Denmark’s largest ICT- and innovation environment is located in the quarter of the city called Katrinebjerg. The quarter is the ICT powerhouse of Aarhus and home to a unique development- and innovation environment that operates across the disciplines of natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, health sciences and subject areas related to engineering-, architecture- and design. This creative environment is facilitated through a close collaboration between businesses and public research, and is supported by favourable physical surroundings with shared offices, project hotel and an ICT science park.
Favourable conditions for research and development
The research- and knowledge institutions at Katrinebjerg have, in collaboration with the business community, developed an effective model for interdisciplinary collaboration, which boosts the joint developmental processes and -projects. The concept is called Research-based user driven innovation and has been developed at the Alexandra Institute, which serves as initiator and facilitator between the business community and researchers.
“The activities at the Alexandra Institute makes Aarhus attractive to ICT businesses,” says Peter Petersen, Director of Technology at Bang & Olufsen.
Educational programmes
The University of Aarhus has placed its Department of Computer Sciences, Department of Information and Media Studies and Multimedia at Katrinebjerg and with 1,800 ICT students gathered at Katrinebjerg, Aarhus has anchored its knowledge resources within ICT.
Network
The close physical positioning of the ICT-innovation environment at Katrinebjerg allows rich opportunities for the areas many actors to meet on a daily basis. In addition, many choose to gather in specialist networks concerning specific projects or merely for mutual inspiration. Thus, the networks are a very important part of the environment and a constant source of development of new ideas and knowledge.