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Mogens Høgh, Andreas Roepstorff, the Comittee: Thank you inviting me to speak here today. It is a privilege to address such a distinguished group. And it is my pleasure to speak to you in your capacity of brilliant minds.
Eyeglasses and books
Let me start out with a little story. It is about eyeglasses. Which is something that means a lot to me, having just one eye. Did you know that, allegedly, they were invented in Italy around the 1270’s? In the beginning, they were used by monks who needed them to read. And eyeglasses were not really put to use outside monasteries until 1452. Almost 200 years later. Why?
Well, because nobody knew about them! It took Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press to disseminate that news to a wider public.
And, of course, to create a more pressing need for them – a growing book market, in turn, created a surge in demand for devices that could help you read tiny letters.
And once the Venetian glassmakers figured out how to make colourless, transparent glass, eyeglasses got really hot. One invention triggered the use of another.
So, my point here is trifold: Some people have the minds, grit and imagination for game changing research.
Some research takes a long time to mature before its potential is realised.
And no research will have an impact if people are not told about it.
Danish Science shall be cutting-edge
I shall be straightforward with you: It is my ambition that Danish science and the teaching at our universities will stand out. Excel. As countless of politicians before me – and probably also afterwards – I want it to be cutting-edge, ground-breaking, innovative and exceptional. Nothing less.
And I want our experts to share their knowledge, so we all profit.
Most importantly, as I also stated when I introduced myself as “minister of the future”: I want to reinstate society’s respect for expertise so people understand that solid facts are essential in a wilderness of information and opinions. And in the “truth-pollution” that we’re living through in this time, which the Chinese would probably call “interesting times”.
Let me begin with the first part of my ambition – that is, for Danish science and the teaching at our Danish universities to stand out.
I am proud of – and a little baffled, because I didn’t know anything about this before I became minister – that Danish research is in such a good place at the moment.
Among the OECD countries, Danish scientists are the third most quoted in scientific publications.
We are the second most productive when looking at the number of scientific publications per citizen.
And we get first place in number of publications published in cooperation with the business sector. When it comes to measuring the quality of education, unfortunately, we do not have the same kind of firm indicators. And I am also told that these indicators are impossible to find. But I shall search and research for them. But nonetheless, the quality of the teaching at our universities is extremely important.
The students are undoubtedly the primary channel for disseminating scientific knowledge to society.
So: How do we best facilitate a flourishing environment at our universities?
Of course, as you all know, this is a complex question and, consequently, the answer is complex as well.
First of all: Recruiting the best researchers and educators is fundamental.
The same is an environment where talented researchers may flourish.
Strong governing bodies at the universities is essential, too.
And, of course – and not least – a high degree of autonomy and independence.
Strengthening governance of the universities
The autonomy, independence and self-governance of the universities is something that concerns me deeply.
As you are probably aware, we have recently put forward a proposal to improve the governance of the universities.
The proposal strengthens the role and responsibilities of the university boards and introduces new procedures for adopting the chairmen and the external members of the university boards.
I know that some people fear this may compromise our universities’ independence.
I can tell you that this is in no way what we intend to do. And I can tell you that with those voices, I genuinely disagree.
I believe this proposal will prevent political “micro-management”. I believe it will create a much better framework for our universities’ self-governance. This – and not a curtailment of university independence – is the purpose.
We must remember that the universities are not independent islands in their self-defined blue oceans, to speak in your whitepaper’s terminology. No university is an island.
27 percent of the Danish youth will be educated at the universities in the coming years. More than one fourth of the Danish youth! That, ladies and gentlemen, is a tremendous responsibility!
The universities manage billions of Danish kroner funded by taxpayers’ money.
And – and this is a more boring perspective, but – as minister I am responsible to Parliament with regards to the money.
Our universities are extremely important institutions in our society. It is their job – and mine – to make sure that this responsibility is carried with grace.
The dialogue and cooperation between the university boards and the ministry should therefore be close.
Challenges should be solved in cooperation – rather than through governmental and parliamentary interventions.
I firmly believe our new proposal will establish a better position for the universities to fulfil that role.
Strengthening the quality of teaching
And then there is another big thing we need to take a look at – which I touched upon in the beginning – and that is the quality issue.
Rather than taking pride in the quantity of students we educate at our universities, we must and shall take pride in the quality of their education.
I would like us all to work systematically the coming years with the quality issue.
And as I said to you, I will search and research for a better way to measure quality in education. And I am not interested in measuring the process. I am interested in the output. Of the students that come out of it.
This March, we have published new data shedding light on the students’ view of the quality. In general, the students give high marks to the competencies of their teachers. But they would like some more feedback.
How to further strengthen the quality of teaching is something we will look into.
And I am not afraid to make it challenging to our students: Studying at university should be difficult. And the tendency to look at universities as schools must stop. It is not a place you come in, sit down, look at the teacher, go home and then you have done your duty. Universities are not schools. They are places of higher learning.
I am about to appoint a committee that shall, among other things, consider this And I welcome your thoughts on the matter.
Do not just teach – educate
And more: I am firmly set on strengthening the teaching at our universities through a general education element – “buildung", or what we Danes call “dannelse”.
Excellence is built on perspective. So let us build perspective into our educational programmes.
Let’s introduce our university students to the academic world by giving them the basics in philosophy, history, ethics.
So they develop a critical approach to the facts. So they question what is right. So they are capable of writing and presenting themselves. So they relate to other people with respect. So they are able to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration.
I’m not speaking about the “intercurriculum” of the 70’s. I’m speaking about something new.
So they may gain a better foundation for engaging in their studies, in the labour market, in their life.
Einstein has summed it up perfectly: The point of education should be to produce independently acting and thinking individuals.
Again: We must read our times.
Strengthening research
With regards to Danish research, I am proud that we are in such a good place at the moment.
And remember, we have a proud tradition of fostering scientists that altered the way we look at the world.
And I am always saying that when people ask if Danish culture is not just about beer and football – And you might even ask if it’s still about football these days … No it is so much more.
Ørsted discovered electromagnetism during an experiment at a lecture.
Kierkegaard continues to inspire our view on our role as an individual human being.
And, more recently, The New York Times proclaimed that “Eske Willerslev is rewriting history with ancient DNA”.
So Danish success takes more than scientific publications. And I have to say it: We cannot rely solely on pills and wind power to secure our country’s future.
Our future rests on a broad knowledge-based economy. And we need to continuously adjust the conditions to ensure excellent science and innovation in Denmark.
To this end, I plan to put forward a proposal on Danish science and innovation this autumn.
And to initiate this process, I have invited the universities and the major research foundations in the area to a meeting at the end of March.
The agenda is a discussion on strategy and visions for Danish science. So we may strengthen our universities – united. And I very much look forward to this discussion.
Responsibility for the elite to channel knowledge to society
We live in a time of populism and “alternative facts”. Qualified counsel is the weapon and the answer.
So we will not rely on dubious internet fora discussions. And so we are informed when something revolutionary – such as eyeglasses – is invented.
You have that responsibility. You have that responsibility to arm us with counsel. And I am not the first to say:
When Einstein stated that education should produce independent individuals, he added: “who see service to community as their highest life problems.” Service to community – not to self.
So please: Tell your tales to the world! One thing leads to another – there is no such thing as infectious as ideas. And as I have said elsewhere: Let us make science great again!
Closing
So, to sum it up: My vision for the universities is that they will continuously excel – in research as well as in teaching.
So we cultivate an expertise that will lift and strengthen us all.
And my vision in that aspect is a stronger partnership between the universities and society. Between the islands and the mainland.
So we cultivate an interaction that will lift and strengthen us all.
Because some people have the minds, grit and imagination for game changing research. But no research will have an impact if people are not told.
Thank you.