On the way to Folkemødet on Bornholm

Dear colleagues,

This week marks the start of Folkemødet on Bornholm, and I am very much looking forward to it. This year, NAT will be present with its own tent, which we are sharing with the Faculty of Health Sciences. There will be presentations from morning to evening throughout the three intense days of the People’s Meeting.

Organising debates, as well as transport and accommodation, has been a major logistical task for our communications team. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the team.

Researchers have also been deeply engaged in the preparations, working to identify relevant topics for debate and suitable panellists. Competition for attention is intense - last year there were more than 2,700 events over the three days, and the main stages feature many well-known figures who attract large audiences.

We are putting forward a strong programme of engaging contributions that will certainly draw a crowd. These include sessions on scientific literacy, a presentation of DARA, the establishment of a campus in Vejle, innovation in education, exercise in pill form, the future of long-acting medicines, pedagogy and new approaches in NAT programmes, antibiotic resistance, and quantum technology in the future.

Taking part in Folkemødet is also about networking. This includes colleagues from other universities, major foundations, politicians, and partners from businesses, NGOs and public organisations. It is in fact impossible to speak with everyone one would like to, which means that sometimes the more chance encounters turn out to be the most significant.

In addition, there will of course be festivities and entertainment. Many well-known Danish musicians perform in the evenings at various venues, and several ministers are known to appear as guest DJs at different stands. In short, it is a cornucopia of eventful days set against the beautiful physical backdrop of the rocky island.

Marianne Holmer
Dean