The University of Southern Denmark (SDU) was formed in 1998 through a merger. It is a modern, research-driven university with a strong focus on engineering, health sciences, and humanities, with campuses across southern Denmark.
The University of Southern Denmark, SDU, is a multi-campus university with about 27,000 students and 4,000 staff, and one in five students comes from abroad. The main campus is in Odense, the third-largest city in Denmark, and further campuses are in Kolding, Esbjerg, Sønderborg and Slagelse, with a presence in Copenhagen as well. It was founded in 1966 and takes its name from the region it serves.
Robotics is the signature field. Odense has become the centre of Danish robotics, with companies such as Universal Robots and Mobile Industrial Robots founded in the city, and the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Institute at SDU supplies research, graduates and spin-offs to the cluster. The university also teaches engineering at the Odense, Sønderborg and Esbjerg campuses, with programmes in mechatronics, energy technology, software engineering and drone technology.
Health sciences are the other large area, linked to Odense University Hospital, and the university works with hospitals on clinical trials and public health research. Research in physics, chemistry and biology benefits from several large Danish foundation grants. Partnerships with companies in the south of the country support applied projects, and the Sønderborg campus has a strong cross-border link to Germany.
Tuition is free for EU, EEA and Swiss students, and others pay fees that depend on the programme. Many master’s degrees are taught in English, while bachelor programmes are often in Danish with some exceptions. Students receive support in finding rooms, and living costs are lower in Odense than in Copenhagen or Aarhus.
Odense is the city of Hans Christian Andersen and has a compact centre with good cycling routes. Trains reach Copenhagen in about 75 minutes. About 80,000 people have graduated from SDU, and the robotics and healthcare companies in the region recruit actively from it.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Ecology and Sustainability, Engineering, Life Sciences, Materials, Robotics, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
SDU has strong collaborations with industries and public sector organizations, particularly in the robotics cluster of Odense. It is an active participant in EU research programs and international networks.
Research:
Research at SDU is strong in fields like robotics, social sciences, and health. The SDU Biorobotics research center and the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute are internationally recognized.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
4000
Current students***:
27000
Foreign students***:
20%
Cumulative former students***:
80000
Pros
SDU is a leader in robotics and has a very strong connection to the local high-tech industry. It offers a modern learning environment and has a strong international focus.
Cons
The university is spread across multiple campuses in different cities, which might detract from a unified campus feeling for some students.
Best For
Students interested in engineering and robotics, seeking a modern university with strong industry ties and an international outlook.
On content, Aalborg University and this institution are close, as both teach robotics, ecology and sustainability and AI and machine learning; it is slightly smaller, at about 20,000 students against roughly 27,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Among national alternatives, University of Copenhagen stands out for its focus on life sciences, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers bioinformatics and nanotechnologies as well.
Aarhus University offers a comparable education in life sciences: it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Technical University of Denmark takes a similar route through ecology and sustainability, AI and machine learning and engineering, and it is smaller, enrolling about 13,400 students against roughly 27,000 here, and is also a public institution.
On content, VIA University College and this institution are close, as both teach materials, software engineering and engineering; it also offers associate degree programmes and covers industrial design and civil engineering as well.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
For robotics, ecology and sustainability and materials outside the home country, Southern Federal University in Russia is a natural reference; it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
The closest overseas parallel on robotics, ecology and sustainability and life sciences is Flinders University, located in Australia; it covers marine science and data analytics as well, and has almost the same size, at about 25,921 students.
Queen Mary University of London in the United Kingdom shares the robotics, materials and life sciences orientation of this institution, and it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Far Eastern Federal University, in Russia, takes a similar route through robotics, ecology and sustainability and materials; it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
A foreign alternative with a similar emphasis on robotics, materials and life sciences is University of Leeds in the United Kingdom, and it covers food science as well, and is slightly larger, at about 39,500 students against roughly 27,000 here.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is SDU?
The main campus is at Campusvej 55 in Odense. Other campuses are in Kolding, Esbjerg, Sønderborg and Slagelse.
How large is SDU?
About 27,000 students and 4,000 staff, with about 20 percent of students from abroad.
When was it founded?
In 1966.
What is SDU known for?
Robotics, engineering, health sciences, business and the humanities.
Why is Odense a robotics centre?
Companies such as Universal Robots and Mobile Industrial Robots were founded there, and SDU's robotics institute supplies research, graduates and spin-offs.
Is tuition free?
Yes for students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland. Others pay fees that depend on the programme.
In which language are courses taught?
Many master's programmes are taught in English. Bachelor programmes are often in Danish, with some exceptions.
Where is engineering taught?
At the Odense, Sønderborg and Esbjerg campuses, among others.
Is Odense affordable?
Living costs are lower than in Copenhagen or Aarhus, and the city is compact with good cycling routes.
How far is Odense from Copenhagen?
About 75 minutes by train.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), Engineering, Health Sciences, Innovation, Research and Development, Robotics, Sustainable Development, User-Centered Design
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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