Aarhus University to establish new centre for Danish industry

Thanks to a DKK 10 million donation from the Salling Foundations, Aarhus BSS will establish a new research centre under the Department of Economics and Business Economics.

CEFAU is being created to meet Danish industry’s need for new knowledge based on a combination of research and analysis. The centre will be headed by professors Philipp Schröder and Michael Svarer from the Department of Economics and Business Economics.

“Industry helps shape society and its results. Nonetheless our understanding of the opportunities and barriers for Danish businesses, as well as how they’re affected by policy, and policy impact on Danish businesses is still incomplete and insufficient. When society is impacted by change, either nationally or internationally, CEFAU's research and analyses can provide answers to how these changes actually affect industry and society," Schröder says.

CEFAU will to deliver independent and research-based analyses, research and perspectives on issues and topics that are crucial and relevant to business, in order to better understand the conditions and policies that affect Danish industries and ultimately how such factors both contribute to and challenge the prosperity of Danish society.

With the establishment of CEFAU, the university further cements its position as an important voice in public debate, providing evidence- and research-based knowledge

^{Rector Brian Bech Nielsen, Aarhus University}

Independent research with practical applications

“The objective is to produce independent, research-based analyses of and perspectives on current economic issues, thereby informing public debate and policy-making with evidence-based insights that can influence Danish industry’s conditions and business opportunities. For this reason, we will select the topics we analyse and investigate based on relevance and the arm’s length principle rather than on the interests and desires of others,” Svarer says.

CEFAU will help create value for society

Aarhus University’s rector Brian Bech Nielsen welcomes the establishment of CEFAU:

"With the establishment of CEFAU, the university further cements its position as an important voice in public debate, providing evidence- and research-based knowledge that enables the public conversation about the conditions and opportunities for Danish industry to be conducted on the most objective basis achievable. I’m very pleased.”

The Salling Foundations are also enthusiastic about CEFAU’s prospects:

“Industry is the driving force that creates value in our society, which makes research into the dynamics and conditions of industry important. We are pleased to be able to contribute to the establishment of a centre that will strengthen business economics research and where research will be used to analyse current agendas and trends," says Jens Bjerg Sørensen, chair of the board of Købmand Herman Sallings Fond, one of the foundations that comprise the Salling Foundations.

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Thomas Pallesen, dean of Aarhus BSS, is also looking forward to the centre’s establishment:

This is a unique opportunity to elevate business economics research at Aarhus BSS to an even higher international standard of excellence than today. It's important for business economics research, and it's important for Danish society, which will use the results,” Pallesen said. Thomas Quistgaard Pedersen, head of the Department of Economics and Business Economics, agrees:

"We expect that the centre will be able to attract more external research funding and thus attract more talented researchers to the university. In addition, our students will have direct access to the business economics research produced at the centre."

CEFAU will open in September 2025, and in addition to the donation from the Salling Foundations, the Department of Economics and Business Economics and Aarhus BSS will contribute a corresponding amount.

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