An optical fibre can bring daylight through an otherwise solid concrete wall. In this way, it is possible to create better indoor lighting.
Photo: Mikal Schlosser
M I S S I O N
DTU develops and creates value through the natural and technical sciences for the benefit of society.
V I S I O N 2 0 3 1
DTU will be among Europe’s five leading elite technical universities and through excellence in research and education create solutions to the major societal challenges of our time— anchored in democracy, sustainability, and innovation.
INNO VA TION CRE DIBI LITY COM MIT MENT
DTU’s values—innovative thinking, credibility, and commitment—permeate everything we do.
Innovation drives us forward. We challenge established truths, think across disciplines, and uncover new ways to solve problems.
Credibility is the foundation of our work. We are based on scientific rigour, integrity, and openness. When DTU makes a statement, it is based on evidence—not opinion.
Commitment means we take responsibility. We engage in the major societal challenges, educate the next generation, and engage knowledge.
Different perspectives, backgrounds, and approaches strengthen our research, enrich our study programmes, and bolster our solutions. Diversity turns our values into everyday reality.
The world is facing a climate crisis, biodiversity loss, resource scarcity, and increasing pollution. At the same time, we face geopolitical instability, authoritarian regimes, and that the knowledge-based understanding of the world is being challenged.
Europe is lagging behind on key technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, and microchips. But Europe has unique strengths: credibility, ethical anchoring, democratic values, and green transition leadership. Denmark enjoys positions of strength in areas such as biotechnology, energy technology, medical technology, food technology, quantum technology, and space technology.
Technological development—especially artificial intelligence—fundamentally transforms the way we do research, learn, and create solutions. Artificial intelligence can accelerate solutions to the climate crisis, but is itself extremely resource-intensive. This dilemma places new demands on competences and on the role of our University.
DTU is firmly rooted. We are recognized as one of Europe’s best technical universities thanks to our skilled students, dedicated staff, and strong partnerships. We have leading research environments, educate highly sought-after engineers, and are the preferred partner of the corporate sector.
This strategy is about building on what we are already doing well—and improving it further. We must use our position to take responsibility. To ensure the technological future of Europe, to educate the engineers who will solve tomorrow’s challenges, and to strengthen science as the foundation of democracy.
Our five strategic focus areas:
SCIENTIFIC LEADERSHIP AND DEMOCRATIC RESPONSIBILITY
STUDYING CEMENT-FREE CONCRETE
Researchers are studying various types of concrete to gain a deeper understanding of their strength and elasticity.
Photo: Thomas Steen Sørensen
SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSITION
S U S T A I N A B L E T E C H N O L O G I C A L
DTU will be an important player in securing Europe global leading positions in sustainable technology development and expanding areas where we are already successful. These include green energy technology, circular economy, quantum technology, water technology, acoustics, biotechnology, food technology, energy conversion, computing, materials, and space technology.
We take a leading role by:
– demonstrating how focus on sustainability and green innovation can increase Europe’s competitiveness
– ensuring that new technology integrates sustainability from the start
– translating research breakthroughs into businesses, jobs, and real value.
Through partnerships with leading European universities and businesses, we build a common European capacity for sustainable technological transformation of society. We promote green innovation that creates a long-term competitive advantage for European industry and business.
Europe is our main priority, but we engage in strategic global collaborations, where they strengthen European position and independence.
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We will not conduct research into technologies that limit or delay the transition to a sustainable society. We will not develop technologies without transparency about their resource consumption and about whether they have negative derived effects such as increased dependence on authoritarian regimes’ supply chains.
Every year since 2017, DTU has been tagging bluefin tuna in Danish waters in collaboration with international partners and experienced anglers.
TUNA TAGGING
Photo: Jurai.lt
BATTERIES AS BUFFERS
DTU has tested a solution that allows for the rapid charging of electric cars without placing a strain on the electricity grid. This is possible when a rapid charger is combined with a battery. When demand for electricity exceeds production, the battery can act as a buffer for the electricity grid.
Photo: Thomas Steen Sørensen
EUROPEAN LEADERSHIP IN CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES
E U R O P E A N L E A D E R S H I P
I N C R I T I C A L T E C H N O L O G I E S
DTU will contribute to European leadership positions in critical technologies.
We build capacity by:
– developing secure, transparent, and democratic artificial intelligence
– educating talents to promote new European leadership positions
– engaging in strategic partnerships with global frontrunners, if it builds European competence
– translating research into businesses, jobs, and real value.
Artificial intelligence is a society-changing technology that can both accelerate solutions and create challenges. We navigate this dilemma consciously.
In our research, we develop the next generation of artificial intelligence with a focus on security, transparency, European values, and resource efficiency. We conduct research into how artificial intelligence can accelerate the green transition—and into the technology’s own climate and resource footprint.
As we navigate new terrain in dual-use technologies and defence research, we ensure transparency and are open about ethical and geopolitical dilemmas.
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We will not conduct research into topics that do not have international impact, nor will we participate in projects that do not lead to either scientific insight or societal value.
PHYSICAL PHENOMENA
By studying how ink drawn on paper is absorbed through the paper fibres and dries out, researchers gain new knowledge about the transport of liquids through materials—knowledge that is important when, e.g. determining how breathable a building is.
Photo: DTU
PLASTIC FROM SUGAR
The photo shows granules of PET plastic, which are produced using a new method based on the breakdown of sugar molecules extracted from biomass.
Photo: Thomas Steen Sørensen
EDUCATING EUROPE’S MOST COMPETENT ENGINEERS
DTU will educate engineers and researchers who can apply critical thinking, are creative, collaborative, and able to navigate complexity.
We will pioneer the future of learning by:
– investigating and implementing new forms of learning
– experimenting with alternatives to traditional exam forms
– designing study programmes where digital tools free up time for deep learning
– collaborating with foundations to translate research into education
– educating for lifelong learning
– building lifelong relationships with alumni
– learning innovation through hands-on business creation.
Our graduates must stand on a solid polytechnic foundation and be prepared for the challenges of the future. They must think critically and creatively and be able to collaborate across disciplines, cultures, and sectors. They must be able to drive change with ethical responsibility and navigate omplexity while creating confidence in development processes. They must learn that risk management is a balance where avoiding any risk in itself can be risky. Finally, they must master digital technologies with a critical and responsible approach so they can use them to create value for society.
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We will not offer narrow technical specializations without interdisciplinary understanding. We will not offer research careers that do not also emphasize teaching, dissemination, and collaboration.
THE ANECHOIC CHAMBER
Students working in one of DTU’s anechoic chambers, which is used to simulate an environment without acoustic reflections when conducting sound research.
Photo: Magnus Møller
UNWANTED CHANGES
DTU studies endocrine disruptors in order to protect unborn fetuses from harm to their reproductive system, among other things. The photo shows a tissue sample from a rat testicle.
Photo: DTU
FROM KNOWLEDGE TO BUSINESS
Research and education have value in themselves. DTU must contribute to translating this value into concrete solutions that benefit society and strengthen European competitiveness. For DTU, innovation is not an add-on—it is fundamental. The transition from laboratory to market, from theory to application, from discovery to business has been at the heart of our societal mission since 1829.
We create value by:
– expanding and strengthening our infrastructure for innovation, the start-up and scaling of businesses
– accelerating the implementation of sustainable technologies through European partnerships
– integrating innovation into all our study programmes
– creating companies that solve societal challenges
INNOVATION HUB
– contributing to the business community being able to implement new technology competitively and responsibly
– being a strategic partner for Danish and European companies
– contributing to innovation in the public sector
– ensuring that DTU’s inventions are actively exploited for the benefit of society.
We demonstrate that innovation can be pursued transparently, ethically, and with democratic control. Our innovation processes engage citizens, authorities, and civil society— not just investors and businesses.
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We will not transfer knowledge that weakens European independence. We do not consider commercialization to be opposed to research.
In DTU Skylab, students, researchers and external partners can collaborate to make DTU technologies work—within existing businesses or by establishing startups.
Photo: Niels Nygaard
S
CELL FACTORIES FOR THE GREEN TRANSITION
Microorganisms can be designed to produce substances such as chemicals so that fossil resources can be avoided in chemical production.
Photo: Christian Als
SCIENTIFIC LEADERSHIP AND DEMOCRATIC RESPONSIBILITY
In everything we do, DTU guarantees scientific excellence, integrity, and evidence—and we use our voice to strengthen democracy.
We will guard knowledge and evidence by:
– countering misinformation and ensuring informed technological choices
– conducting research with the highest integrity and sharing knowledge openly
– educating critically thinking citizens
– actively participating in the public debate
– inspiring participation in societal discussions on a well-informed basis
– advising on the basis of scientific excellence, integrity, and evidence.
We work to ensure that complex technological choices can be discussed in an accessible and factual way, so that everyone is able to understand and participate in the debate. Research ethics and transparency form the foundation of our work, and our voice is always based on evidence—never on opinion. We educate citizens who can navigate in a technology-driven democracy in an informed way, and we demonstrate in practice that responsible innovation not only strengthens democracy, but also Europe’s competitiveness.
Opt-out
We do not develop technology without prior democratic dialogue. We do not abstain from the social debate about technology in a broad sense.
GAMMA DETECTOR
Using a detector that can detect gamma radiation enables the creation of high-resolution three-dimensional images. The technology was originally intended for exploring the universe, but this detector can also be used to diagnose breast cancer.
Photo: Thomas Steen Sørensen
F O U N D A T I O N
RESEARCH EXCELLENCE
World-class research is at the heart of DTU’s activities and the foundation for our study programmes, innovation, and social contribution.
Research excellence at DTU is:
– curiosity-driven and socially relevant
– interdisciplinary and collaborative
– internationally competitive
– supported by robust infrastructure.
FOCUS ON WORK AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
We prioritize well-being and a healthy working and learning environment; a management and a culture that clearly forms the basis for employees and students to unfold their potential and deliver results at the highest level.
We develop management and administration to free up resources for teaching and research and to reduce the administrative burden on the individual researcher and lecturer.
We work actively with framework conditions in close dialogue with political principals, the foundation world, the Danish business community, and European partners.
We ensure a healthy and long-term balance between public and private financing. Basic funding is the foundation for freedom of research and our overall capacity.
Strategy 2026-2031
The strategy was adopted by DTU’s Board of Governors on 12 December 2025.
