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Dear chairman, dear board members, ladies and gentlemen.
Thank you all for being here today, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Danish National Research Foundation. As minister I am proud to be part of this joyous silver jubilee.
I am proud to stand together with you – marking this milestone and celebrating the basis of excellent research in Denmark.
Congratulations
Let me start by simply saying congratulations!
Congratulations to the chairman, board members and directors. Your determination and dedication is the reason we stand here today with this impressive success story.
And congratulations to all the excellent researchers, who have received funding and translated it into ground-breaking science for the last 25 years.
With the help of the Foundation, you have reached new heights for excellent research.
Young, but excellent research
Being 25, you are – in fact – young of age.
Being 25, the results you have achieved are impressive:
More than 100 Centres of Excellence have been established over the years, with 47 of them currently active.
You have played a vital part in taking Danish research to its high position today – recognised as among the best in the world.
In short: You foster the Danish research elite.
Rephrasing President Obama, I dare say, you punch above your age.
Elite researchers
Allow me to elaborate on your merits:
DFiR, the Danish Council for Research and Innovation Policy, recently sought to unravel the reasons behind the high international standing of Danish research – often referred to as ‘the Danish miracle’.
They find that one of the reasons for the Danish miracle is the inherent quality culture in the Danish research system
Another reason is the availability of funding for established researchers at the top – the absolute elite.
In relation to both these factors, you - the Foundation – are one of the first things that come to mind.
Your research move Denmark forward
Ever since 1991, the sole purpose for the Foundation has been – in short – to strengthen Denmark’s ability to develop in terms of research – by funding exceptional research at international level.
Our society is based on knowledge and driven by innovation. And your advancements in research contribute significantly to our society.
When I was in Greenland this summer, I had the privilege of seeing one of the many examples of great research that has originated from the Foundation. I visited the EastGRIP project at the Centre for Ice and Climate, which is part of the Centre of Excellence.
The researchers explained the wonders of the ice cores, which are retrieved from the Northeast Greenland ice stream.
The ice cores expand our understanding of the planet. They give us important knowledge about the global challenges related to climate change.
By excellent projects as EastGRIP, we mark the international research scene and contribute significantly to the understanding of our planet – to the benefit of us all.
And it all begins with excellent basic research.
That is why the government is determined to uphold the high level of funding and continue to invest at least 1 per cent of GDP in publicly funded research.
This is an ambitious standard. Something to be proud of.
The next generation of elite researchers
Celebrating an anniversary also impels us to look ahead – to the next generation.
To develop the next generation of top researchers, we need to start in the education system.
In many regards, our higher education programmes in Denmark are of high quality.
However, in my view, we can improve the opportunities we offer the absolute elite of Danish students.
We owe it to our brightest students to give them educational challenges that make them prosper and grow. We can do better.
That is why the government next spring will present initiatives aimed at developing an elite level in the higher education system. In order to nurture the future generation of researchers – as well as to nurture excellent candidates to the benefit of companies in all of Denmark.
Future goals and expectations
In fact, I owe thanks to my esteemed colleague, Bertel Haarder, and others for standing here today. He played a vital role in the establishment of the Foundation back in 1991, when he was Minister for Education and Science.
The Danish National Research Foundation was one of the first of its kind in Europe. And it has been a vital actor with enormous effect. As the evaluation of the Foundation from 2013 noted, the Foundation has been somewhat of a model for the European Research Council.
So it will be simple to say congratulations to you all and “keep up the good work”. However, we must remember that it is important to stay open to new ideas.
Your willingness to enter into unconventional and risky projects is one of the reasons for your success.
So – keep your eyes open and look for excellence everywhere and throughout the Danish research community. Stay curios, keep aiming for the top, keep a young mind.
Then, we will reap the best fruits of the centres of excellence. I am sure that many excellent findings are yet to come.
Then, 25 years from now, we will be celebrating the golden jubilee of a very experienced, but vibrant and innovative Foundation – still punching above its age.
Dear Foundation, dear members. We are celebrating a milestone in Danish research history. I am confident that the Foundation will remain the mainspring in the Danish research funding community.
This is essential – because we depend on the elite.