By Lea Laursen Pasgaard, AAU Communication & Public Affairs. Translated by LeeAnn Iovanni, AAU Communication & Public Affairs.

Create a digital HR at AAU. This was one of the first tasks that landed on Linda Ibsen's desk when she started the job as HR deputy director at Aalborg University (AAU) back in January. It quickly became clear to her that AAU's HR systems are outdated and communicate so poorly that it affects the completion of tasks.

She therefore set up a task force with representatives from both HR and IT Services (ITS) to analyze the HR area's main problems in IT systems and processes. The conclusion is clear: AAU needs a new recruitment system as well as a personnel and absence system.

- The analysis shows that the foundation for AAU's HR data and systems is not sustainable. So, it’s necessary that we investigate which new systems best solve the challenges we face. We can’t promise that the perfect HR system is out there, but our ambition is that it will be possible to do much better than what we have now, says Linda Ibsen, HR Deputy Director.

Cleanup of existing systems 

In addition to the two new systems, according to the deputy director, it is also necessary to clean up the number of HR systems, Excel sheets and faulty HR reports.

- The goal is that we clean up our HR data once and for all, she states.

The administrative management group in Shared Services and AAU's Strategic Committee for Digitalization have recently discussed the task force's recommendations and agree that it is necessary to clarify the way forward towards replacing existing systems to ensure an efficient and unified HR administration. Thus, some of the work that Shared Services had otherwise prioritized to start up in 2024 will be put on hold.

- It will take both time and resources to clarify the way forward towards new systems that can meet the university's needs, and to clean up the existing systems and processes. We are effectively removing the backbone of HR's system landscape and replacing it with something else, says Linda Ibsen.

A new system that can support the recruitment of both academic staff and technical and administrative staff is first. HR and ITS will partner closely on the work, and the rest of the organization will be involved on an ongoing basis.