H.R.H. Prince Joachim Launches the National Defence Technology Centre

By David Graff, Dean's Office, ENGINEERING and Lasse Møller Badstue, AAU Communication. Translated by LeeAnn Iovanni, AAU Communication

- Together we can provide crucial technological knowledge to the many different domains or battlegrounds where future conflicts over power and values will be fought.

So began AAU Rector Per Michael Johansen’s speech after H.R.H. Prince Joachim cut the ribbon on what has now been launched as the National Defence Technology Centre (NFC).

Unique collaboration

The launch of the NFC makes concrete this unique collaboration and community of eight universities and five GTS institutes. This cohesiveness means that specialist knowledge in defence industry research and development involving AAU will also be used in the degree programmes.

- It will be valuable for large and small companies, public and private companies that hire our graduates as, for example, experts in cybersecurity or drone engineers, the rector said.

On the list of speakers were:

• H.R.H. Prins Joachim
• Simon Kollerup, Chair of the Parliament Finance Committee and Defence Spokesperson (Social Democrat)
• Per Michael Johansen, Rector of Aalborg University
• Rasmus Larsen, Pro-rector of the Technical University of Denmark and Chair of the NFC Steering Committee
• Kim Jesper Jørgensen, Lieutenant General, Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation
• Steen M. Lynenskjold, Executive Vice President, Government & Partnerships, TERM

The NFC's newly appointed director, Lars Bo Larsen, hosted the event. 

The outstretched hand of the universities and GTS institutes was recognised and received from all sides with clear intentions for future work. Bjarne Laustsen (Social Democrat) advocated for this the same day in the opinion piece 'Så lykkedes det!' ['Success!'].