The Marble Hall at Frederiksberg Campus

3. Collaboration and societal commitment – nationally and globally

The University’s activities create considerable value for society, and UCPH must become even better at demonstrating the value of research and education. Many of the world's greatest challenges call for interdisciplinary collaboration. More focus should be given to utilising knowledge across disciplines and sectors in collaboration with national and global knowledge-intensive organisations and businesses.

The University must contribute to ensuring that opportunities arising from developments in digital technology are exploited, and to exploring the ethical, social and cultural issues that result from digitalisation and globalisation. The University of Copenhagen should be known internationally as an open and ambitious knowledge institution. The University’s graduates must acquire international competences and a global outlook, just as students and academic staff should draw inspiration from the surrounding world and be equipped to contribute to a society undergoing rapid change.

3.1. Solutions to the global community's challenges

Solid core academic skills and strong collaboration skills are prerequisites to enable UCPH to contribute to a sustainable and positive development in Denmark and globally. The University has a responsibility to contribute to resolving the major societal challenges as defined, for example, in the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

As a result of developments in areas such as migration, health and lifestyle, demographics, climate and global conflicts, we are facing increasingly complex issues that require solid research-based expertise and problem-solving skills across disciplines and in a new digital reality.

WE WILL

  • Strengthen students' opportunities to obtain an interdisciplinary skills profile by removing structural barriers and increasing interdisciplinary collaboration on education
  • Increase the number of PhD positions related to interdisciplinary societal issues
  • Initiate development projects based on specific societal issues where different academic disciplines and collaboration partners contribute to resolving concrete challenges
  • Improve students' and academic staff’s opportunities to exploit the potential of digitisation and big data across the University and with our collaboration partners

3.2. Knowledge in partnership

We must exploit the potential that lies in focused and committed partnerships with national and global universities, foundations, businesses and public organisations. UCPH is a member of several international university alliances and collaborates with businesses, public institutions and organisations across a wide range of different fields. In this way, we create knowledge for and with the surrounding world and contribute to attracting knowledge-intensive jobs to Denmark and Greater Copenhagen and to starting businesses based on new knowledge and inventions which originate in the universities.

WE WILL

  • Enter into partnership agreements on research and education with the best universities in the world
  • Develop our dialogue and collaboration with businesses and other relevant players in order to expand an already high-calibre international innovation ecosystem

3.3. Transparency and generating proactive debate

The University aims to have an impact on societal trends and to ensure transparency about research results. We must demonstrate the value that the University’s researchers and students deliver to Danish society and to the resolution of national and global challenges. This applies both to long-term research and to analyses of current societal trends.

We must contribute to the creation of a culture which recognises constructive dialogue and critical thinking rooted in research-based insight. We take active part in the public debate, involve citizens in research and contribute to political decisions being founded on the best possible knowledge base.

WE WILL

  • Target the University's communication and dialogue with external stakeholders in order to highlight the value of research and education for society and bring new research results to the fore
  • Increase our contribution to open science, including open access, open data and citizen science, as a focal point for increased global knowledge exchange

3.4. Contributing to a cohesive educational system

The University of Copenhagen produces the graduates of the future, but we also share the responsibility for ensuring access to lifelong learning and education for the individual. Better bridge-building and cohesion in the educational system can contribute to qualifying the University’s students, reduce dropout rates and create better transitions for those graduates who will go on to teach after completing their studies.

Primary and secondary schools, upper secondary schools and university colleges are key stakeholders with whom we must collaborate to better prepare students for academia and to ensure the high quality of subject-specific didactics and pedagogy for teachers across the entire educational system. We will also provide opportunities for further and continuing education in relevant areas. 

WE WILL

  • Contribute to greater cohesion in the Danish educational system through the development of courses and subject-specific didactics as well as bridge-building to upper secondary schools
  • Develop relevant continuing and further education courses and programmes by exploiting digital opportunities for sharing knowledge, for example by combining e-learning with other forms of teaching

Four focus areas