The President’s Office writes in memory of Mogens Bundgaard-Nielsen, deceased on Februar 16.
Mogens Bundgaard-Nielsen was DTU’s first Chairman of the Board of Governors after the University became an autonomous institution in 2001. In addition to researching, teaching, and acting as an examiner at the University, he had also made his mark as an external member—as one of two business representatives—of the then Senate. His knowledge of the University—combined with his vast experience as a senior civil servant and as the CEO of a state-owned enterprise, among other positions—gave him a solid foundation for embarking on the organization of DTU in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Danish Parliament in the DTU Act.
Mogens Bundgaard approached the task with thoroughness, affection for DTU, and—not least— with clear indications of the direction in which he wanted the University to go. For eight years, he was an outstanding Chairman of the Board of Governors who never shied away from battling against engrained dogmas or challenging those who did not share his pronounced desire for regeneration of the University, and greater respect for the role of the engineer in the development of society.
To many people, this may today seem like an easy task, but DTU was under pressure from many sides at the time. A low and declining student intake, limited or no capacity in a number of the research fields of the future, run-down buildings, and negative media coverage were some of the challenges faced by Mogens Bundgaard as Chairman of the Board of Governors.
Mogens Bundgaard can therefore share the credit for DTU today having a completely different reputation—as an international elite technical university. Many others have also contributed—and Mogens Bundgaard would be the first to acknowledge their contributions—but Mogens Bundgaard established many solid tracks during his period as Chairman of the Board of Governors.
During his chairmanship, Northern Europe’s largest cleanroom for nanoscale production became a reality, new buildings for the basic subjects of chemistry and physics saw the light of day, and a state-of-the-art centre for electron nanoscopy was established after a donation from the A.P. Møller Foundation.
Finally, Mogens Bundgaard was a significant driving force in the run-up to and implementation of the University’s merger with five government research institutions in 2007/08. He was also the natural choice as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the merged University.
In 2009, Mogens Bundgaard-Nielsen was awarded the DTU Gold Medal for his work with the following citation (extract):
“Chairman Mogens Bundgaard-Nielsen, who has been awarded the DTU Gold Medal, is a model example of a polytechnician in the sense that was employed when DTU was founded, and to which Mogens Bundgaard-Nielsen himself has helped give fresh impetus.
Someone who has used his engineering skills to apply his knowledge in various sectors, ranging from teaching and research at DTU and Texas A&M through a top management position in the central administration to management director of the Great Belt Fixed Link, one of Denmark's major infrastructure projects—well, probably the largest construction project in Danish history. All performed for the polytechnically essential purpose of being ‘for the benefit of society’.”
May his memory live on!