Denmark and South Korea enter joint partnership on research and education

The way has been paved for Danish students and researchers to collaborate with some of the world’s most ambitious and innovative education and research environments after Higher Education Minister Morten Østergaard signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. The agreement will lead to increased exchange of students and researchers, and joint research projects.

The memorandum has strengthened bilateral relations between the two countries even further.

– Even though there is along way from Denmark to South Korea, we have much in common with regard to education and research ambitions, and more specifically, in the hunt for innovative solutions in green technology for example. I believe and hope that the agreement will lead to a significant cementing of cooperation. And I also believe that Danish students and researchers – and Danish business and the wider society – can benefit greatly from a closer relationship to South Korea, says Morten Østergaard.

The signing of the agreement took place in conjunction with the second meeting of the Danish –South Korean Green Growth Alliance, which also saw the participation of the Danish Crown Prince Fredrik, the minister for business and growth, Ole Sohn, minister for trade and investment, Pia Olsen Dyhr, and a large Danish business delegation.

Morten Østergaard is pleased with the concrete research and education agreements between the Danish Council for Strategic Research and the Korean Green Technology Center; and the Technical University of Denmark’s agreement on joint programmes with the Korean Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, which is one of the world’s leading universities.

During the visit, Morten Østergaard also had the opportunity to discuss collaborative possibilities more closely with his counterpart, the Korean Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Ju-Ho Lee. He also had the chance to visit a number of the universities, councils, think tanks and institutes that are leading the way in the country’s impressive innovation effort.

– South Korea has seen impressive growth, even during the financial crisis. And even though we cannot or must not doing everything exactly the same way, it is a good idea to allow ourselves to be inspired by the determination and focus of their efforts in education and research, and not least, their ability to translate ideas to products, growth and employment. For example, they have strong ties between public knowledge institutions and private companies which we will take into consideration when we complete the first national innovation strategy in Denmark later this year. The South Korean Government, just like the Danish Government, is strongly focused on the continued growth being one that is green and sustainable. And the KAIST university’s structure of cross-disciplinary solutions to great societal challenges is an example of exciting innovation, says Morten Østergaard.

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Press officer Ingeborg Nielsen, tel: +45 2211 0200