Anniversary celebration: 50 Years of Computer Science in Denmark

In 1970, Denmark's first Department of Computer Science (DIKU) was born at the University of Copenhagen, and thus was the starting point for computer science and IT educations and computer science research in Denmark. It must, of course, be celebrated in style, though the corona pandemic has postponed the festivities for a year.

DIKU and the Confederation of Danish Industry have therefore joined forces on this large-scale event, where we both look back but most of all forward towards the next 50 years: Where is computer science moving? What can be the challenges? Who should be involved in developing the technologies? We illuminate the subject from both a research, business and political angle.

Program for the day

Workshops - 13:00

Meet leading researchers in computer science and get the technology up close when you participate in one of the three workshops and get computer science into your own hands. The three workshops will be based on the anniversary's three themes:

• Computer science in everything
• Computer science for everyone
• Computer science for better or worse

After the workshop, all workshop participants are welcome to attend the reception from 15.00-16.00. Further info on content in the workshops will follow as soon as possible. 

Reception - 15:00

Open reception for everyone who participates in workshops and 50 years of computer science. Here you have opportunity to network with others who are interested in the world of computer science. In addition, you can explore the exhibition area, which demonstrates the many applications of computer science over the years.

50 Years of Computer Science in Denmark - 16:00

In DI's conference hall, Danish and international names from business, research and politics will celebrate 50 years of computer science as an independent research area in Denmark. They do this with talks that focus on how computer science has driven Denmark forward and what computer science can contribute in the future. Participants will be given exciting perspectives on all of the anniversary's three themes: computer science in everything, computer science for all and computer science for better or worse.

Speakers:

• Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President at the European Commission (pre-recorded)
• Serge Belongie, Professor at DIKU and Head of Denmark's new pioneer centre for artificial intelligence
• Anne Marie Engtoft Larsen, Denmark's Tech Ambassador
• Gina Neff, Professor at University of Oxford (is unfortunately unable to attend)
• Mikkel Hippe Brun, co-founder and SVP of China at Tradeshift
• Pernille Bjørn, Professor and Deputy Head of Department for Research at DIKU
• Stephen Alstrup, Professor at DIKU
• Henrik C. Wegener, Rector at University of Copenhagen
• Rikke Hougaard Zeberg, Director at Danish ICT and Electronics Federation
• Jakob Grue Simonsen, Professor and Head of Department at DIKU

Reception - 17:30

No celebration without a glass of bubbly. The evening ends with a reception where you as a researcher, decision-maker, business leader or international expert can meet other professionals for a cosy informal chat in DI's beautiful atrium.

Who can participate?

Participation is by invitation only, as we have a limited number of places available. Should there be vacancies, we would very much like to open the event up for registration. You can therefore already now sign up on a waiting list both for workshops and for 50 Years of Computer Science in Denmark.

Sign up for the waiting list is closed.