DTU Environmental Engineering Research strategies UWE strategy day

Mission and Vision The mission of DTU ENVIRONMENT is to carry out research, disseminate knowledge and teach within the science and technology of environmental engineering at a high international level within: sustainable management and engineering of water in natural, urban and industrial contexts processing and recovery of residual resources environmental risk assessment and risk reduction wrt. chemicals technology transfer, development and innovation research-based BSc, MSc, PhD and continuing education The vision is to be at the leading edge, scientifically and technologically. Specifically DTU ENVIRONMENT shall be: among the top 10 university departments world-wide within selected fields measured by commonly accepted indices identified as a preferred provider of knowledge and knowledge-based solutions in environmental technology in Denmark and Europe recognized by peers, public authorities, industry and society as a highly qualified, independent, reliable and effective partner High-level research is need to meet our vision

DTU official strategies DTU has a strategy ( ) ….“for the benefit of society” – very general – does not tell which research we should do DTU has an UMV – development goals and means ( ) 4-year running plan Focus on collaboration beyond the department, large infrastructure, large applications etc - does not tell which research we should do Action Plan every year (2015) Very practical We need real research strategies

Research strategies are needed A STRATEGY has STRATEGIC GOALS and STRATEGIC PLANS The strategy development has 3 phases VISION -WHY Defining the societal problem / challenge / possibility Defining the scientific issues Defining the engineering issues EDGE- HOW Our competences and strengths – what can we offer The competitive landscape – do we have an advantage Availability of complementary competences – can we team up FEASIBILITY-WHAT Fruitful collaboration with problem holders Financial means available Define working hypothesis and work packages Availability of human resources and facilities Goal Plans years 3-5 years Goal Plan We make many decisions here Do we make the right ones? Project

Risks if no strategy We are not able to team up and go for big and important projects – PSSs go for own individual projects We go for “bread-on-the-table projects” - the money rules and not the ideas We do not shape the future - because we do not have enough momentum on a topic We do not lead a topic - we contribute to what other groups suggest We spend time on keeping “all-doors-open” because we do not know what we really want We do not have the ability to say NO THANKS because we do not know what is most important for us We obtain competition among PSS instead of collaboration We loose competitiveness for grants because we keep “massaging” the same topics

Do we have a strategy? We worked on a research strategy in 2012 –but it never became a real strategy - too may things included with little prioritization Time to work on research strategy in 2015 Sections are redefined and start working as sections Several new PSSs arrived Introducing Expectation Agreements Water DTU ??