Dear Chair of the Regional Council, mayors, guests, alumni, partners,
Dear employees, students and Board
Welcome to SDU's Annual Celebration of 2024. I have been very much looking forward to this festive evening that is so rich in tradition.
I am glad that so many of you have come along this evening. I see it as a sign of support for the leading role of SDU - and universities in general - in society: free research, free teaching and academic freedom. A focus on the long term without regard for short-term interests. A focus on what we don't know that we don't know. The courage to explore, exhort, express.
Let me give you an example of free and long-term research:
We are sitting on a gold mine here at SDU. It is not a vault filled with golden coins. It is something far more valuable. It is the world's oldest register with information about twins born in Denmark dating all the way back to 1870.
'How can data on 85,000 Danish twins be valuable?' you might be thinking.
'What do we need this knowledge for?'
This is what I've been looking forward to telling you.
Because it's a fantastic story about how curious and independent research makes a direct and very tangible difference in people's lives. Maybe even for some of you here this evening.
The Danish Twin Registry came to Odense in 1971 with some of the first doctors employed at the city's new university. As skilled employees have continuously expanded and digitalised the register, it has become a gold mine of knowledge for Danish and international researchers. And it has made SDU a world leader in several areas.
Thanks to SDU's twin data, we have now mapped a number of the genes that help determine who is affected by breast cancer, diabetes or mental disorders.
New knowledge that is put into practice when diagnosing and treating diseases today.
Twin data has also given our researchers the opportunity to seek answers to the secret of a long and healthy life. We are, however, still eagerly awaiting the final answer to that.
70 years ago, when two young doctors sent letters to the country's 800 priests to collect the first data for the registry, they had no idea of the gold mine of knowledge that would come out of their dedication.
That their methods would become crucial pieces of a global scientific puzzle about diseases, living conditions and aging. And their desire to obtain valid data would help answer the big questions about human life.
For me, it's just one of many stories at SDU about how curious, independent and patient research carries society forward.
It is also a story about how Danish, Southern Danish, research and research-based education - at its best - is world-class.
And it is a story about how SDU - and universities in general - hold great values that we must take good care of.
At SDU, we are committed to upholding academic values and taking good care of curious and independent research. And ensuring that it is skilfully communicated to students and society.
This is how we create value for and with society - this is how we create world-class Danish research - and make the future brighter.
At SDU, we educate the most talented people for the changing labour market of the future.
And it's when talented students and dedicated lecturers come together that the University creates something special. Namely, value-creating and competent graduates who contribute for many years to the development of society and the creation of value in an increasingly complex world.
At the universities, we are educating new generations of critical and independent individuals who cannot be manipulated. And it demands something special of our students today for them to navigate safely through new technologies, the influence of social media, performance pressure and political changes.
That's why it is marvellous to hear success stories like the one about our talented lecturer in European Studies and Political Science - Jaume Castan Pinos - who has been named one of Denmark's best teachers.
He uses engaging teaching methods. In fact, his teaching is so successful that his students ask for extra reading material, and the European Studies programme in Sønderborg has one of the lowest dropout rates among all of the programmes at SDU.
It's a good goal to have to ensure that future generations will be smarter than those of us gathered here tonight. But it won't happen without help.
The milestones are lining up at SDU. Over the past year we have:
- Inaugurated New HEALTH - a study and research environment that will pave the way for new advances in health and society.
- Opened the Maersk McKinney Moller Institute 2.0, which builds on the groundbreaking robotics results already created at the institute - including a very good collaboration with industry that we would like to build on.
- Cut the first sod for our Large Structure Production investment in large robots at the Port of Odense.
- Been represented at the Paris Olympics in which six SDU students participated this year. It was an impressive effort from all, and two of our law students - Niclas Kirkeløkke and Michala Møller - came home with a gold and a bronze medal, respectively. Bravo!
- And today, we can announce two big news stories that will shape the development of the Region and society for many years to come.
Rector Jens will talk more about that in a moment.
Despite the important role - and obvious value creation - of universities, we are under pressure from several sides. That is why it is so important that we take good care of our universities and secure the framework for them.
We insist that the scientific tradition of free research, education and development is the mainstay of our society. This is not the time to lean back and do nothing.
I would therefore like to issue a clear challenge to our politicians:
let's stand together to take good care of our universities.
Let's ensure the very highest quality of our research, education programmes and graduates - on a global level.
And to be specific: These times call for an ambitious new research strategy - so that Danish research can continue to carry our society forward and help solve major challenges.
It is simply common sense to keep Danish research at the top of international research. I think we agree on that. But it won't happen without help. It requires investment, and it requires clear goals and choices for Danish research, innovation and technology development:
should research fight the climate crisis, create business development or deliver knowledge and welfare to the population? Or a little of everything? I hope that politicians and those of us at universities will talk much more about this and make the necessary decisions in the time to come.
We must not lean back - but forward. Our job is to shape the future. And at SDU, we will continue with resolve to realise our clear ambitions to develop talented graduates and create groundbreaking research results.
On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank the entire SDU organisation - all employees and students - for your immense, unshakeable and excellent efforts. It is impressive - and something that you and I can be deeply proud of.
Again on behalf of the Board, I would also like to thank Rector Jens Ringsmose, Pro-Rector Helle Waagepetersen and University Director Thomas Buchvald Vind for the great diligence, skill and exactitude with which they lead SDU. It is a pleasure to work with you, both on major new projects and on the long-term objectives in the University's strategy.
Finally, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to this year's honorary doctorates and award recipients, whom we have gathered to celebrate today.
Thank you very much for your attention and have a great celebration.