University of Southern Denmark
Encyclopedia
The University of Southern Denmark, with campuses located in the southwestern part of Denmark
- i.e. Funen
, Southern Jutland
and Sealand - is a research and educational institution with deep regional roots and an international outlook. Reaching even further south, the university offers a number of joint programmes in co-operation with the University of Flensburg
and the University of Kiel
. Contacts with regional industries and the international scientific community are strong.
(founded in 1966), Southern Denmark School of Business and Engineering and South Jutland University Centre. In 2006 it was decided to incorporate the Business School Centre in Slagelse (Handelshøjskolecentret Slagelse) and the National Institute of Public Health (Statens Institut for Folkesundhed) into the University of Southern Denmark per January 1, 2007. The University therefore now has six campuses, mainly located in the southern part of Denmark: campus Odense
on the island of Funen
, campus Slagelse
and campus Copenhagen
on the island of Zealand, as well as campus Kolding
, campus Esbjerg
and campus Sønderborg
(campus named Alsion) on the Jutland
peninsula.
In 1998 University Library of Southern Denmark
was also merged with the university.
University Library of Southern Denmark
is also a part of the university.
Research activities and student education make up the core activities of the University. The University of Southern Denmark also has widespread cooperation with business and industry in the region and considerable activities within continuing education. The university offers a number of degrees taught in English; examples include European Studies and American Studies.
The faculty of all six campuses comprises approximately 1,200 researchers in Odense, Kolding, Esbjerg, Sønderborg, Slagelse and Copenhagen; approximately 18,000 students are enrolled. The University of Southern Denmark offers programmes in five different faculties - Humanities, Science, Engineering, Social Sciences, and Health Sciences. It incorporates approximately 35 institutes, 30 research centres, and a well-equipped university library.
The physical buildings of SDU cover an area of 272,554 m2(2007), a figure that has increased from 181,450 m2 in 1999 when the university merger was effectuated.
The University offers a wide range of traditional disciplines as well as a broad selection of business and engineering studies. In recent years the number of options available has been considerably expanded. Examples include the introduction of a very successful Journalism programme in Odense
, Information Science in Kolding, and a Mechatronics Engineering programme in Sønderborg. The educational environments on the Jutland campuses have also been strengthened through the creation of new programmes such as a bachelor's degree in Sociology and Cultural Analysis, a bachelor's degree Business Administration with Sports Management, a bachelor's and Public Health Science in Esbjerg, Danish and English Language Studies in Kolding, and a variety of engineering programmes and European Studies in Sønderborg. Moreover, the University of Southern Denmark is the only university in Scandinavia that offers a degree programme in chiropractic studies (Clinical Biomechanics).
The University focuses on areas such as communication, information technology, and biotechnology. Other areas of research is pursued through a number of national research centres at the University of Southern Denmark. Examples include The Hans Christian Andersen Center, the Centre for Sound Communication, and the Danish Biotechnology Instrument Centre. Odense in particular focuses on research within the field of geriatrics.
Co-operation with the business community has resulted in three substantial donations from some of the giants in Danish industry: Odense is the home of the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute for Production Technology, where robot technology is one of the many research areas. The Mads Clausen
Institute in Sønderborg is engaged in the design and development of software for integration in intelligent products of the future. Thanks to funding from Kompan and Lego
, a research environment for the investigation of child behaviour and development has also been established
Princess Marie
took over the role of the patron of the University in 2009.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
- i.e. Funen
Funen
Funen , with a size of 2,984 km² , is the third-largest island of Denmark following Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy, and the 163rd largest island of the world. Funen is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 454,358 inhabitants . The main city is Odense, connected to the...
, Southern Jutland
Southern Jutland
Southern Jutland is the name for the region south of the Kongeå in Jutland, Denmark. The region north of the Kongeå is called Nørrejylland . Both territories had their own ting assemblies in the Middle Ages . South Jutland is mentioned for the first time in the Knýtlinga saga.In the 13th century...
and Sealand - is a research and educational institution with deep regional roots and an international outlook. Reaching even further south, the university offers a number of joint programmes in co-operation with the University of Flensburg
University of Flensburg
The University of Flensburg is a university in the city of Flensburg, Germany. It was founded in 1994. The University of Flensburg is the northernmost university in Germany, but it is not a "full university"...
and the University of Kiel
University of Kiel
The University of Kiel is a university in the city of Kiel, Germany. It was founded in 1665 as the Academia Holsatorum Chiloniensis by Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and has approximately 23,000 students today...
. Contacts with regional industries and the international scientific community are strong.
History
The University of Southern Denmark (Syddansk Universitet) was formed in 1998 (but dates back to 1966) by the merger between Odense UniversityOdense University
Odense University, now Syddansk Universitet Odense , has been part of the University of Southern Denmark since 1998 of which it forms the biggest campus. It is the university of Odense, Denmark's third largest city, and the island of Funen. When abbreviated, the university motto becomes FIONIA, the...
(founded in 1966), Southern Denmark School of Business and Engineering and South Jutland University Centre. In 2006 it was decided to incorporate the Business School Centre in Slagelse (Handelshøjskolecentret Slagelse) and the National Institute of Public Health (Statens Institut for Folkesundhed) into the University of Southern Denmark per January 1, 2007. The University therefore now has six campuses, mainly located in the southern part of Denmark: campus Odense
Odense University
Odense University, now Syddansk Universitet Odense , has been part of the University of Southern Denmark since 1998 of which it forms the biggest campus. It is the university of Odense, Denmark's third largest city, and the island of Funen. When abbreviated, the university motto becomes FIONIA, the...
on the island of Funen
Funen
Funen , with a size of 2,984 km² , is the third-largest island of Denmark following Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy, and the 163rd largest island of the world. Funen is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 454,358 inhabitants . The main city is Odense, connected to the...
, campus Slagelse
Slagelse
Slagelse, a town in east Denmark, is in Slagelse municipality on the island of Zealand. It is about 100 km southwest of Copenhagen. The population is 31,979 ....
and campus Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
on the island of Zealand, as well as campus Kolding
Kolding
Kolding is a Danish seaport located at the head of Kolding Fjord in Region of Southern Denmark . It is the site of the council Kolding Municipality. It is a transportation, commercial, and manufacturing centre, and has numerous industrial companies, principally geared towards shipbuilding...
, campus Esbjerg
Esbjerg
Esbjerg Municipality is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark. Its mayor is Johnny Søtrup, from the Venstre political party...
and campus Sønderborg
Sønderborg
Sønderborg Municipality , is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark partially on the Jutland peninsula and partially on the island of Als in south Denmark, at the border with Germany. The municipality covers an area of , and has a total population of 76,236...
(campus named Alsion) on the Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
peninsula.
In 1998 University Library of Southern Denmark
University Library of Southern Denmark
The University Library of Southern Denmark is a public library and accessible for everyone. It acts as a knowledge centre for the whole of the Southern region of Denmark and has departments in five cities. Its main users are researchers and students at the University of Southern Denmark but...
was also merged with the university.
Administration and Organization
The university is governed by a board consisting of 9 members: 5 members recruited outside the university form the majority of the board, 1 member is appointed by the scientific staff, 1 member is appointed by the administrative staff, and 2 members are appointed by the university students. The Rector is appointed by the university board. The rector in turn appoints deans and deans appoint heads of departments. There is no faculty senate and faculty is not involved in the appointment of rector, deans, or department heads. Hence the university has no faculty governance.Faculties, research, and teaching
As a national institution the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) comprises five faculties – Humanities, Science, Engineering, Social Sciences and Health Sciences totaling 32 departments, 11 research centers and a university library.University Library of Southern Denmark
University Library of Southern Denmark
The University Library of Southern Denmark is a public library and accessible for everyone. It acts as a knowledge centre for the whole of the Southern region of Denmark and has departments in five cities. Its main users are researchers and students at the University of Southern Denmark but...
is also a part of the university.
Research activities and student education make up the core activities of the University. The University of Southern Denmark also has widespread cooperation with business and industry in the region and considerable activities within continuing education. The university offers a number of degrees taught in English; examples include European Studies and American Studies.
The faculty of all six campuses comprises approximately 1,200 researchers in Odense, Kolding, Esbjerg, Sønderborg, Slagelse and Copenhagen; approximately 18,000 students are enrolled. The University of Southern Denmark offers programmes in five different faculties - Humanities, Science, Engineering, Social Sciences, and Health Sciences. It incorporates approximately 35 institutes, 30 research centres, and a well-equipped university library.
The physical buildings of SDU cover an area of 272,554 m2(2007), a figure that has increased from 181,450 m2 in 1999 when the university merger was effectuated.
The University offers a wide range of traditional disciplines as well as a broad selection of business and engineering studies. In recent years the number of options available has been considerably expanded. Examples include the introduction of a very successful Journalism programme in Odense
Centre for Journalism (University of Southern Denmark)
The Centre for Journalism is a centre within the Department of Political Science and Public Management at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Southern Denmark in Denmark. The Centre is located in Odense and offers research and education in journalism. Currently the Centre has approx. 310...
, Information Science in Kolding, and a Mechatronics Engineering programme in Sønderborg. The educational environments on the Jutland campuses have also been strengthened through the creation of new programmes such as a bachelor's degree in Sociology and Cultural Analysis, a bachelor's degree Business Administration with Sports Management, a bachelor's and Public Health Science in Esbjerg, Danish and English Language Studies in Kolding, and a variety of engineering programmes and European Studies in Sønderborg. Moreover, the University of Southern Denmark is the only university in Scandinavia that offers a degree programme in chiropractic studies (Clinical Biomechanics).
The University focuses on areas such as communication, information technology, and biotechnology. Other areas of research is pursued through a number of national research centres at the University of Southern Denmark. Examples include The Hans Christian Andersen Center, the Centre for Sound Communication, and the Danish Biotechnology Instrument Centre. Odense in particular focuses on research within the field of geriatrics.
Co-operation with the business community has resulted in three substantial donations from some of the giants in Danish industry: Odense is the home of the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute for Production Technology, where robot technology is one of the many research areas. The Mads Clausen
Mads Clausen
Mads Clausen born in Elsmark, parish of Havnbjerg, municipality of Nordborg in Denmark, was a Danish industrialist and founder of Danfoss in 1933....
Institute in Sønderborg is engaged in the design and development of software for integration in intelligent products of the future. Thanks to funding from Kompan and Lego
Lego
Lego is a line of construction toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of colorful interlocking plastic bricks and an accompanying array of gears, minifigures and various other parts...
, a research environment for the investigation of child behaviour and development has also been established
Princess Marie
Princess Marie of Denmark
Marie Agathe Odile, Princess of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat, is the second wife of Prince Joachim of Denmark.-Early life:...
took over the role of the patron of the University in 2009.