SDU SECDEF is first and foremost an initiative to foster research excellence through enhanced collaboration and the creation of synergies between basic and applied research. It reflects SDU’s vision of promoting world-class research in collaboration with and of value to society.
SDU SECDEF is furthermore tailored to meet society’s growing demand for security and defence-related research and innovation. The Danish government’s defence industry strategy calls for enhanced partnership with industry and universities.
The European Union facilitates such partnerships notably via its European Defence Fund (EDF)designed both to boost Europe’s technological and industrial base and to enhance Europe’s wider knowledge base when it comes to conflict and war.
NATO likewise promotes such types of partnership via its Science for Peace and Security programme, its armament network, and its unfolding work on emerging and disruptive technologies. SECDEF can therefore also be viewed as a response to these calls.
SDU SECDEF is committed to basic research and to bringing value to private actors and public institutions acting within democratic frameworks and in full compliance with all applicable regulations and codes of conduct for good scientific practice.
SDU SECDEF builds on unique SDU research strengths and is organised into two separate but complementary excellence clusters – Industrial Development and The Future Battlespace, which invite key partners and stakeholders to engage with them.