On 23 February 2026, the danish Government appointed a new Chair and members to the Danish Council for Research and Innovation Policy. The appointments follow the expiry of the current term of office for the Council’s members on 31 March 2026.
Professor and Chief Scientific Officer Thomas Bjørnholm of the Villum Foundation has been appointed as the new Chair of the Council for a three-year term. Two new members have been appointed, while six current members have been reappointed. The members are appointed by the Minister for Higher Education and Science following an open call and will take office on 1 April 2026.
“It is a great honour and a vote of confidence to be appointed Chair of DFIR. Denmark is facing complex challenges where research and innovation are crucial to our ability to deliver solutions — for growth, the green transition, and security. I am both proud and humbled, and I look forward to building on the strong collaboration between universities, ministries, foundations, and industry to further strengthen our research and innovation ecosystem,” says Thomas Bjørnholm, Chair of the Danish Council for Research and Innovation Policy.
The Danish Council for Research and Innovation Policy aims to promote the development of Danish research, technological development, and innovation for the benefit of society. The Council provides independent and impartial advice to the Minister for Higher Education and Science, the Danish Parliament, and other ministers. Established by law, the Council consists of a Chair and eight members appointed in their personal capacity for a three-year term, with the possibility of reappointment for an additional three years. The Council is supported by an independent secretariat within the Ministry of Higher Education and Science.
A sincere thank you to the outgoing chair and council members: Professor Frede Blaabjerg (AAU), Professor and Centre Director Mette Birkedal Bruun (University of Copenhagen), and Professor and Director Jes Broeng (DTU).
