Facts

• The Oeresund region ranks amongst the top 4 European metropolitan areas with the highest production of information (number of scientific papers published 1994-96), surpassed only by London, Paris and the Amsterdam/Rotterdam area. This is a higher ranking than expected as the region’s combined 3 million population ranks with Rome, i.e. 15th largest city in Europe.

• The region’s force lies in scientific, technical and health science areas - not only at universities (about 7.000 researchers and 120.000 students), but also in the business community (60% of Scandinavia’s pharmaceutical industry lies within the region)

• In The Oresund Region, academic researchers own the results of their work and they are free to put their ideas and innovations into action wherever they please. The researchers may decide to start a company of their own or join established companies to refine and finally market new products. Red tape is minimal.

• Since the early 1980s, Danish and Swedish science parks have grown both in number and size, supported and often initiated by local and regional authorities.

• The science parks have proved to be successful areas of location for fast growing companies, and the source of world-leading technology and breakthrough products.


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Welcome

A strategic investment decision to locate in The Oresund Region can be based on the unique features of the science parks, universities, and the general research climate in the region as well as on the competitive aspects of doing business in and from the country.

Denmark and Sweden have long had a strong commitment to exploiting new technology and scientific developments and have a firm tradition of co-operation between the corporate and academic worlds.

Science parks have become suitable areas in which to site fast growing companies. The research institutions provide an attractive environment for startups, and play an important role in cultivating a complex business model based on a broad spectrum of competence.

Universities and companies conduct spearhead research in a wide range of areas - from telecom, IT and forest technology to medicine, biomedicine and biotechnology. Since the first science parks were started in the early 1980s, they have proved to be successful areas of location for fast growing companies, and the source of world-leading technology and breakthrough products.

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The science parks serve as dynamic links between companies and the academic world. As you will notice, the parks have their own individual characteristics and differ in nature and scope. Some of them are research and technology parks, others are science-based industrial parks. Some have been in existence for ten to fifteen years while others are newcomers. However, one of their common denominators is the ability to create fruitful interaction among the park occupants.

In Denmark and Sweden, there is a long tradition of co-operation between academic research and business. In many instances, universities have been fertile soil for the export successes of the industry in the 20th century. In recent years, science parks have grown into creative and dynamic arenas where several successful innovations have been developed all the way from concept to finished product.

Since the early 1980s, Danish and Swedish science parks have grown both in number and size, supported and often initiated by local and regional authorities.

Unique assets for spearhead research

The science parks in The Oresund Region are unique assets for Danish and Swedish spearhead research and innovations from the countries’ colleges and universities - in areas ranging from telecom, IT, and power electronics to medicine, biomedicine and biotechnology. That is one reason why increasing numbers of world-leading companies locate research and development departments in the region’s science parks.
The list of best-selling products and technologies, which have sprouted from Danish and Swedish science parks is long. All technology centers can cite examples of pioneering research and unique products as proof of the fruitful co-operation between academic research and business. Perhaps the best example is the research project on mobile telephony, which was nurtured in Lund in the early 1980s. This little technical experiment changed the world and has become a multibillion dollar industry.

Easy access to research results

In Denmark and Sweden, academic researchers own the results of their work and they are free to put their ideas and innovations into action wherever they please. This is an outstanding feature of academic research. The researchers may decide to start a company of their own or join established companies to refine and finally market new products. Red tape is minimal.
Researchers in the region have long experience of co-operation with industry. They understand the circumstances under which industry works and have a proven ability to work together in large groups toward a common goal. This has been a contributing factor both to Sweden's and Denmark’s successful development as an industrial nation and to its ability to develop complex industrial systems.

Strong focus on R&D

The Oresund region’s record of invention and innovation has been rewarded by the continuing commercial success of its industries. In addition, universities, colleges and technical institutes have served as seedbeds for companies in future-oriented sectors. A large number of new companies have been spun off from university research, and the science parks have provided an attractive setting for many fast-growing companies.

Science park structure promotes co-operation

In an international context, there is a very close working environment within science parks in The Oresund Region. Working on a small scale promotes excellent co-operative relationships in the parks. Fruitful ideas and new opportunities often pop up when high-tech companies get together.
It also facilitates contacts with the colleges and universities. Often there are well-established networks between the schools and the parks, where spontaneous meetings take place without any particular concern for prestige between the companies in the park and researchers from the academic world.

Wide range of services

The science parks in The Oresund Region offer a variety of services to the companies that choose to locate in them. The science parks are almost always located in close proximity to a college, university or institute of technology. Assistance is given in helping the companies establish contact with researchers and students, local and regional authorities, as well as networking with other hi-tech companies in the park and in other parks.
Administrative services, such as expatriate services and back-office services are also at hand. On the financial side, the parks can help the companies with access to the venture capital market. Another important aspect is the contacts the parks may provide for different forms of financial support.

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The Oeresund region ranks amongst the top 4 European metropolitan areas with the highest production of information (number of scientific papers published 1994-96), surpassed only by London, Paris and the Amsterdam/Rotterdam area. This is a higher ranking than expected as the region’s combined 3 million population ranks with Rome, i.e. 15th largest city in Europe.

The region’s force lies in scientific, technical and health science areas - not only at universities (about 7.000 researchers and 120.000 students), but also in the business community (60% of Scandinavia’s pharmaceutical industry lies within the region)

The Oeresund University - the regional university network for research and learning

The Oeresund University is a voluntary co-operation between universities on both sides of Oeresund, based on geographical proximity, historical ties and the growing regional integration. Collaboration strengthens relations between existing education- and research activities in the region by improving quality and mobility, as well as creating possibilities for improving the form and contents of education.

Participating institutions:

Lund University, University of Copenhagen, Roskilde University Center (RUC), Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen Business School, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Alnarp, The Royal Danish School of Educational Studies, The Royal Dansih School of Pharmacy, Malmö University College, and The Royal School of Library and Information Service in co-operation with university hospitals in Lund, Malmö, and the Copenhagen area.

The collaboration affects all aspects of the university. New possibilities are created for specialisation through the synergy effect and use of the universities’ resources, expertise and equipment is increased. The offered courses, libraries, laboratories and other facilities are easily accessible to students and researchers in the region, thereby utilising the complementary nature of research and education on both sides of the Sound.

The Oeresund University is based on the idea of utilising network technology to create research and learning centers across geographical, institutional and time barriers.

IT creates a bridge across the Sound and improves communication between researchers, allows for distance learning - including supplementary education and disseminates information from universities to trade and industry.

The goal is that the universities of the region together make up a strong information center whereby

• The efficiency and quality of education, research and other activities at the university are increased
• The attractiveness and level of competition in a combined Oresund university environment is reinforced - especially in international university collaboration
• The Oresund University becomes an interesting resource for the region’s commercial and industrial markets
• The Oresund region’s competitiveness and quality of life is strengthened effectively in Denmark and Sweden

The Structure of the Oresund University is based on collaboration between faculties and student mobility, including joint staff and graduate studies. Collaboration also promotes several general and specific technical projects, undertaken by project groups at the participating universities.

In this connection, the following projects can be named:

Medicon Valley Academy

Co-operation between higher educational institutes, the hospital sector and the regional pharmaceutical industry to develop the region’s potentiality within the health sector

The Virtual Oeresund University

Co-ordination, initiation and support of IT-based initiatives between the universities and proportionally to other partners in the region and close proximity, e.g. the Baltic States

"Zealand & Scania - before, during and after the Bridge"

An interdisciplinary research project with a view to charting geographical, economical, legal and environmental consequences of the Oresund bridge

Supplementary Education/Distance Learning

Accumulation of experience within research based supplementary education and distance learning across/between the institutions

Marketing and international contacts

To stand together in cases of common interest, advise on the universities’ strongholds plus co-operation with similar international initiatives

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Universities

• Copenhagen Business School
• Högskolan i Kristianstad
• Lund Institute of Technology
• Lund University
• Malmö University College
• Oeresund University
• Roskilde University Centre
• The Engineering College of Copenhagen
• The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Art
  School of Architecture
  School of Conservation
  School of Fine Arts
• The Royal Danish School of Pharmacy
• Royal School of Library and Information Science
• The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University
• Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp
• Technical University of Denmark
• University of Copenhagen

 

Science Parks

CAT Science Park (CAT)
CAT Science Park (CAT) founded by Risø National Laboratory, Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and Roskilde University (RUC) is a non-profit organisation established in 1989. The mission of CAT is to identify and implement science and technology-based economic development using the research carried out in the above mentioned institutions in co-operation with industries.

The Danish Science Park in Hørsholm
In close co-operation with the Technical University of Denmark and the County of Frederiksborg, North Sealand, the Danish Science Park in Hørsholm has established the 'Innovation Centre' which has a special mission to assist new, high tech companies.

Ideon
The Ideon Science and Technology Parks were established in Lund 1983 and in Malmö 1985, to reinforce the industrial development in the region. More than 120 high-tech companies are housed in Ideon´s building complexes

Symbion
Symbion has been established with the purpose of strengthening the cooperation between industry and trade and the multitude of institutions of research and higher education in Greater Copenhagen.
Symbion is creating the framework within which R&D projects of greater and smaller companies are operating. One of Symbion's most important functions is to act as an 'incubator' for the development of new knowledge and technology based companies.

TeknoCenter
TeknoCenter strives to be seen as one of Sweden’s best environments for development of highly know-how intensive enterprises with a strong perception for development and growth.

Other science parks

Center for Advanced Technology

Danish Technological Institute

International Science Park Odense

Medicon Vally Academy

Risø National Laboratory

Scandinavian Academy of Management Studies

Science Park Aarhus

Science Park NOVI

Science and Research Institutions outside the Universities

Biotechnology Center for Cellular Communication, Rigshospitalet consists of four subcenters from university institutes and -hospitals. They cover different but integrated areas of signal peptide research.

Centre for Biomass Technology is a Danish biomass information network of four technological institutes working with biomass.

Danish Hydraulic Institute provides a broad spectrum of services and technology in offshore, coastal, port, river, water resources, urban drainage and environmental engineering.

Danish Meteorological Institute has research divisions within meteorology and oceanography, middle atmosphere physics, and solar-terrestrial physics.

Danish Polar Center supports and co-ordinates Danish polar research in the Arctic and Antarctic.

Danish Space Research Institute participates in various space projects.

Dansk Gasteknisk Center A/S participates in European co-operation on research and standardisation and is the project manager for several international projects under the EU.

Institute for Inflammation Research, Rigshospitalet: Participants are Laboratory of Medical Immunologi and Laboratory of Clinical Interferon Research.

Laboratory for Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital was established in 1988 in response to the AIDS epidemic and the need for retroviral research capabilities in the University and Hospital environment of Copenhagen.

Medicon Valley Academy is a cooperation between the universities within the fields of medicine, biomedicine and biotechnology.

Nordic Gene Bank is a joint Nordic institution reporting directly to the Nordic council of ministers. NGB stores material of plants of interest for Nordic agriculture and horticulture.

Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics is cooperating with the physics institutes and with the physical societies in the Nordic countries and elsewhere.

Risø National Laboratory is a state institute under the Danish Ministry of Research and Information Technology. It contributes to the development of environmentally acceptable methods for agricultural and industrial production as well as for the generation of the energy necessary for modern society.

SAMS - Scandinavian Academy of Management Studies is an international research centre founded in 1992 to encourage close academic co-operation between management researchers from universities and business schools within the Öresund region.

Statens Serum Institut deals with prevention and control of infectious diseases and congenital disorders.

Teknopol is one of the organisations that has been assigned the task of creating a dynamic framework in southern Sweden for researchers and all research related SMEs (small and medium- sized enterprises) in the region.

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