23. October 2019

The Danish National Research Foundation is ready to invest DKK 1.1 billion in 10 new Centers of Excellence

The board of the Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF) has decided to invest DKK 657 million and allocate an additional DKK 440 million to 10 new research centers, the so-called Centers of Excellence. The centers will help contribute to maintaining Denmark’s position as one of the leading research countries worldwide by being international front-runners for innovative and curiosity-driven research.

(The list of selected applicants for new centers can be found at the bottom of this page)

Following a thorough application process, the board of the Danish National Research Foundation has invited 10 applicants to enter contract negotiations to establish new Centers of Excellence.

“The DNRF’s Centers of Excellence enjoy great recognition in the international research landscape, and at the board, we are convinced that the future centers and center leaders will live up to this reputation and contribute to strengthening Denmark’s position as a leading knowledge society,” said Professor Jens Kehlet Nørskov, chairman of the board of the Danish National Research Foundation.

With the new centers, the foundation looks forward to contributing to Danish research in collaboration with universities and other research institutions.

“In Denmark, we are adept at creating the framework for excellent and interdisciplinary research environments that enable breakthroughs and the development of innovative solutions. Therefore, we look forward to a continued fruitful cooperation with the research institutions,” said Professor Nørskov.

Universities Denmark also looks forward to collaborating with the centers, which are highlighted as an essential part of the Danish research sector.

“The Centers of Excellence play an important role for basic research. The centers contribute to world-class Danish research and thereby strengthen Danish education and research activities. The centers not only provide a strong research field injection to the individual universities, but also benefit the entire research and education chain in Denmark,” said Anders Bjarklev, chairman of Universities Denmark’s Rector’s Conference.

The new centers will be established for a period of six years, with a possibility of an extension for another four years, with the prerequisite of a satisfactory midterm evaluation. The DNRF is investing DKK 657 now and allocating another DKK 440 million for the possible extension of the centers.

 

More information – contact:

Professor Jens Kehlet Nørskov
Chairman of the board
Tel.: +45 9351 1110

Professor Søren-Peter Olesen
CEO
Tel.: +45 2028 9706

  • Marcus Thomas Pius Gilbert, University of Copenhagen, for the Centre for Evolutionary Hologenomics (HOLOGENOME). The foundation is prepared to grant up to DKK 67.7 million.

    Tel.: +45 23712519 / e-mail: tgilbert@bio.ku.dk

    Read more in the university’s press release here

     

    Ronnie Nøhr Glud, University of Southern Denmark, for the Danish Center for Hadal Research (HADAL). The foundation is prepared to grant up to DKK 54.6 million.

    Tel.: +45 65502784 / e-mail: rnglud@biology.sdu.dk
    Read more in the university’s press release here

     

    Stig Helveg, Technical University of Denmark, for the Center for Visualizing Catalytic Processes (VISION). The foundation is prepared to grant up to DKK 85.8 million.

    Tel.: +45 22754823 / e-mail: STH@topsoe.com

    Read more in the university’s press release here

     

    Liv Hornekær, Aarhus University, for the Center for Interstellar Catalysis (InterCat). The foundation is prepared to grant up to DKK 67.4 million.

    Tel.: +45 61663133 / e-mail: liv@phys.au.dk

    Read more in the university’s press release here

     

    Tine Jess, Statens Serum Institut, for the Center for Molecular Prediction of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (PREDICT). The foundation is prepared to grant up to DKK 68.5 million.

    Tel.: +45 32688478 / e-mail: TJS@ssi.dk

     

    Kasper Lippert-Rasmussen, Aarhus University, for the Center for the Experimental-Philosophical Study of Discrimination (CEPDISC). The foundation is prepared to grant up to DKK 62.6 million.

    Tel.: +45 60658780 / e-mail: Lippert@ps.au.dk
    Read more in the university’s press release here

     

    Jesper Mørk, Technical University of Denmark, for the Center for NanoPhotonics (NanoPhoton). The foundation is prepared to grant up to DKK 62.5 million.   

    Tel.: +45 2082 4576 / jesm@fotonik.dtu.dk

    Read more in the university’s press release here

     

    Thomas Pohl, Aarhus University, for the Center for Complex Quantum Systems (CCQ). The foundation is prepared to grant up to DKK 66.6 million.

    Tel.: +45 87155587 / e-mail: pohl@phys.au.dk

    Read more in the university’s press release here

     

    Jan Rossmeisl, University of Copenhagen, for the Center for High Entropy Alloys Catalysis (CHEAC). The foundation is prepared to grant up to DKK 61.1 million.

    Tel.: +45 50719584 / e-mail: jan.rossmeisl@chem.ku.dk

    Read more in the university’s press release here

     

    Nathalie Wahl, University of Copenhagen, for the Copenhagen Center for Geometry and Topology (GeoTop). The foundation is prepared to grant up to DKK 60.2 million.

    E-mail: wahl@math.ku.dk

  • The Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF) uses a two-stage application process for the establishment of new Centers of Excellence. In the first stage, potential center leaders are invited to submit outline proposals. For this current application round – the 10th – the DNRF received 133 outline proposals. Of these, 23 applicants were invited to submit full proposals, and from these, 10 applicants have been invited to enter contract negotiations to establish new Centers of Excellence.

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