School of life: Anders Bjarklev

The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) has had a very good year. The university finished 2024 at the top of EngiRank’s ranking of 226 technical institutes across Europe, a fantastic reward for the hard work of students, staff and partners.

Founded in 1829, from the start DTU’s purpose has been to provide great benefit to society, a mission President Anders Bjarklev says is alive and well today.

"I actually repeat it every single day," he tells The CEO Magazine. "It’s why we’re here, but I think you can only be of such benefit if you’re in close dialogue with that society."

And DTU certainly is. The university is constantly signing contracts with companies, both local and international, private and government. It also works closely with industry to make sure students have an avenue for practical exercises and thesis collaborations.

"It’s not a question for our staff about whether or not we should work with external companies, but how many are we working with? That’s really what drives us," Bjarklev explains.

Choosing change

It’s not a scattershot approach, however. DTU’s advisory board convenes several times a year to determine which areas should become a focus in the coming months.

"They might decide that mechanical engineers should be good with AI tools, and then we’ll come up with a way to introduce that into the curriculum," Bjarklev explains.

"But of course, we don’t change everything every year. There has to be an overall structure you can recognize, but it’s certainly flexible and can be changed."

That agility has helped DTU keep ahead of the challenges that face technical universities.

"We’ve seen tremendous change in the past few years alone, particularly when it comes to very powerful AI tools," he notes.

"As a university, we have an obligation to educate people in the best possible manner, so rather than treat emerging technology as a challenge, we see it as a tool to be embraced and harnessed."

While DTU has a place for AI, students still take old-fashioned, pen-and-paper tests as well. It’s a pace that suits the industry, Bjarklev adds.

"There can at times be a push to change systems at a speed that doesn’t leave time to talk to those who are going to employ our graduates," he says.

"We educate engineers, so that’s why it’s so important we keep in constant contact with the engineering industry."

Some of the most modern touches at the university have come about in practical ways. Leading Danish architecture firm Christensen & Co has created a new campus building, the Climate Challenge Laboratory, which is designed to promote the sharing of scientific ideas, innovation and knowledge in a world-class research environment. The bright, light-filled learning space is a far cry from the dark corridors of old.

"We were challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic to take a major leap forward in terms of the way we do things," Bjarklev recalls, adding that such changes resulted in new approaches to delivering lectures and assessments, which have benefited the students.

"That way, a lecturer’s time can include more interaction with students. If you do this in the best possible manner, you end up with a better learning situation that adapts to the individual student’s needs."

Tailored learning

Bjarklev says a one-size-fits-all approach to education may have flown 200 years ago, but that’s no longer the case in an individualized world.

"You and I or anybody else are not the same. We shouldn’t therefore serve the same dish to everybody," he suggests.

It’s this forward-thinking, humanistic approach to education that has taken DTU to the top of its field. Diversity is another factor, according to Bjarklev.

"Fifty years ago, we had few female students," he reveals. "Today, one in three is female. It’s not a small minority anymore. But I’d like to have much more diversity. There are female students who will never enter engineering because they can’t find a good role model."

As DTU continues to develop, Bjarklev confirms its students will continue to receive valuable pathways to rewarding careers.

"We try to make sure students have been introduced to and work directly on real-world problems," he says. "Almost 90 percent of our Bachelor of Engineering students prepare their final thesis in direct collaboration with a company.

"It makes them ready for work and helps them build a network that can result in their first employment."

It’s just another way of keeping the university connected with the society around it, something Bjarklev treasures above all.

"DTU has been a benefit to society for 200 years," he says. "That’s what drives us, and I’m sure it will be so for another 200 years."