When the tectonic plates beneath the University shift…

Start by taking a look at the graph below. It illustrates the development of SDU’s three main revenue sources from 2014 to 2024: 1) Revenue from degree programmes, 2) Basic research funding and 3) External funding. At first glance, it may seem a little uneventful – maybe even a bit dull.  Three lines running more or less parallel, with no major fluctuations. The kind of graph that is easily overlooked amid the stream of daily tasks, news and announcements. 

Now, zoom in on the development of the University’s revenue sources over the past five years. You will probably notice that something is indeed happening with the line showing SDU’s use of external funding. From 2020 to 2024, revenue from this source grew by 41 percent. You may also notice that income from degree programme activities has dropped since 2017 when it peaked at almost DKK 1.6 billion (in constant prices). In 2024, SDU’s total revenue from degree programmes amounted to approximately DKK 1.4 billion – a trend that mainly reflects the University’s declining student intake over the past 10 years. In 2015, SDU had a total student population of just under 25,000 students. By 2024, this number was only 19,627 – a decrease of 21.5 percent.  

When these different trends are combined, it becomes clear that there is a dramatic shift behind what appears to be an uneventful graph. In 2017, income from external sources accounted for around 56 percent of the University’s revenue from degree programmes. By 2024, external funding had increased to as much as 96 percent of the revenue from programmes.   

The graph reveals that SDU is becoming a university where research plays an increasingly dominant role whereas the programme activities are becoming fewer and more limited in scope. The vast majority of the external funds that the University receives, whether from private foundations, the EU or research councils, are earmarked for research. We still have thousands of students enrolled at the University – and will continue to have so in the coming years – but research now plays a bigger role than before.  

Together, these developments mark a significant shift. The tectonic plates beneath the University are moving, and this transformation looks to continue in the years ahead.  

What are the implications of this shift? There are likely many, and to be completely honest, we in the Rectorate do not yet have a full overview of the consequences. However, one thing is certain: the foundation and research base on which the University’s other activities rest are being strengthened. There is more research per student, per innovation initiative, per industry collaboration and per participation in public debates. All else being equal, this is a very positive development, and one we can be proud of.  For it reflects the high quality of research at SDU and confirms that we are a university worthy of receiving research funding. 

But it is also clear that this shift brings a number of side effects that need to be addressed. For example, the pressure on laboratory facilities is increasing as a result of the many external research funds that are allocated to wet lab work. There is also reason to believe that the ratio between permanent and temporary research staff will change because a large part of the external funding is allocated to PhD and postdoc positions. How can we help ensure that temporarily employed researchers also have attractive career paths outside the university? It is essential to have strong research support units that can handle the growing number of large research grants,   both pre-award and post-award.  

For those of you who have read this column to the end, it should now be clear that SDU is undergoing a profound and far-reaching transformation. Overall, this is a positive change. When tectonic plates shift, undesirable side effects will inevitably occur. But overall, SDU is evolving into a university where the research basis on which all our other activities rely is becoming even stronger. I see this as a fundamentally good thing –   if a slightly dramatic one.