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Excellent research is the foundation of the future

Minister for Higher Education and Science Søren Pind's speech at Quantum Technology - Creating the Future 12 April 2018 in Japan.

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Dear friends from Japan and Denmark,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is an honour to be here in Tokyo to take part in this seminar on quantum technology.

Niels Bohr, the Danish founding father of Quantum Theory, once said:

“Anyone who is not shocked by quantum theory has not understood it.”

He is right. Quantum physics is mind-boggling.

To understand the interaction of matter and energy – on the scale of subatomic particles – is a challenge to almost every human being. Including myself, I shall be the first to admit.

Quantum physics has a huge potential in terms of advancing our modern lives. It can help us transcend our limitations in areas like communication, health and life science.

Without quantum mechanics there would be no personal computers, no MRI scanners, no smartphones.

And hopefully the best has yet to come. Even more revolutionary technologies await us in the future. Such as the quantum computer – with far-reaching significance for the economy and society.

Niels Bohr, in his time, could not have predicted the influence that the development of his atomic model would have on our daily lives. But he dedicated his life to science. Worked tirelessly to find new answers, new knowledge, new explanations to the world. I admire him for that.

Like I admire all researchers, universities and companies like you who dare to take part in the creation of the future.

I admire your dedication!

Excellent ideas come from excellent collaborations

Niels Bohr knew that ground-breaking research is not produced in a vacuum.

We need to cooperate with other leading knowledge environments. We need to look to the world around us.

Today’s seminar is an occasion to extent the historic traditions of collaboration between Japanese and Danish researchers.

As some of you might know, Niels Bohr had great collaboration and a personal friendship with Mr. Yoshio Nishina who played a big part in the development of modern physics in Japan.

Yoshio Nishina fostered an inspiring environment for the study of quantum mechanics here in Tokyo at RIKEN University.

Yoshio Nishina had the opportunity to study in Denmark at the Niels Bohr Institute. And later on he invited Niels Bohr himself to lecture on RIKEN.

We must not underestimate the personal encounter and the face-to-face meeting.

Later today, I have an important personal meeting myself - with the Japanese minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Mr. Yoshimasa. Together we will sign a Memorandum of Collaboration to strengthen the cooperation between our countries.

Joining forces

And today, I hope for more important partnerships to be made. Ideas to be shared. New academic friendships to be build.

In the spirit of Niels Bohr and Yoshio Nishina.

I would like to direct a special thanks to Dai Nippon Printing, who have lend us the venue today and made the seminar possible.

By joining forces I hope we can take our strong Japanese-Danish cooperation to an even higher level. Paving the way for better lives for citizens in both our countries.

I wish you all a fruitful seminar.

Thank you for your attention.

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last modified November 03, 2023