Country Outline
- GDP: 288,981 mil. euros (Eurostat 2017)
- GDP per Capita: 50,100 euros (Eurostat 2017)
- Areas of marked S&T specialisations: Pharmaceutical, Biotech, Medtech, Clean Tech, Renewable Energy,
Contact Information
- Organisation: Embassy of Denmark, Innovation Centre
- Name / Position: Mr. Eske Bo Rosenberg / Innovation & Research Counsellor
- Phone no. / e-mail: (+82) 10-2824-4187 / eskros@um.dk
In Denmark, research is the key motor for growth and societal development. Continuous international development is causing great challenges for the future. In order to overcome these challenges, Denmark is ambitiously investing in research and are among the world’s strongest research nations measured in gross domestic expenditure on R&D. The scientific base in Denmark is strong with several world class universities and research centres. In 2015, 375 PhDs per million capita were granted being the 5th highest among OECD countries. Denmark ranks 5th in citations per publication and 3rd in scientific publications in relation to the size of the country. For the 10 % most highly cited publications, Denmark tops the chart with a 19,8 % share. In 2017, the Innovation Union Scoreboard once again ranked Denmark among the top 3 European countries highlighting human resources and the innovation friendly environment as strongholds.
1. Policies and Strategies in Science, Technology and Innovation
The Ministry of Higher Education and Science is the main policy formulating and funding public body in Denmark with The Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education (DAFSHE) as the operationel body within policy development, statistics and analysis, and implementation of funds to research, technology development and innovation. As of 2018, the Ministry has set out an ambitious strategy for future Danish research and innovation evolving around two main goals:
- Danish research must be of the highest international quality.
- Research should, as much as possible, be beneficial to society.
The goals are reached through a trailblazing research infrastructure and clear prioritization aligned with the research demand within specific fields. This prioritization, the so-called ‘Research2025’, has four focus areas selected in accordance with megatrends and technological development:
- New technological possibilities
- Green growth
- People and society
- Better health
2. National Programmes and Initiatives
Denmark has one of the most effective research and innovation systems in the world, as can be seen in various OECD statistics, bibliometric analyses and the Innovation Union Scoreboard.
All universities in Denmark are public and due to a merger of most sector specific research institutions in 2007, the majority of public research today is conducted at universities and research capacity at Danish universities is high. Furthermore, the Danish research infrastructure includes nine independent ‘Approved Technological Institutions’ that fosters the link between research and business communities by spreading the most recent knowledge and state-of-the-art technology to the business community.
Research and innovation in Denmark is funded partly through universities’ basic funding, and partly through external and competitive funds from various research and innovation financing bodies. In 2017 the public research funds was equivalent to EUR 2.85 billion. In addition to public funds, a number of private foundations provide reasearch funding. On average, the private foundations together contribute with EUR 430 million yearly.
The major public and private research funding organisations are:
Public foundations | Private industrial foundations | Private foundations and associations |
Innovation Fund Denmark (IFD) | The Novo Nordisk Foundation | Velux Foundation |
The Danish Council for Independent Research | The Carlsberg Foundation | Villum Foundation |
The Danish National Research Foundation | The Obel Family Foundation | Realdania |
Universities’ basic funding | The Danish Industry Foundation | Tryg Foundation |
| | Lundbeckfonden | The Danish Cancer Society |
| | Nordea-fonden | |
| | A.P. Moller Fonden | |
List of National Programmes open to the world
Programme Title | Contents |
International Network Program | - Outline: Support to networking and matchmaking initiatives seeking to identify potential for bilateral research collaboration.
- Research Fields: All
- Organisation: Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education
- Nationalities: Scientists from Denmark and from one or more of the following countries: China, India, Israel, Japan, USA, Brazil and South Korea.
- What is funded: Operating expenses for workshops and conferences, international travel and research stay for a shorter period up to 90 days in the selected countries, EUR 27000 excluding overhead expenses
- Duration: Up to a year
- Deadline: May 16th 2018 at 12:00 (Decision will be announced no later than end of November 2018)
- website
|
InnoBooster | - Outline: The InnoBooster programme under Innovation Fund Denmark invests in knowledge-based innovation projects from SMEs, start-ups and companies established by researchers with commercially promising results.
- Research focus: Developing a new product or service or on significantly improving a process within the company in an innovative way, significantly improving the company’s competitiveness.
- What is funded: Between EUR 7000 and EUR 700.000
- Duration: Up to 2 years
- Deadline: On-going submit possible
- Applicants: Company must fall within the European Commission’s definition of an SME. Company must have a CVR.
- Specifically, they invest in projects from: 1) Small and medium sized companies with growth potential 2) New and promising start-ups, including researchers with commercially promising ideas and results.
- Website
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Grand Solutions | - Outline: Grand Solutions projects are characterised by their high risk profile and focus on ambitious results with high value creation.
- Current possibilities:
- The Future Society – budget 4 million EUR
- New Technology Opportunities – budget approx. EUR 10 million
- Open Call 2018 – budget approx. EUR 13,5 million
- Duration: 2-5 years
- Who can apply? Any legal entity in or outside Denmark, directly involved in the project activities.
- Assessment Criteria: Quality of research and innovation, Value Creation and Efficiency and Implementation.
- Deadlines:
- Applications for GS18-II must reach IFD, i.e. be submitted via the e-grant application system, no later than 12:00 CET on Tuesday, August 14, 2018.
- Project interviews with selected applicants for GS18-II will take place in October 2018. Invitations to the project interviews will be sent early September 2018.
- Website
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The Industrial PhD&Postdoc | - Outline: An Industrial PhD project is an industrially focused PhD project where the candidate is hired by a company or a public sector organisation and enrolled at a university at the same time.
- Research Fields: All
- Organisation: nnovation Fund Denmark
- Nationalities: All nationalities, however, the Industrial PhD candidate and postdoc have to be employed in a Danish division of the company.
- What is funded: Subsidy for wage, supervising etc.
- Duration: Industrial PhD: 3 years
- Industrial Postdoc: 1 -3 years
- Deadline: May 2nd, 2018 – 12:00 pm
- website
|
Innovation Network 2019-2020 | - Outline: Danish Agency for Institutions and Educational Support (SIU) is accepting applications for the call to Innovation Network 2019-2020.
- Research Fields: Innovation, Bridging Knowledge, Internationalization
- Organisation: Danish Ministry for Higher Education and Science
- Duration: 2019-2020
- Deadline: Monday 14th of May 2018, 12:00
- Research projects: Period 2019-2020
- website
|
Centres of Excellence | - Outline: The Center of Excellence (CoE) programme is the primary funding mechanism and the flagship of the Danish National Research Foundation.
- Research Fields: All
- Organisation: Danish National Research Foundation
- Nationalities: All nationalities
- Duration: From 6-10 years
- Deadline: Outline Proposal Deadline November 1st, 2018
- website
|
3. Joint Activities with Korea
List of Joint Programmes or Activities with RoK in 2017
Programme Title | Contents |
Smart Textile and Lifestyle Camp | - Activity outline: June 12 – 16 in Seoul & Daegu
- Major topic or agenda: Match-making and inspiration in lifestyle, fashion and technical textiles
- Target Participants: Danish and Korean companies and educational institutions
|
1st Joint Committee Meeting on for Science and Technology between Denmark and Korea | - Activity outline: April 25 in Copenhagen
- Major topic or agenda: Science and Technology Cooperation between the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science (MHES) and the Korean Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP)
- Target Participants: MHES, MSIP, Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education, National Research Foundation, Innovation Fund Denmark, National Research Council of Science & Technology
|
Denmark-Korea-Germany Drone Research Workshop | - Activity outline: October 13 in Odense
- Major topic or agenda: Drones and UAS/UVS research collaboration between three countries
- Target Participants: Danish, German and Korean drone/UAS Researchers
|
Nordic Energy Research Conference | - Activity outline: December 7, 2017 in Seoul
- Major topic or agenda: Knowledge-sharing and collaboration within energy industry
- Target Participants: Nordic Embassies in Korea (Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland)
|
List of Planned Programmes or Activities with RoK in 2018
Programme Title | Contents |
Drone Innovation Camp | - Activity outline: January 24- 30 in Busan & Daejeon
- Major topic or agenda: Drones and UAS/UVS
- Target Participants: SDU UAS Center, DTU-Space, Alexandra Institute
|
Maritime Innovation Camp | - Activity outline: February 21-23 in Busan
- Major topic or agenda: Martime digital technology
- Target Participants: Danish and Korean companies
|
Nordic Alumni Network | - Activity outline: TBD
- Major topic or agenda: TBD
- Target Participants: Korean alumni from Nordic universities
|
Tech-Innovation Camp | - Activity outline: June 25-30 in Seoul
- Major topic or agenda: Experiencing the Tech industry in Korea
- Target Participants: Danish start-ups, SME’s, SMV’s
|
Yonsei Social Innovation Camp | - Activity outline: August 13-16 in Denmark
- Major topic or agenda: Student entrepreneurship
- Target Participants: Yonsei University students, Danish universities
|
DK-KR Energy Research Workshop | - Activity outline: May 25 in Denmark
- Major topic or agenda: Energy research collaboration and tech transfer to developing countries
- Target Participants: Danish and Korean energy researchers
|
Drone Research Workshop | - Activity outline: August 14-17 in Denmark
- Major topic or agenda: Drones and UAS/UVS research collaboration
- Target Participants: Danish and Korean drone/UAS researchers
|
Nordic Welfare Center Workshop | - Activity outline: October 31 in Seoul
- Major topic or agenda: TBD
- Target Participants: TBD
|
4. Others
Key Research Organisations and Companies
Organisation Name | Detailed information |
Innovation Centre Denmark, Seoul icdk.um.dk | - Innovation Centre Denmark facilitates research and innovations collaboration between Danish and Korean universities, research institutions and tech-based companies.
|
Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education
(DAFSHE) www.ufm.dk | - Government agency under Ministry of Higher Education & Science responsible for university, research & innovation
|
Innovation Fund Denmark www.Innovationsfonden.dk | - The main funding body in Denmark for research and innovation within: Applied research and experimental development
- Future Plans: Joint EUREKA call with KIAT
|
Universities in Denmark | |
Cluster Organizations and Innovation Networks in Denmark | Please find a list of the networks through this link |
Edited and published by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Korea: https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/south-korea/50611/node/50611_el
