Today’s news / Government allocates 500 million DKK for free research
The influence of Danish research has declined over the past few years, so we are no longer at the top, but in a middle field with many other countries, according to a report from Aarhus University in 2023. (Archive photo). Photo: Henning Bagger/Ritzau Scanpix

Government allocates 500 million DKK for free research

In response to the need for innovative thinking in Danish research, the government will allocate 500 million kroner in 2025 for free research at universities, announced Education and Research Minister Christina Egelund. This decision aims to enable researchers to pursue topics out of pure curiosity, without external commercial or political pressures. Presently, Denmark’s research influence has waned, no longer leading but rather among many, as per a 2023 Aarhus University report. Over recent years, funding from private sources has surged, often with strings attached, thus shifting the balance away from university-controlled funding. Egelund seeks to rebalance this shift in next year’s negotiations. Currently, universities are set to receive 10.5 billion kroner in base funds, with an additional proposed 500 million for freely determined research and innovation.