Who: PhD students at the Technical Faculty of IT and Design and at the Faculty of Engineering and Science

    When:  May 12 - 2025

    Deadline: 08.05.2025

    Duration: 1 full day

    ECTS: 1

    Max no. Of participants: 35

    Course organizers: 

    Course lectures: 

    Place: Aalborg Campus – Kroghstræde 1 - Room: Mozart

    A PhD degree  is not only an outstanding achievement, but also a springboard for future development. Many PhD students will pursue their career in other research and innovation environment like industry, NGOs, yhr public sector, as entrepreneurs and other various career paths. Today it is even more important than ever to take charge of your career and guide your PhD study in the direction of your next career move.

    This one-day course will explore requirements of pursuing a career within academia and industry and most important provide you with valuable knowledge and inspiration in relation to planning your overall career. 

    You will also have the possibility to start working on your own career plan and get feedback following the course.

    . As part of these reflections, AAU PhD can offer career profile with 1:1 feedback. This profil will provide you with insight into your motivation, career pattern and other valuable reflections.

     

    Tentative program:

    9:00-9:30 Introduction to the course 

    9:30-10:15 Mads Bang, Director of Innovation, AAU Innovation. From Research to Business

    10:15-10:30 Break

    10:30-11:15 Presentations from Linda Nhu Laursen Associate Professor and Head of Research at AAU Design LabProfessor Bent Thomsen at the Department of Computer Science and Assistant Professor Lasse Rohde from the Department of the Built Environment

    11:15-12:00 Round table 1: Questions 

    12:00-12:30 Lunch (included in the course)

    12:30 - 13:00 Presentation from Nicolai Bæk Thomsen, Senior Manager Group AI Solutions and Services at Grundfos,  Miklas Strøm Kristoffersen, Manager ML & AI Salling Group & Bejmanin Støttrup, Quatitative Analyst - Centrica Energy

    13:00-14:00 Round table 2: Questions 

    14:00-14:30 Career planning: Kristian Østergaard

    14:30-14:45 Break

    14:45-15:15 Exercise: Career Plan

    15:15-15:30 Discussion and arranging potential individual sessions. 



Welcome to From Research to Business

Description: AAU wants to promote innovation and business creation as career path for more of our PhD candidates and as a means of making societal impact from our research. This course helps PhD students understand the entrepreneurial landscape, what it takes to be successful, and they have a chance to assess whether this is something for them. The course has a high priority from AAU Innovation.

Prerequisites: All PhD students are qualified to participate. Some elements of the course refer to Danish business structure and law, but those are introduced in the course for the benefit of international students.

Learning objectives: Knowing the general terminology of entrepreneurship. Experience different ways to view businesses and their lifecycles. Knowing the legal structures supporting businesses in Denmark.  Having considered the purpose and contents of a business plan.  Understanding the use of a viable business plan to obtain impact funding. Knowing financing options and understanding their pros and cons. Knowing different types of investors, their motives and expectations. Knowing the basics of immaterial property rights.  Having considered different marketing approaches and their links with the business model. Knowing about local structures and organizations supporting startups. Understanding options for IPR protection.

Teaching methods: Classroom dialogues to investigate motivations and the logic of business as compared with the academic world. Presentations by experiences and successful entrepreneurs and investment managers

Criteria for assessment: The students must complete a business model canvas for their own business idea to graduate the course.

Key literature: Notes and slides from the teaching sessions.

Organizer: John Rasmussen

Lecturers: John Rasmussen

ECTS: 2.0

Time: 29 - 30 April 2025

Place: Aalborg University

Zip code: 9220

City: Aalborg

Maximal number of participants: 30

Deadline: 8 April 2025

Important information concerning PhD courses: 

There is a no-show fee of DKK 3,000 for each course where the student does not show up. Cancellations are accepted no later than 2 weeks before the start of the course. Registered illness is of course an acceptable reason for not showing up on those days. Furthermore, all courses open for registration approximately four months before start of the course.

For external PhD students: This course is a general course and is prioritised for PhD Students enrolled at Aalborg University. If there are available seats, PhD students from other universities will be accepted. You will be notified shortly after the deadline if you have been accepted.

To attend courses at the Doctoral School in Medicine, Biomedical Science and Technology you must be enrolled as a PhD student.

We cannot ensure any seats before the deadline for enrolment, all participants will be informed after the deadline, approximately 3 weeks before the start of the course.

For inquiries regarding registration, cancellation or waiting list, please contact the PhD administration at phdcourses@adm.aau.dk When contacting us please state the course title and course period. Thank you.