Imperial explores closer research ties with Denmark and Sweden

Imperial's leaders joined speakers from the UK-Denmark science event in Copenhagen

Imperial's leaders and academics met with universities, collaborators and policymakers in Denmark and Sweden to explore future research partnerships.

Imperial also hosted a special event focusing on global health and technology at the British Embassy in Copenhagen to bring together world-leading scientists and industry leaders to discuss solutions to some of the biggest global challenges. 

With the UK now associated to the research funding programme Horizon Europe, Imperial aims to further strengthen its links with European partners and develop innovative research proposals and ideas. 

Denmark and Sweden are both recognised for their world-leading life sciences sectors and Imperial sees potential to expand its collaborations in this sector along with key UK research priorities in energy transition, quantum science, engineering biology and biotech. 

Imperial has strong existing links with Denmark and Sweden and has several major research projects through Horizon Europe. 

Professor Hugh Brady, President of Imperial College London, said: “The world is facing many great challenges such as the threat of antimicrobial resistance, climate change and sustainability.

"The UK's association with Horizon Europe will help us further build our powerful alliances to deliver world-changing outcomes. By fusing the best scientists from Imperial with our partners in Europe, we can make new breakthroughs and discoveries, kickstart innovative technologies and shape our world for the better.”

The visits to Denmark and Sweden are part of Imperial's wider campaign to further strengthen European partnerships following the UK's association to Horizon Europe. 

Earlier this year Imperial launched a new fund to help scientists win more major Horizon Europe grants.

The Horizon Europe Connect Fund bolsters support for Imperial’s academics to apply for and win grants from the prestigious funding programme.

Denmark: Tackling global challenges 

The UK-Denmark Convergence Science for Global Impact event at the British Embassy in Copenhagen attracted renowned scientists from Imperial and Denmark, industry leaders, policymakers, Imperial’s Danish alumni and supporters of the university to discuss solutions to some of the biggest global challenges. 

Imperial’s Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise) Professor Mary Ryan led a panel discussion with leading figures from academia and industry to discuss how UK-Denmark cooperation in science is enabling emerging technologies to tackle global challenges in health, sustainability and resilience. 

"Denmark has been a tremendous partner in science collaboration for us, especially in life sciences and developing sustainable materials for a zero-carbon energy transition." Professor Hugh Brady President of Imperial

The panel included epidemiologist Professor Neil Ferguson, Director of Imperial’s School of Public Health, biotech scientist Professor Karen Polizzi and Professor Nicholas Jackson, Executive Director, CEO of Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Vaccines and Immunity (NCVI) and Professor Samir Bhatt, Professor of Machine Learning and Public Health at the University of Copenhagen and Professor of Statistics and Public Health at Imperial. 

Speaking at the event about the growing scientific ties between the UK and Denmark, Emma Hopkins, British Ambassador to Denmark, said: “Science and technology play an increasingly important role in our relationship with Denmark.

"Historically, our research environments have had close ties, and we see strong interest from researchers and innovators from both countries in deepening and strengthening this relationship.

"With our recent formal re-association to Horizon Europe, there is a great chance now to re-kindle existing relationships and build new collaborations – this visit is a great example of concrete efforts to do just that.”

"Science and technology play an increasingly important role in our relationship with Denmark." Emma Hopkins British Ambassador to Denmark

Imperial has a growing community of around 300 Danish-based alumni living in Denmark and many more around the world.  

President Brady updated them on some of Imperial’s exciting research with Danish partners and the university’s new strategy. 

President Brady said: "Imperial greatly values its collaboration with key European partners such as Denmark and association with Horizon Europe affords us the opportunity to build even greater collaborative scale and impact as we work together to address the grand challenges facing humanity.

"Denmark has been a tremendous partner in science collaboration for us, especially in life sciences and developing sustainable materials for a zero-carbon energy transition, and we know there is much more world-leading science we can do together to maximise our impact.” 

Imperial has 33 collaborations with Danish partners underway in Horizon Europe, on topics such as infectious disease, AMR, circular economy and critical minerals, sustainable aviation fuels, precision medicine, and a sustainable energy transition. 

During the trip to Denmark Imperial’s leaders also visited the University of Copenhagen, which is also a member of the League of European Research Universities (LERU), and the Technical University of Denmark to discuss existing and future research collaborations. 

Sweden: Building on strong research links 

Imperial has many links with Sweden, and collaborates closely with Lund University, Karolinska Institutet, Uppsala University, University of Gothenburg, Umeå University and many other institutes in Sweden. 

"The UK's association with Horizon Europe positions us to further strengthen our powerful alliances with Sweden's world-class universities." Professor Hugh Brady President of Imperial College London

President Brady visited Lund University – which is also a LERU member – to discuss future collaborations. 

Imperial and Lund University are members of a multi-institution network to research bacterial cause of sepsis and heart damage in children.

The newly launched iSpy Network (immunity to Streptococcus pyogenes) brings together 28 investigators from 11 countries worldwide, including experts in immunology, infectious disease, epidemiology, vaccinology and experimental medicine.  

The Network will help researchers gain a better understanding of the body’s immune response to Strep A and determine the most effective way to vaccinate against Strep A. 

President Brady said that now the UK is associated to the research funding programme Horizon Europe, Imperial hopes to collaborate more with Swedish partners.  

Imperial has 29 Horizon Europe collaborations with partners in Sweden, in areas such as; cancer research, public health, health technology, green transition and circular economy. 

President Brady said: "The UK's association with Horizon Europe positions us to further strengthen our powerful alliances with Sweden's world-class universities. I was especially interested to learn of the ambition of Lund University's Science Village and parallels with Imperial's White City Deep Tech Campus, our new hotbed of convergence science and innovation."

Last year Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden visited Imperial’s White City Deep Tech Campus to see its cutting-edge research facilities. 

The Crown Princess and Prince met with leaders and academics from Imperial to hear about the university's ambitions for the innovative campus and visited chemistry laboratories to see how researchers are working on global challenges.   

Imperial has a thriving Swedish community of around 700 alumni and welcomes many Swedish students to London every year.