Preface
From Centers of Excellence to Danish strongholds
Now that the first DNRF Centers of Excellence have had up to two decades to leave their mark since their funding stopped, we are finally in a position to begin assessing their true impact.
As 2023 was drawing to a close, the DNRF received 166 visions of potentially novel research fields at the December deadline of the 12th round of Centers of Excellence, the DNRF flagship grant. The continued strong interest bodes well for the future of Danish research.
Looking back to the earliest Centers of Excellence, we have tried to shed light on the long-term significance of the investment in these ambitious research centers. Our insights into the societal impact of these activities were published in two studies during the summer of 2023, which we are excited about for several reasons.
First, the studies were essentially the first of their kind in Denmark.
Since the DNRF started more than 30 years ago, the Center of Excellence format has become a favored format nationally and internationally owing to its good performance. While we know that the ongoing research output has been impressive, the returns to society from investment in basic research are long-term and subtle. Now that the first DNRF Centers of Excellence have had up to two decades to leave their mark since their funding stopped, we are finally in a position to begin assessing their true impact.
Second, the studies provided us with perspectives on what it is, more specifically, about a Center of Excellence that is particularly important in underpinning this impact and conversely where there is room for improvement.
Over time, some Centers of Excellence build up capacity in areas of current societal importance and attention, even though this importance was not always obvious at the time the investments were made.
The studies show that:
- Over time, some Centers of Excellence build up capacity in areas of current societal importance and attention, even though this importance was not always obvious at the time the investments were made. For instance, it turns out that the investments in centers doing fundamental research into quantum science over the last 20 years have been instrumental in making Denmark a current stronghold in this field. NATO’s decision in 2022 to place its Quantum Technology Center in Denmark is a prime testimony to this. The centers have been the source of a highly specialized workforce for industry and academia. The same holds true of public/green economics and catalysis/power-to-X, where Danish research is now among the global leaders, to the benefit of Danish society.
- The centers’ research environments often produce lasting effects and continue to pay off in terms of top research, innovation and the training of a specialized workforce.
- Staff and department heads engaged in the early centers consider the Center of Excellence format to have provided quite ideal conditions for realizing their ambitious research ideas.As we see it, the results, in short, confirm that we may rely on the ability of many top researchers to identify and develop tomorrow’s research areas, innovation and talent of societal importance.We will continue to analyze and use the results to further refine the Center of Excellence instrument. We encourage others with an interest in Denmark’s role as an international frontrunner to take a look for themselves.And as the 12th round of Centers of Excellence unfolds during the year to come, we are keenly aware that each center holds the potential of starting a new Danish stronghold.
... as the 12th round of Centers of Excellence unfolds during the year to come, we are keenly aware that each center holds the potential of starting a new Danish stronghold.
Professor Jens Kehlet Nørskov, Chair of the board of the DNRF
Professor Søren-Peter Olesen, CEO of the DNRF
Professor Søren-Peter Olesen, CEO of the DNRF