Denmark’s New Partnership with China on R&D and Education. By Helge Sander, Danish Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation

Back to the contents

2009 is a milestone year in several ways. In October, The People’s Republic of China will celebrate its 60th anniversary. Equally important, it has also been 30 years since China embarked on a policy of reforms and opening up to the rest of the world.

China is no longer merely the assembly line of the world. The focus on knowledge and education is intense, and China is increasingly asserting itself in the technological area as well. Since 1999, China’s research and development (R&D) costs have been increasing by more than 20% per year, and in December 2006 China reached a position as the country with the one of the largest R&D investments in the world, second only to the United States.

Strategy for Knowledge-Base Collaboration
It is crucial that Denmark takes an active stance to face this new reality and is able to use the numerous opportunities for trade and collaboration offered by it. One year ago, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation launched a comprehensive strategy for Denmark’s knowledge-based collaboration with China. At the core of the strategy is the ambition to enhance Danish universities’ and enterprises’ opportunities for knowledge creation with their partners in China and to increase the inflow of Chinese talent.

A broad range of actions have been taken to make the strategy’s vision a reality. To name but a few, the Innovation Centre Denmark in Shanghai has been opened recently, which offers assistance with technology searchers, identification of business partners, marketing activities and networking; the Danish National Research Foundation has established a close partnership with its Chinese sister organisation based on nanotechnology and cancer research; moreover, the Danish Council for Strategic Research is about to launch a programme on renewable energy in collaboration with the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology.

Danish University Centre in China
As many readers of the newsletter know and advocate, for Danish businesses to succeed in the long run it is vital to be present and visible in China. It was with this idea in mind that the eight universities in Denmark together with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation have set the goal to establish a Danish university centre in China. A leap forward was taken in October 2008, when Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding concerning the establishment of a Sino-Danish Centre (SDC) for Education and Research.

The Centre will be established as a physical entity in Beijing in close partnership with the Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. This university coordinates and provides graduate training to more than 100 research institutions constituting the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The centre is therefore going to have access to a large network of research institutions all over China.

The first research and PhD educational activities are scheduled to begin already this year. When fully operational, the centre is expected to serve as a scientific base for 100 researchers, 75 PhD students and 300 master’s students, half of which will be provided by the Danish side.

The success of the centre depends on its ability to develop close links with Danish enterprises. In addition to R&D and graduate education, the plan is to offer training programmes for managers and employees, formulated in close collaboration with industry. It is also envisaged that the centre will provide opportunities for PhD thesis work in industry and internships for students at the master’s level. Moreover, Danish and Chinese enterprises will be offered to be part of an Industry Advisory Board which will help shape the centre’s activities.

Denmark is a small country compared to China. However, if we coordinate our efforts and combine our positions of strength, we stand a good change of gaining the visibility required to become a key partner for China in the area of knowledge and talent development. I look forward to working closely with Danish companies on this important task.

Back to the contents