Proclamation leads to new name for research center
King Frederik Center for Public Leadership is the new name of a six-year-old research center at Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University.
Today, the Crown Prince Frederik Center for Public Leadership is changing its name to the King Frederik Center for Public Leadership. This is due to the change of sovereign in Denmark on 14 January this year.
Although the name is new, the center's research-based contribution to a better public sector will continue as usual. And so will HM King Frederik’s participation.
"We greatly appreciate that the King will continue his work in the leadership center and his long-standing commitment to Aarhus University," says the university's rector, Brian Bech Nielsen.
The King Frederik Center for Public Leadership was established in 2018 to mark the 50th birthday of the then Crown Prince and thanks to donations from Købmand Herman Sallings Fond. The center is based at the Department of Political Science, from which HM King Frederik graduated as a Master of Science in Political Science in 1995.
The research center bridges top research and leadership practice
Aarhus University is one of the world's leading research institutions within political science, and particularly within public administration.
"Our research is at the absolute top globally, but actually it’s more important to us that it can be applied in practice. We go to work every day with the aim to generate new knowledge that public managers and decision-makers can apply to improve public leadership. The King shares this ambition, and he actively contributes to realising it," says Lotte Bøgh Andersen, professor of political science and director of what is now called the King Frederik Center for Public Leadership.
"If we are to contribute relevant and valid knowledge about public leadership, it’s absolutely crucial that our research is produced in partnership with the 43,000 public managers who know the real problems and needs for new research-based knowledge. Of course, it’s also important that we share our knowledge, so that it can be used to benefit citizens and society. The King plays a very significant role in this context. After all, he’s a very prominent public leader, and I hear from many leaders that his personal commitment rubs off," says Lotte Bøgh Andersen.
The next time His Majesty takes part in the dialogue between researchers and managers will be on 23 May, when he will open the center's annual leadership conference.
King Frederik is also one of six members of the research center's Governance Committee, which has an advisory role for the center.
About the King Frederik Center for Public Leadership
The King Frederik Center for Public Leadership is an interdisciplinary research center located at the Department of Political Science at Aarhus University. The center opened in May 2018 to mark the 50th birthday of the then Crown Prince. The opening of the center was made possible by donations from Købmand Herman Sallings Fond in 2018 and 2023.
The center’s vision is to help improve the public sector by producing, sharing and implementing research-based knowledge about public leadership and to strengthen the ability of public organisations to develop and achieve their objectives to benefit citizens and society.