Global cooperation

A global Knowledge Race

In today’s increasingly competitive environment, ensuring access to the best and most advanced knowledge in the world – no matter whether it is located in Aarhus or in Boston – has become an ever more urgent demand on companies and research institutions in order to preserve a competitive edge on the global scene. Since only a fraction of the world’s total knowledge is actually produced within Danish borders, it has more than ever become urgent for Denmark to orient itself towards internationally oriented research communities and growth areas.

An active Internationalisation Strategy

Therefore, it has become a central focus to further Denmark’s position as an active player in international cooperation projects and networks, ensuring an internationalisation of Danish research by engaging in cooperation with foreign partners. This is reflected not only in the Danish government’s globalisation strategy “Progress, Innovation and Cohesion - Strategy for Denmark in the Global Economy” (May 2006), but also in its Government Platform “The Society of Possibilities” (November 2007) as well as in Denmark’s innovation strategy “Innovation Denmark” (February 2007, Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation).

Securing Denmark’s On-the-Edge Capacities

In line with this, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation has initiated a whole range of internationalisation initiatives and programmes with the aim to increase the rate of knowledge exchange between Danish and foreign knowledge communities. Among these you find e.g.:

• Bilateral agreements about research cooperation with countries outside the EU in areas where both countries demonstrate strong capabilities;
• Establishing innovation centres in leading research-, innovation-, and industrial communities abroad;
• Partnership agreements on research cooperation together with research and innovation networks and authorities in leading research nations.

Bilateral Agreements

As indicated above, the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation has chosen to enter several bilateral agreements (Memorandums of Understandings) with several countries, namely Israel, China, India and Japan. Such agreements are meant to facilitate and spur the contact between researchers and hi-tech companies of the two countries. Among the conducted activities within this bilateral framework are for instance the exchange of researchers and participation in workshops and match-making events.

Innovation Centres

In addition, the Ministry has in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in connection with selected embassies and trade departments in foreign countries engaged in the establishment of a series of innovation centres. Danish companies and research institutions can here be assisted in gaining access to knowledge, networks, technology, capital, and the market of the country in question.

Partnership Agreements

Finally, the Ministry has initiated a whole range of new initiatives with the aim to provide for increased cooperation with the world’s largest research nations such as the US and Japan. Among other things, the Ministry has engaged in a partnership agreement with the H-STAR centre at Stanford University, a partnership agreement with innovation networks within ICT, energy, bio- and nano-technology at UC Berkeley as well as an agreement on research cooperation within the Life Sciences together with the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).