The fundamental basis for the Faculty of Social Science's contribution to Aarhus University's four core activities during the period of 2008 - 2012 is the research-based degree programmes. All of the degree programmes offered at the Faculty of Social Sciences are a great success, and this has contributed considerably to the outstanding branding of the two schools and two departments at the Faculty of Social Sciences.

The research contribution will also in future be strongly influenced by the  requirements of research-based teaching. Future research activities at the Faculty of Social Sciences will undoubtedly include increasingly more research projects financed by external grants, and these projects will result in more larger research groups organized in research centres.

The most considerable change regards PhD production, where the Faculty of Social Sciences aims at obtaining a considerable increase in activities. A crucial precondition for a successful outcome of this effort is that the financing of the PhD degree programmes undergoes a fairly radical transformation, ensuring that in future not only stipend expenses are covered, but also other costs related to activities such as courses, supervision, office facilities (rent) and research stays abroad; all these items are closely linked with high-quality PhD education.

As regards consulting services, the Faculty of Social Sciences will - through the Danish Centre for Studies in Research and Research Policy - continue to offer independent research-based advice to governmental agencies and public institutions. The Faculty of Social Sciences will also contribute to consulting services provided by other main academic areas at Aarhus University if employees of the Faculty of Social Sciences are involved in the underlying research.