a central role by collection past experience

constitutes a major interface between the Aarhus

impact in relation to the various target groups ad-

regarding possibilities of publication and funding for

School of Architecture and the outside world. As a

dressed by the school. For this reason, the Aarhus

publishing, either through the publishing house of

research institution, the Aarhus School of Architec-

School of Architecture intends to further develop the

the Aarhus School of Architecture or through exter-

ture will have to publish in peer-reviewed media in

existing strategy and plan of action for publishing at

nal publishers.

order to ensure the scientific quality and relevance

the Aarhus School of Architecture to ensure a multi-

of research. At the same time, the Aarhus School of

pronged strategy of dissemination which takes into

Architecture, as an institution of research and edu-

account different quality criteria connected with dif-

cation directed at a specific profession, has a strong

ferent contexts of dissemination.

interest in disseminating research and development results to architectural practice in an applicationoriented perspective. Finally, the school also needs to be able to communicate artistic development projects in appropriate contexts, such as, for instance, through exhibitions. This dissemination of research takes place through a wide range of channels and media, including publication through the publishing company of the Aarhus School of Architecture and other publishing companies, participation in conferences etc., exhibitions, lectures, contributions in other printed and electronic media as well as uploads of full-text documents to the school website and READ (a website presenting the researchers of the school). In Addition to this, research will be disseminated through teaching carried out at the Aarhus School of Architecture.

It is the aim of the Aarhus School of Architecture that the dissemination and publication of research should take place through channels that ensure 12

Development objectives

There is a special need for developing quality criteria for the dissemination of artistic development work and the practice-related dissemination of research, which is not published through traditional scientific channels – even more so when the material concerned is not text-based. Today these areas are characterised by the absence of established and recognised quality criteria and channels of dissemination and are consequently not covered by the so-called bibliometrical research indicator, which focuses on measuring traditional scientific publishing.

It is the intention of the Aarhus School of Architecture to support a wide range of possibilities of pub-

In the short-term: • Mapping which periodicals will be most relevant and meriting for the school’s researchers to publish in, both from a scientific and a more practical perspective • To examine which publishers, if any, might be good to enter into a more permanent cooperation with for the publication of monographs, etc. - including peer reviews • Developing quality criteria and incentives for dissemination by planning or participating in exhibitions, supplementary education courses/workshops, or dissemination through electronic and digital media • Developing a series of publications aimed at communicating research to practice

lication. This necessitates that procedures for prioritising what is disseminated and how it is disseminated in different contexts are developed in order to ensure the best possible use of the school’s resources and efforts. The publishing house of the Aarhus

In the long term: • investigating the possibilities of and conditions for publishing a digital research journal - possibly in cooperation with other institutions and/or publishers

School of Architecture should be developed so that it 13

Research Plan 2012-2014

Incentives and quality assurance Research conducted at the Aarhus School of Ar-

structures and procedures for evaluating the produc-

It should encourage research clusters and individual

chitecture has been characterised by quality, con-

tion and dissemination of researchers will have to be

researchers to conduct more and better research

sistency, and transparency. Quality assurance is

developed.

and to cooperate more closely. It should provide bet-

based on criteria of quality that apply to the entire research area of the architectural profession, from scientific research over development projects in co-

There is also a need for developing structures which can support the development of research clusters

meriting, and it should, for instance, support joint research activities, allocate additional research time

operation with practice to artistic development work.

where several researchers work on related professi-

The dissemination of research is a central element

mittee wants to encourage this development within

Incentives and quality assurance should be develo-

in this quality assurance. The Research Committee

the School of Architecture at ”platform level”, but

ped in collaboration with staff management and

are currently working on developing a broadly-based

also in relation to national and international cross-

employees responsible for staff competence develop-

way of disseminating research with the potential to

institutional cooperation.

ment in order to ensure consistency between quality

onal areas and research issues. The Research Com-

at the Aarhus School of Architecture. The quality and relevance of the channels which are used to disseminate research is important. Research must be visible and accessible for research findings to be used, discussed and criticised by researchers, peers and users. It will be necessary to develop further existing administrative structures so that they are better able to support the dissemination of research results by researchers. There is likewise a need for explaining and clarifying the expectations the Aarhus School of Architecture has to the work of individual researchers. Based on the research portal READ

or resources, support publishing, etc.

assurance and staff management, and between the

accommodate the breadth of research carried out

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ter opportunities for professional development and

Structure of incentives In order to promote this development, the Research Committee wish to develop a structure of incentives which will result in research funding being set aside for those research projects at the Aarhus School of Architecture which are deemed as having the most interesting perspectives. The structure of incentives should be a strategic tool that can be used for de-

structure of incentives and competence development. It will be necessary to develop a transparent and open structure that clarifies the rules underlying distribution and which offers resources of incentives in open competition - thus giving all researchers an equal opportunity to apply and basing criteria of allocation on the quality of research applications and

Development objectives In the short-term: • To develop procedures of evaluation • To clarify how READ can become a central tool for the registration and quality assurance of research produced at the Aarhus School of Architecture • To develop a structure of incentives which will motivate individual researchers and which also ensures the best possible use of available research resources • To further develop cooperation between the research administration and researchers In the long term: • To develop quality criteria for project-oriented and innovation-driven research (Research by Design/ Practice) as well as for artistic development work based on inspiration from international experience • To support a development which will result in platforms being able to manage research resources in the best possible way in relation to the research tasks that need to be solved

on previous research results.

veloping and strengthening the highest qualified research and which supports the development of new areas of research and emerging research initiatives.

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