Bullying is when you feel persistently and systematically taunted by another person. Bullying can be verbal or non-verbal, and includes acts such as teasing in a mean manner, name-calling, exclusion, spreading rumours, or embarrassing others in public.

Threatening behaviour is likely to make you afraid of being harmed. This kind of behaviour can be expressed verbally or non-verbally – for example as spoken threats or threatening body language against you or others.

Have you been subjected to violence where the offender deliberately intended to hurt you physically?

Sexism is discrimination or prejudice on the basis of your gender, where you feel exposed to inappropriate sexualized comments or touching.

Harassment can be persistent stalking or malicious teasing intended to humiliate, threaten or discriminate against you, and can be either political, religious, ethnic, or based on gender or sexual orientation.

You may have been subjected to discrimination if you feel treated unfairly and different than others because of e.g. your gender, ethnicity, political or religious opinions, disabilities, or sexual orientation.

Stalking is repeated, systematic and unwanted persecution or surveillance, either physically or online, and can vary from weeks to several years.

AAU Student Guidance offers you free and confidential conversations with professional counsellors that can help you with your student life and well-being.

We ensure your privacy whether you meet with us in person, on the phone or online. 

Book a counselling session with AAU Student Guidance.

You can also share your experience with your Head of studies. 

Overview of AAU's Head of studies.

Within a few days you can have a counselling session at AAU with a professional counsellor from the Student Counselling Service.

This service is intended for students who are severely depressed, severely anxious, or who have been exposed to a serious violation, but who do not need urgent crisis help.

Contact AAU Study Guidance to book a counselling session with the Student Counselling Service

If you need urgent crisis help, you can — depending on the situation — contact your own doctor, emergency medical services, or police crisis help (emergency 112, otherwise 114).

AAU Emergency Response -  crisis call

In the event of a serious accident, fire, or other emergency at AAU, you must also contact the AAU Emergency Response in addition to the 112 emergency number:

AAL: 99 40 35 00
CPH: 99 40 36 00
ESB:  99 40 76 00

AAU's emergency responders will assist police when they arrive.

If you need to discuss and process your experience, you are also welcome to contact:

• the University chaplains
• the Student Counselling Service
• Headspace
• Den Sociale Skadestue [the Social Emergency Unit]

The rules concerning offensive behavior differ based on whether the perpetrator is a student or an employee.

AAU has created a code of conduct regarding student behavior. These can be found under AAU’s disciplinary rules.

AAU’s disciplinary rules can be found in the AAU haandbook.

If you feel offended by the behavior of an employee, you should contact your head of studies.

If a student breaks AAU’s code of conduct and this transgression can be documented, AAU is able to raise a disciplinary case against the student.

Thus, AAU will be able to raise a disciplinary case against a student who has displayed offensive behavior if:

1. The leader in charge has assessed that a transgression of the code of conduct has occurred.
2. It can be documented that the transgression has occurred.
3. The transgression occurred in relation to AAU or if the student is aware, or ought to be aware, of the fact that their behavior could disturb AAU’s ability to function.

A student feeling offended by the behavior of another student is not sufficient to raise a disciplinary case. Furthermore, it will always be the leader in charge who makes the final decision about whether a transgression of the codes of conduct has occurred.

If a case is raised based on a report from a student, that report will be included in the case as documentation. This means that the accused student must gain access to and ability to comment on the report.

Thus, it is not possible to raise a disciplinary case if the accusing student does not want the report to be included, or if they want to remain anonymous.

If you suspect that the code of conduct has been broken you must always contact your head of studies.

1. The leader in charge assesses that the behavior is not in conflict with AAU’s disciplinary rules.

There may be cases where one or more students feels offended or poorly treated by other students, but where the leader in charge doesn’t think that a violation of the code of conduct has occurred.

2. The behavior didn’t occur in relation to AAU.

If the offensive behavior did not occur in relation to AAU, AAU does not have the right to raise a disciplinary case even if the behavior does break the disciplinary rules at AAU. AAU’s disciplinary rules does not cover relations or situations occurring between students outside of AAU or in the students’ spare time. If the transgressions are of illegal character, AAU recommends that the student(s) contact the local police.

3. There is no documentation proving that the code of conduct has been broken.

AAU bears the burden of proof regarding transgressions of the code of conduct.

Therefore, incidents where it is not possible to raise a disciplinary case due to lack of documentation, might occur. This might be instances where the student(s) reporting the incident wants to remain anonymous, and where no other documentation is available.

In such instances the student(s) who are included in the report will not be able to comment on the incident, and thus AAU will not be able to raise a disciplinary case.

The head of studies is bound by an oath of confidentiality. This means that the head of studies may exclusively orient the accused student about the case management and the decisions made.

Thus, if you go to your head of studies because you suspect the code of conduct has been broken, you will not be oriented about whether a case will be raised.

You have the option of contacting the leader in charge on your education. It will most often be the head of studies who assesses whether a breach of the code of conduct has occurred

Find your head of studies here.

If you go to your head of studies regarding an experienced offense, they are obligated to thoroughly examine your case*. The head of studies must remain impartial in the examination and show discretion to all involved parties.

This means that both you, and the other involved parties will be invited to have a confidential meeting with the head of studies. You may bring a friend or a parent to this meeting.

It is the head of studies who makes the final decision as to what will happen.

*Bear in mind that when you report an offense you, for legal reasons, may not:

• Remain anonymous towards the person the report is about.
• Be oriented about what happens in the case.
• Influence the decision made in the case.

If you have experienced an offense overseas or during an internship, your head of studies might not be the first person you should contact.

We would advise you to first investigate how your place of residence deals with offenses. There will usually be a clear procedure for how such experiences are handled.

Overseas semesters

If you are doing your internship overseas, you may either contact the leader closest to you or someone else with whom you feel safe at your place of residence.

Furthermore, you may contact AAU’s International Office for help with the situation you are in.

Also remember to inform your study about your situation.

Overseas Internships

If you are doing your internship overseas, you may either contact the leader closest to you or someone else with whom you feel safe at your place of residence.

Furthermore, you may contact AAU’s International Office for help with the situation you are in.

Also remember to inform your study about your situation.

Internships In Denmark

If you are doing your internship in Denmark, you may either contact the leader closest to you or someone else with whom you feel safe at your place of residence.

You may also contact your internship coordinator from own study.

If you are in doubt about who you can ask for help, you can contact your head of studies.

• React when you experience offensive behavior – You should not learn to live with it.
• Your reactions are entirely normal. It is healthy to express potentially anxiety inducing or underlying feelings.
• Speak with someone you trust. Describe your feelings and thoughts about your experience to them.
• Trust what you are feeling and thinking, and make sure to listen to your loved one’s opinions on the matter.
• Insofar as it is possible, try to maintain your routines. Keep doing the things you usually do – especially the things that bring you joy.
• Try to keep your head held high and be extra compassionate towards yourself.
• Try to keep yourself healthy. Get your sleep, eat healthily, exercise, keep up with your studies and remain socially active.
• If you are being excluded, don’t feel heard, have your boundaries crossed, you should practice saying no, and if this does not work, remove yourself from the situation.
• Seek support from your loved ones, friends, study mates and student counsellors.
• Be mindful of your general health and habits – Ask your doctor if you are feeling in doubt about it.