Inspection vessel Ejnar Mikkelsen on assignment. Photo: The Royal Danish Navy/Troels Sundwall

DTU security centre will strengthen research and collaboration

Materials Information technology Environment and pollution
A new centre—Security DTU—will strengthen DTU’s research and facilitate access for public authorities and companies to the University’s knowledge in the field of security. The centre is located in DTU Space.

From 1 February, DTU has a new centre which gathers the University’s extensive knowledge and expertise in the field of security under one roof.

The centre is called Security DTU, and the object is for the centre to strengthen the University’s research in this field and its collaboration with the Danish Armed Forces, the defence industries, and the relevant public authorities on innovation, research, and education in the field of security, defence, and emergency preparedness and response.

The centre will comprise the University’s resources in areas such as cyber security, defence technology, military and civilian monitoring in the Arctic regions, as well as rescue, environmental emergency contingency plans, and security in connection with natural disasters.

“With increased focus and collaboration between different competence areas, we strengthen DTU’s security activities and become able to provide better services to the Armed Forces and other external partners in this field,” says Kristian Pedersen, Director of DTU Space, where the new centre is located.

Long-term collaboration expanded
The new centre is a natural extension of longstanding collaboration in the field of defence, which is now being expanded and strengthened.

The centre’s work involves DTU departments which, through many years, have had collaborative relations with the Armed Forces, relevant public authorities, and companies in the security and defence industries. These departments include DTU Space, Compute, Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical Engineering, which have vast expertise and experience in this field.

The head of the centre is Henning Heiselberg, who is looking forward to getting started on the tasks at hand that, initially, will focus on establishing the framework for the centre’s activities.

“The centre will make it easier for both authorities and companies to utilize DTU’s extensive expertise in this field and enter into collaboration with the University when required,” says Henning Heiselberg, who has extensive experience in the field of defence and security.

From cyber security to environmental monitoring and rescue in the Arctic
The centre will collaborate with the Armed Forces on the performance of a wide portfolio of tasks, ranging from cyber security and environmental monitoring to the development of new materials and technology for rescue operations.

For example, DTU looks to improve the Danish Navy’s ability to provide assistance to ships in distress in, among other locations, the Arctic regions through the use of drone and satellite technology.