Professor Connie Svabo is giving a presentation on developing "Wicked Scientists"

The recently announced grant of 125 million DKK from the Novo Nordisk Foundation to establish the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for University Science Education—also known as the USE Center—is an unprecedented single investment. It provides Danish researchers with the opportunity to position Denmark at the forefront of research in didactics within science education.

The founding director of the Center for Research in Science Education and Communication (FNUG), Professor Connie Svabo, plays a central role in the initiative, as FNUG will host a USE satellite. This will lead to additional hires at the research center, which—since Connie Svabo established it three years ago—has grown significantly and quickly gained a reputation for inspiring engaging and educational experiences in STEM subjects.

A Groundbreaking Transformation of Science Education

The USE Center aims to transform science education at Danish universities by creating a close connection between advanced research and practical teaching. The center will be based at the University of Copenhagen, with satellite locations at Aarhus University and the University of Southern Denmark, where FNUG will play a key role. SDU’s Rector, Jens Ringsmose, and the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Marianne Holmer, express their enthusiasm for the collaboration:

– Connie Svabo has become a unifying figure, weaving together the various didactic initiatives within the separate scientific communities in the STEM Center for Research in Science Education and Communication. We are excited about the prospect of integrating a satellite department in the USE Center with the already flourishing research environment in science education at SDU, say Jens Ringsmose and Marianne Holmer.