FAQ

A megaproject consists of a number of semester projects that comprise a response to an overall societal issue related to sustainability, based on challenges and focus areas. The megaproject is an umbrella project addressed by the semester projects as a whole.  

The megaprojects are interdisciplinary. This means that the groups taking part in a megaproject exchange feedback and collaborate with groups from other programmes. This occurs in a cluster consisting of up to five groups. The participating groups still prepare their semester project as stipulated in the curriculum and semester description, but in parallel receive feedback, input and inspiration from the other participating groups in the same megaproject.  

Click here to learn more about what a megaproject is. 

Click here to learn more about what students can expect in a megaproject.

A cluster is made up of several student groups. There must be a minimum of two groups to form a cluster, and each cluster has a maximum of five groups. A cluster consists of groups that all work on the same challenge. A challenge may have several clusters. The groups in a cluster typically come from several different programmes and semesters.  

Deliverables are ongoing statuses on the work on your semester project. They aim to inform the other groups in the cluster about what you are working on, what input you would like, and what you can contribute to the other groups. Deliverables provide a basis for the interdisciplinary collaboration between the groups.  

There are four deliverables during the semester. The first is registration and project proposal, the second is a status and the basis for the mid-term seminar, the third is the compilation at the seminar, and the fourth is your results and the starting point for the end-term seminar and joint submission. A deliverable is typically 1-3 pages.  

Deliverables should not be submitted as such, but shared in the MS Teams cluster room so that the entire cluster can access them.

See deadlines for deliverables here. 

The start-up seminar is scheduled within 14 days of your submitting your project proposal. 

The seminar takes place within your newly assigned cluster and aims to give you insight into what other expertise is in the cluster, what specific issues each group is examining, and what interesting perspectives you can contribute to each other. 

The clusters are responsible for organising their seminar. Each cluster has a cluster room on Microsoft Teams where they can coordinate, share files, and exchange information. We encourage clusters to also meet and use each other for feedback in addition to the three required seminars.

There is a deadline for holding the start-up seminar, meaning the latest time the seminar can be held. It may be held sooner. Information about the seminar and its content is provided in the cluster rooms on MS Teams.  

The mid-term seminar is the second time the groups in the clusters are required to meet. The mid-term seminar is a feedback meeting where the groups in the same cluster meet and exchange ideas, possibilities and perspectives.  

The clusters are responsible for organising the seminar. Each cluster has a cluster room on Microsoft Teams where they can coordinate, share files and exchange information. We encourage clusters to also meet and use each other for feedback in addition to the mid-term seminar.  

There is a deadline for holding the mid-term seminar, meaning the latest time the seminar can be held. It may be held sooner. Information about the seminar and its content is provided in the cluster rooms on MS Teams.  

The final (end-term) seminar is the last time the groups in a cluster are required to meet. The seminar brings together and summarises the results of the various groups. It also provides the basis for the joint submission where the cluster summarises its contribution to the challenge.  

The clusters are responsible for organising the seminar. Each cluster has a cluster room on Microsoft Teams where they can coordinate, share files and exchange information. We encourage clusters to regularly meet and use each other for feedback. 

There is a deadline for holding the end-term seminar, meaning the latest time the seminar can be held. It may be held sooner. Information about the seminar and its content is provided in the cluster rooms on MS Teams.

The megaproject conference is held twice a year – in February and September. First, the aim of the conference to provide a status on the ongoing megaprojects and to present results. Second, the conference also marks the start of the next semester and highlights the opportunities offered by the megaprojects. In addition, students who have contributed to the megaprojects receive certificates.

All students may take part. Regardless of programme and semester – even university. 

The megaprojects are open to participation for all programmes and all semesters at AAU. Students from other universities also have the opportunity to take part. 

At AAU, we embrace group work. The same is true of the megaprojects where participation typically takes place in groups. However, you are still very welcome to take part if you write project on your own. 

All semesters are welcome, but we do not recommend that first semester students join a megaproject. This is because students in their first semester may have difficulty linking their semester projects to another activity when doing this for the first time.  

A megaproject contains different deadlines. There are four deliverables, two seminars, a joint submission and the megaproject conference.

You can find an overview of the different deadlines here. 

Megaprojects start up about one month after the start of the semester. 

You work with the other groups in your cluster and possibly with external partners such as public or private organisations.  

The groups in your cluster can come from any programme and any semester. For example, a tenth semester student writing a Master’s thesis can be part of a cluster and work with a group of bachelor’s students in the fourth semester. All semesters are welcome to participate, although we do not recommend that first semester students do so.

The megaprojects are interdisciplinary. This means that the groups taking part in a megaproject will exchange feedback and collaborate with groups from other programmes. The participating groups still prepare their semester project as stipulated in the curriculum and semester description, but in parallel receive feedback, input and inspiration from the other participating groups.  

The groups that have selected the same challenge work together. They are divided into clusters with up to five groups in each. In these clusters, the groups exchange feedback, ideas and knowledge.  

The interdisciplinary cooperation translates primarily into the deliverables shared in the individual cluster, the mid-term and end-term seminars, and in the ongoing collaboration and knowledge sharing that takes place in the MS Teams cluster room. 

Approximately 30 hours. This is the amount of time you have to set aside to incorporate your semester project into a megaproject. About half the hours are spent on an online course on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the rest of the hours are divided into preparing deliverables and participating in the three seminars.  

As a participant in a megaproject you add an extra layer to your semester project. In addition to doing your semester project exactly as you normally would, you also acquire competences in interdisciplinary collaboration, project management and sustainability. You also contribute to future problem solving where sustainability, interdisciplinarity and breaking down silo mentality are essential.  

For your participation you will receive a certificate you can attach to your diploma. 

None. Working on the megaprojects is an extracurricular activity; thus you do not earn additional ECTS credits. But you do get the unique benefit of interdisciplinary experience not offered elsewhere at the university. In addition, participants in the megaproject are awarded an official certificate that is AAU's only official sustainability certification.

Your semester project is not changed by the fact that you are part of a megaproject. So you have exactly the same content requirements in your semester project you’re used to and that are described in your semester description.  

Talk to your supervisor about how your participation in the megaprojects can be used in the semester project.  

Yes. In this case, you participate as a one-person group. 

Your supervisor's role is exactly the same as in regular semester projects. The supervisor is therefore not obligated to participate in megaproject activities or to provide supervision based on the megaproject. However, we strongly encourage supervisors to participate anyway.  

Since megaprojects are conducted across the entire university, efforts have been made to schedule deadlines and events as appropriately as possible across faculties. For some faculties, the start-up of megaprojects is scheduled late in relation to project start-up, while for others it is early.  

It is up to students to meet deadlines and adjust their planning according to the megaproject deadlines. Therefore, students may also be required to submit deliverable 1 (project description) before the group is assigned a supervisor. Here it is important to mention that deliverable 1 is not an exhaustive description and problem formulation for the project. Instead, it should be seen as an expression of interest and thus a description of what the group is interested in working on in the context of the challenge. The project can of course change at any time over the semester. 

Students therefore simply need to start deliverable 1 and fill it in as best they can.

Depending on your question, you have different options. 

COORDINATOR 

It is always a good idea to start with the coordinator for the megaproject you are taking part in or are interested in. The coordinator can answer both academic and practical questions about the megaproject. 
 

CHALLENGe proposer 

The challenge proposer has specific knowledge of the problem the challenge deals with. You should therefore contact the challenge proposer if you have specific questions about the challenge.  
 

YOUR SUPERVISOR 

Questions about your own semester project should be asked of your supervisor.  

PROJECT MANAGER FOR MEGAPROJECTS 

If you have any questions about the overall megaproject concept, please contacts us: megaprojects@aau.dk

Students participating in the megaprojects are required to:

• Complete all four deliverables and participate in preparing a joint submission at the end of the process
• Participate in all three seminars
• Complete the SDG course

Find out more about the different components of the process here.

There is no separate exam for the megaprojects, and if the above requirements are fulfilled, all participating students receive a megaproject certificate that also serves as AAU's sustainability certification. 

The requirements are exactly the same as usual for a semester project. This means that there are no additional requirements for the megaproject. 

However, we encourage supervisors to participate in the megaproject activities as far as possible. That is, to participate in:

• start-up seminar
• mid-term seminar
• end-term seminar
• megaproject conference

It is, however, up to the individual supervisor as to whether they have the opportunity. 

This is up to the individual supervisor. It is the individual supervisor's choice as to whether the megaproject activities should be included in the supervision, whether these activities are extra time or whether the supervisor does not participate at all. 

There are several ways you can do this: 

• Encourage students to participate and inform them of the opportunity to participate
• Make specific project proposals for students that fit into one or more challenges under the megaprojects
• Stay informed on the opportunities offered by megaprojects and mention the possibility of participation to students with relevant issues in their projects
• If possible, take the opportunities offered by megaprojects into account when the semester themes are organised

It is up to each supervisor to decide how best to incorporate the megaprojects for their students.

Students must be active participants in the megaproject and complete the SDG course with a certain number of correct answers in order to complete participation in the megaproject.

AAU megaprojects do not include any exam and do not appear on the diploma. Instead, participation in megaprojects is recognised with a special certificate that also constitutes AAU's sustainability certification for students.

It is up to the individual supervisor and the students whether the participation in the megaprojects should be included in the semester project exam.