SDU as the engine powering innovative solutions of the future

The twenty-lane motorway from research-based knowledge to societal value is through our education programmes. But there are other vital routes from research-based knowledge to value creation: the qualification of public debate, business collaborations, advising the authorities and – increasingly – innovation activities.

That is why I am so pleased that the European Union is clearly aware of – and apparently ready to act on – the fact that Europe needs to become better at innovating, better at translating research results into businesses and jobs. Over the past year, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has repeatedly expressed that ‘research and innovation is at the heart of Europe’s economy’.

At SDU, we are experiencing growing interest from researchers and students in translating ideas and research results into tangible solutions that will benefit society. New health technologies, green solutions, robot and drone technology and bookcases crammed with the latest fantasy novels – the examples are legion.

And the numbers are speaking their own distinct language: in 2024, SDU produced a record number of spinouts, and the number of student startups has increased exponentially over the past decade. Our innovation environments are thriving. Spin-outs Denmark, which is run and coordinated by SDU (RIO) in collaboration with the other seven Danish universities, won a European award for its impact on society.

With the establishment of MedTech Odense, we are experiencing an increasing demand for collaboration from both established companies and public actors. This is a testament to the fact that SDU is seriously establishing itself as a key driver of innovation in the Region of Southern Denmark – and in Denmark as a whole.

As a university, we are well underway with a movement in which we are progressively becoming more interwoven with the surrounding society. Just twenty years ago, the ‘walls’ between the University and the outside world were more defined and more concrete. But with more and more innovation activity, the walls are becoming more porous, perforated and disintegrating in ways that sometimes makes it difficult to determine where the University ends and where – for instance – a spinout company starts.

A number of key drivers are supporting this movement. Just take the Master’s Degree Reform as an example, in which the ambition for the graduates of the master’s degree for working professionals is to strengthen the links between studying and the labour market. The result, almost inevitably, will be universities that are even more tightly interwoven with the surrounding society.

As a university, we are, to a greater and greater extent, the central component of a number of innovation ecosystems. We should be proud of that. But innovation requires sustained investment – not only in technology and facilities, but also in culture and mindset. Therefore, at SDU we are also working purposefully to strengthen innovation skills among our students and to create an even better framework for research-based knowledge to be translated into commercial success that contributes to jobs, growth and prosperity.

When we succeed with this, we don’t just create growth and jobs – we also contribute to solving some of the major societal challenges we are facing.

SDU is moving forward. And I am proud that we are helping to shape the solutions of the future – in close collaboration with students, researchers, companies and the society around us.