The background for the merger
On 4 October 2006, the Danish Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Helge Sander, published the government’s decision to create a new map of Denmark with fewer, stronger universities to be merged with the government research institutions.
This means that a new Technical University of Denmark will be created, consisting of the Technical University of Denmark, Risø National Laboratory, the Danish Institute for Food and Veterinary Research, the Danish Institute for Fisheries Research, the Danish National Space Centre and the Danish Transport Research Institute.
Prior to this decision being made, the six institutions had prepared a basis for the merger. The preparation of this basis for the merger was headed by the board chairmen (the Merger Committee) and specifically carried out in collaboration between the respective day-to-day managements (the Management Committee).
The basis for the merger consists of:
- A Covering letter to the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Helge Sander, of 14 September 2006 in which the six board chairmen briefly describe the agreement reached in relation to a future board and management as well as what the six chairmen see as the most important issues in connection with the merger.
- A Status report of 12 September 2006 detailing the objectives and opportunities of the merger; this report forms the actual basis for the merger. In the report, the six board chairmen describe the objective of the merger and the means to ensure a successful merger.
- A Report to the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of 14 September 2006, which is a summary of the Status report, and which briefly describes the options within research, education, innovation and assistance of public authorities.
On 4 November 2006, DTU’s board subsequently accepted the merger in a letter to the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation.
Highlights from the basis for the merger
- Identification of mission, vision and strategic goals etc. still awaits the appointment of a board for the New DTU.
- The working title of the new organisation is the New DTU, and there is agreement that considerations as to the future name of the university is part of the basis for the merger.
- As a minimum, the existing financial framework for the individual institutions should remain unchanged.
- In 2007-08, the university should be given additional funding for the restructuring process, relocation and integration of IT systems within finance, HR and project management etc., etc.
- The future job structure, which is based on the job structure of the universities and government research institutions, must be simple and based on the existing structure of the universities with the adjustments necessary as a result of the new tasks. The job structure should support different career paths: Research/teaching, research/tasks for public authorities and research/innovation.
- DTU’s institutes, centres and departments etc. will be included
- The Danish Institute for Food and Veterinary Research will be included as two institutes (The National Food Institute and The National Veterinary Institute)
- Risø will be incluced as a national laboratory
- The Danish Institute for Fisheries Research will be included as an institute functioning as a national centre
- The Danish National Space Centre will be included with some parts of, e.g., Ørsted•DTU as an institute functioning as a national centre
- The Danish Transport Research Institute will be included as an institute, and a merger with Centre for Traffic and Transport is being considered.
- A board will be appointed as of 1 January 2007 which will have the overall responsibility for implementing the merger (the board has been appointed, click for more info.
- The new management will have nine members: The previous management of DTU as well as the managing directors of the Danish Institute for Food and Veterinary Research, the Danish Institute for Fisheries Research and Risø National Laboratory ( see names here).