43 scientists at Danish universities got ERC grants in 2024

Researchers at Danish universities once again made their mark in  Europe last year. 43 of them got prestigious grants from the European Research Council (ERC). The University of Copenhagen (UCPH) topped the list of Danish institutions with 17 grant recipients.

This was reported by the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science in a press release.

The ERC grants are awarded annually to groundbreaking research projects and are given to researchers at both early and advanced stages of their careers. In 2024, researchers based in Denmark got grants in all five categories, spanning various levels of experience and fields of research.

A total of 41 research projects were supported, involving 43 researchers, with the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) leading the way. In second place was the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) with nine grants, followed by Aarhus University with seven and the University of Southern Denmark with five grants.

According to David Dreyer Lassen, Prorector for Research at UCPH (and Rector as of 1 March), the tally of grants highlights the high level of research at Danish universities, and demonstrates that UCPH can compete with the best in Europe.

»When we look across Europe, we are right up there in the top league, even compared to what we usually consider the very best universities. A tally like this is a kind of reality check on how things are going at the University of Copenhagen. And we can clearly see that we are doing really well,« says David Dreyer Lassen.

From the origin of the universe to ethical sustainability

The supported projects cover a wide range of disciplines and topics. At the University of Copenhagen, Associate Professor Charlotte Mason will investigate how the universe’s first stars and galaxies were formed. Her Starting Grant project, which is awarded to early-career researchers, is one of 15 in this category that have researchers at Danish institutions.

Among the many grants, UCPH secured five Advanced Grants, given to the most established researchers. One recipient, Professor Klaus Bruhn Jensen, will explore ethical dilemmas associated with green surveillance. For instance, how far are we willing to go in monitoring individuals as part of efforts to track climate change?

ERC grants let researchers do ambitious projects that can lead to scientific breakthroughs. Beyond financial support, the grants also open doors to new international networks and research environments, which can be a significant boost for early-career researchers, the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science writes.