New head of faculty administration appointed at the Faculty of Engineering

The Faculty of Engineering at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) has been seeking a new head of faculty administration, and the right candidate has now been found.

Her name is Malene Rask, and for the past four years she has worked in Slagelse Municipality, the last two as head of Culture, Leisure and Citizen Services.

All in all, she brings substantial leadership experience to the role of head of faculty administration, which she will take up on 1 November. Malene Rask has held management positions for many years, including in Odense Municipality, where she previously worked for more than a decade in total.

However, this does not mean she intends to charge through the revolving doors of the TEK building in Odense on day one with a raft of new initiatives for all the campuses, she says.

- My approach is to listen and be curious before I can make a meaningful contribution to development and potential adjustments. One of my first tasks will therefore be to fill up the hard drive with new knowledge and get to know the organisation, colleagues, staff and tasks, says Malene Rask.

- But of course, I have ambitions to contribute and help make a strong administration even better.

A visionary team player

The position attracted a strong field of applicants. Even so, the appointments committee unanimously agreed that Malene Rask was the right choice, says Henrik Bindslev, dean of the Faculty of Engineering:

- Malene has solid experience managing large and complex departments that are part of even larger and equally complex organisations. She is dynamic, visionary and has a strong understanding of people – qualities that are highly valuable for our continued development here at TEK, says Henrik Bindslev.

Malene Rask herself describes her leadership style as relational, and as a former elite-level volleyball player, team spirit is also very important to her:

- I see myself as someone who meets colleagues at eye level and thrives in collaborations where we are different. I enjoy working with people and am driven by our collective strength, even though I know there are times when I must take the lead.

An ambitious environment

A key motivation for applying for the position, Malene Rask explains, was the opportunity to contribute to the role played by the Faculty of Engineering and SDU in our society.

- TEK is where the workforce and knowledge of the future are being developed. I am strongly motivated by the chance to be part of an ambitious environment and close to colleagues who are driven and have a real impact on the societal agenda, she says.

The position also marks, in many ways, a return to Funen after four years of working life on Zealand.

Malene Rask grew up in Vejen in Jutland but moved to Odense after upper secondary school to study sports science at SDU and has stayed in the city ever since. Today, she lives in the Skibhus district with her husband and three sons aged 10, 14 and 17. 

- When I’m not working, I spend time reading books, among other things. All my boys are sports enthusiasts, so I also watch a lot of tennis and football. And I enjoy being active and using my body, for instance for practical tasks around the house and garden, says Malene Rask.

- And, by the way, one added bonus of working in Odense again: I can cycle to work!