Aarhus University Seal

Graduation posters ("dimittendplakater")

Recent and previous posters can be seen below

The graduation poster is an initiative developed in 2021 by study life developer Christina Gøttsche with the idea that when Master students from Department of Computer Science graduate, they should get something to take home that reminds them of their time at the department.

A key element of the graduation poster is that it is developed for students by students. Therefore, each year, a student from each of our two study programmes is the designer of the graduation poster for the Master graduates of their own study programme.

Questions?
Reach out to Christina.

Christina Sanne Gøttsche

Outreach Manager and Study life developer

Designers throughout the years

Year Designer Study programme Semester
2024 Nikoline With Brandt-Jacobsen Computer Science Master student, 2nd semester
2024 Maja Skovgård Nielsen IT Product Development Bachelor student, 6th semester
2023 Anna Maria Schierholz Computer Science Master student, 4th semester
2023 Annika Hoffmann IT Product Development Bachelor student, 6th semester
2022 Marie Katharine Martensen Computer Science Master student, 2nd semester
2022 Maja Dybboe IT Product Development Master student, 2nd semester
2021 Kristoffer Strube Computer Science Master student, 2nd semester
2021 William Sonne Ebbesen IT Product Development Bachelor student, 6th semester

Posters throughout the years

Poster for Computer Science Graduates 2024

Artist: Nikoline With Brandt-Jacobsen

Artist statement:
My poster uses five-point perspective to depict buildings on a 'tiny planet of AU' representing the specializations available in the Master's degree in Computer Science. I've attempted to visually represent courses within each specialization. Most paths lead to different specializations, with some buildings interconnected to highlight the interdisciplinary nature of the field.

Warmest congratulations to the graduates, and best wishes for your future pursuits!

Poster for IT Product Development Graduates 2024

Artist: Maja Skovgård Nielsen

Artist statement:
I wanted to create a poster that seems messy and chaotic at first glance because that is what IT Product Development is to me. It is messy and at times confusing, but it all starts to make sense when you explore the different angles and details. Maybe you will recognize the gesticulation of the hands? I hope this poster will remind the class of 2024 of all the awesome and diverse skills they have gained through their education - because that is a lot, and I hope that it will bring back memories of the good (and challenging) times that they have had the last 5 years. Your desks might be neater on the other side, but the feeling of IT Product Development is only a few post-its away.

Congratulations to all of you! 

2023

Poster for Computer Science Graduates 2023

Artist: Anna Maria Schierholz

Artist statement:
My poster, is inspired by the “Where’s Waldo?” or “Find Holger” books. Every scene represents a part of student life studying Computer Science at Aarhus University. Hopefully everyone can also find some courses and specializations they took during their studies at AU.

Big congratulations from me to the graduates and all the best for your future adventures!

Poster for IT Product Development Graduates 2023

Artist: Annika Hoffmann

Artist statement:
From my perspective IT Product Development represents an educational path that, in various ways, contains hidden treasures of both professional and social character. I believe that many students are not initially aware of both the challenges and the pleasant surprises, which turn out to be a part of the education. This has been the inspiration behind the poster, which at first glance appears an abstract, colorful creation but upon closer examination reveals many familiar elements from the education. The contrasting colors symbolize the unique community we have at IT Product Development, which is composed of many different people, with room for everyone.

Congratulations to all the graduates and best of luck in the future!

2022

Poster for Computer Science Graduates 2022

Artist: Marie Katharine Martensen

Artist statement:
My idea with the design on the poster is to symbolize the transition between studying Computer Science at AU and in the real world with the door, the I/O-doormat and the elements surrounding it both indoor as well as outdoor. The room contains elements which can be seen every day at the study café e.g., the AU logo wallpaper and the flyers. In the window, some hidden words, written vertically with the AU Peto font, can be found. Students who have completed their masters should be able to decipher these. Outside the door is a bike at the base of a graph because there can be no cycles in a tree.

A big congratulations to all the graduates, and I wish them all the best in the future!

Poster for IT Product Development Graduates 2022

Artist: Maja Dybboe

Artist statement:
The graduating class of 2022 are an energetic, happy and social class who has made a clear mark on IT Product Development for the past five years. I felt it fitting to create a poster - for them - that expresses this energy. Inspired by retro arcade games I have illustrated academic and technical challenges with obvious design elements and code hidden in the entire foundation, just as a well-designed project should have.

A great congratulations from me to the graduating class for finishing level 5, and I hope you will remember to keep the community as a central factor – and that you are welcome back at any time.

2021

Poster for Computer Science Graduates 2021

Artist: Kristoffer Strube

Artist statement:
My idea with the poster is to include relevant events and people from the department and education programme, and gather these in a Zoom layout - a tool that the students (now graduates) really have gotten to know over the past years. The characters in the windows are cartoons characters, however, there are many small details in the pictures that tell something about the academic and social elements of studying computer science like the tutors, bartenders etc.  Another example is that at the top right you can see the well-known joke "P = NP", but an extra detail is the portrait on the wall – a Simpsons version of Bjarne Stroustrup, whom we have a picture of in the social café ‘Regnecentralen’. Other things that you might spot if you look a little closer, is a NAND-gate which can be used to make all other logical gates, as well as a known sign whose purpose is to fall down. Finally, you can see a conversation between two well-known persons in Cryptography.

Thanks to the graduates for sharing good times while they were here, and I hope to see them some time again in the department’s Friday bar.

Poster for IT Product Development Graduates 2021

Artist: William Sonne Ebbesen

Artist statement:
My idea was to design a poster which encompasses the education as a whole and all the processes the students go through during their studies. The illustration represents the knowledge and experience you get from completing a Master’s degree in IT Product Development. The two silhouettes symbolize the students and the fact that you don’t complete a master’s degree alone – you need the help and influence from your peers. At the top of the poster, I attempted to illustrate projects and courses that the students have gone through. All the illustration of databases, calculus, thesis writing, IT projects and circuit diagrams are there to remind you of your completed education as you move forward.

Big congratulations to all the graduates.

Information for designers

The poster and its purpose

  • The purpose of the poster is to give to the Master graduates at the graduation ceremony.
  • A poster will be handed out to the graduates, rolled and wrapped in a cardboard roll, for them to take home and display as they please.
  • The poster designed for the Computer Science students will be given to graduates of Computer Science, and the poster designed for the IT Product Development students will be given to graduates of IT Product Development.
  • An important feature of the posters is that they should, in some way, be relevant for the study programme for which they are designed, and not just be a generic poster.This can be fulfilled because the designing students are designing a poster for graduates of the same study programmes as themselves.
  • Opportunities for the choice of art work and design style, technique etc., are many, and depends on the designers for the year and their preferences and skill.

The process and meetings

  • The design job is paid.
  • The two student designers and process lead will meet throughout the process.
    • Introduction meeting with both designers.
    • Feedback meeting where we give feedback on ideas, sketches and work produced so far.
    • Possibility for more feedback sessions if needed.
    • Print session where we look at a demo print of the posters together.
    • A final meeting after the posters are handed out, where the designers receive a framed version of their poster.
  • We set deadlines for poster work and meeting dates together, taking the student designers' project work, hand-in deadlines and exams into consideration.
    • First draft(s)
    • Draft (nearing final version) for test print in the final quality
    • Final version for final printing
    • 'Artist statement' and profile photo (if you agree, no photo is also ok)

Photo of the designers and an artist statement

For communication purposes, we would like to have a profile picture of each designer and a written 'artist statement' for the design work/posters.

The profile pictures and the posters will be displayed at the graduation ceremony. The profile pictures and the posters along with the artist statement will also be used in a news article, as well as on this page. It is acceptable if you do not feel comfortable using a profile picture.