Christina Egelund: Time to nominate the best in European research for one of the world's leading research prizes

A strong Europe depends on solid European cooperation in research and innovation. It is precisely this cooperation that Christina Egelund, Danish Minister for Research, Education and Digital Affairs, wishes to promote, and that is why she is once again presenting the Into Change Award at a grand ceremony in Copenhagen, Denmark, this year. 

The Into Change Award is aimed at research groups across Europe and is designed to promote core scien-tific values such as curiosity, collaboration, responsibility, respect and openness. All disciplines are cov-ered – from health and climate to technology, social sciences and culture.

On the same occasion, the Into Innovation Award, which honours innovation, will be presented. It is aimed at a researcher or innovator employed by a Danish institution or a group of Danish partners who have either founded particularly successful start-ups or scale-ups themselves or have helped others to do so.

Christina Egelund, Danish Minister for Research, Higher Education and Digital Affairs, says:

- Researchers deserve a prominent place among the stars as the important pioneers and role models that they are. Yet they often find themselves far removed from the spotlight of the red carpet. I am therefore delighted to honour groundbreaking researchers with one of the world’s most prestigious research prizes, and I urge Danish and European institutions to nominate suitable candidates. Research and science are cornerstones of democratic, enlightened societies that we must never take for granted, and we need re-search to support European autonomy and technological independence to a greater extent.

Christina Egelund will present the awards in December this year. 

Last year, the European research group ENGRAVE received the Into Change Award worth DKK 8 million. ENGRAVE has discovered that the elements that make up our planet and our bodies originate from colossal collisions between the universe’s most extreme objects – neutron stars. 

At the same time, Professor Peter Lodahl from the University of Copenhagen received the Into Innovation Award for developing a new world-leading quantum chip for the secure communications and quantum com-puters of the future.

See the post about the Into Change Award

See the post about the Into Innovation Award

Facts about the research award

• The Into Change Award honours European research groups that have distinguished themselves through exceptional research of societal significance at the highest international level.
• The research group’s work must be based on values such as curiosity, collaboration, responsibility, respect and openness in research.
• The prize may be awarded to research groups within and across all scientific disciplines, and to both current and former research groups. 
• In 2026, the prize will consist of a total sum of DKK 8,000,000. Of this, the prize winners will receive a personal honorary award of DKK 100,000 for each person in the research group. The remaining amount may be used for research activities in the winners’ field(s) of research.

Facts about the innovation award

• The Into Innovation Award honours a researcher, an innovator or a group of collaborators for either having helped to found knowledge-based start-ups or scale-ups themselves, or for having played a significant role in helping others to establish research-based start-ups.
• The award is presented to researchers or innovators employed at Danish knowledge institutions, such as universities, university hospitals, sector research institutes, university colleges, business acade-mies, art academies and maritime educational institutions, or GTS institutes. The prize may also be awarded to graduates who have fully committed themselves to their start-ups and work full-time in the company, or to groups of collaborators from knowledge institutions, start-ups or other sectors.
• In 2026, the prize will consist of a sum of DKK 2,000,000, which may be used for research and inno-vation activities in the prize winners’ field or within start-ups or scale-ups. In addition, an honorary award of DKK 200,000 (in total) will be presented, to be paid directly to the individual or divided equally amongst the group members. 
• Nominations for the Into Innovation Award are assessed by the Innovation Fund’s board, which subsequently recommends the best candidates to the Minister for Research, Education and Digital Affairs.
   

For further information:

Press enquiries may be directed to the Ministry of Research, Higher Education and Digital Affairs’ press office: (+45) 7231 8181 or email: presse@ufm.dk