HRH The Crown Princess led the opening of a new knowledge center at the University of Copenhagen on 2 February 2022. The knowledge center has been named the “Crown Princess Mary Center – solving problems through research and partnerships”. The newly opened center aims to build up an interdisciplinary knowledge environment that will focus on finding new solutions for current societal challenges with the human being at the center. In addition to lending her name to the center, Her Royal Highness will henceforward be attached to the center’s “Advisory Committee”, which has a consultative role in relation to the center’s task solution.

HRH The Crown Prince participated together with The Crown Princess at the opening of the new knowledge center, which was part of the events during the week marking The Crown Princess’s 50th birthday on Saturday, 5 February 2022.

University of Copenhagen Rector Henrik C. Wegener welcomed everyone, after which The Crown Princess gave the opening speech. Among other things, Her Royal Highness emphasized the importance of the advantages of interdisciplinary collaboration as well as the Crown Princess Mary Center’s ambition to contribute to the strong Danish tradition of partnerships.

The center has been established by the Humanities, Social Sciences, Theology and Law Faculty of the University of Copenhagen. Through an interdisciplinary approach and interaction with the outside world, the center will contribute to long-term solutions to the major challenges of the times in areas such as health, rights, democracy or climate, among others. The University of Copenhagen has provided basic funding for creation of the new center. In addition, Realdania has committed to a supplementary grant, which during the first five years will support the center’s work of establishing new, professional partnerships across society and in cooperation with other relevant research institutions.