The University was invited to give the keynote speech last week at the 10th anniversary meeting of the Danish Council for Strategic Research in Copenhagen.

Dr Jennifer Barnes, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for International Strategy and formerly President of Murray Edwards College was invited to speak by Council Chairman Professor Peter Oleson.

A fellow speaker was the newly appointed Danish Minister of Higher Education and Science, Sofie Carsten Nielsen.

Dr Barnes praised  the developing Danish model of international multi-disciplinary collaborative research,  which has led to an increase in projects from 15% in 2007 to 82% in 2014.

She compared the model of the lone researcher driven by the need to discover with that of teams of individuals each bringing their own talents to the research challenge.

In Denmark cooperation is seen as a catalyst rather than a compromise, which is essential for successful international collaborations, balanced by the need to support the individuals as well as the teams.

The important role for research and academic links in international diplomacy was highlighted: “Historically, when formal relations between nations have ceased, academic exchanges and long-standing research collaborations have continued., “ she said. “Education, access to education and developing research are now part of significant international discussion.”

She challenged universities across the world to review their internal systems and to support new kinds of international engagement and cooperation and cited the increasing need for facilities and equipment too expensive for a single country which will increase the need for heightened diplomacy, as evidenced by the CERN and Square Kilometre Array projects.

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