Address: Fredrik Bajers Vej 5, 9220 Aalborg Øst, Denmark
Problem-Based Learning, Engineering, Wireless Communication
Established in 1974, Aalborg University is a leading Danish university renowned for its unique educational model, Problem-Based Learning (PBL). It has campuses in Aalborg, Esbjerg, and Copenhagen, fostering interdisciplinary and project-oriented learning.
Aalborg University was founded in 1974 as a deliberate alternative to older Danish universities, and its teaching method is its calling card. The Aalborg model of problem-based and project-organised learning has students work in groups on real problems each semester, supervised by a professor, instead of passing a sequence of lecture courses. The university has about 20,000 students and 4,000 staff, and the main campus lies in Aalborg in northern Jutland, with further campuses in Esbjerg and Copenhagen.
The model has been influential enough that the university hosts a UNESCO chair in problem-based learning, and many engineering schools elsewhere have studied it. It suits engineering particularly well. Students typically spend half of each semester on a group project that cuts across courses, writing a report and defending it in an oral exam, which prepares them for the way engineers work in companies.
Wireless communication is a recognised strength. Aalborg groups have worked on mobile networks and signal processing since the era of GSM, in cooperation with companies that run research units in the city, and the region has a cluster of firms in telecommunications and electronics. The university also covers energy systems, building engineering, robotics, sustainable design and health technology.
Tuition is free for EU, EEA and Swiss students, and other students pay fees. Many master’s programmes are taught in English, and the project-based approach makes the programmes quite open to international students, who work in mixed groups from the first semester. Admission follows the Danish national system for bachelor programmes and a university application for master’s degrees.
Aalborg is a smaller and cheaper city than Copenhagen or Aarhus, with a lively student life near the waterfront. About 70,000 people have graduated from the university, and employers value the experience of group work that its graduates bring.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Ecology and Sustainability, Engineering, Project Management, Robotics, Software Engineering, Telecommunications
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
AAU is a member of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU) and has extensive collaborations with industry and public sector organizations for project work and research.
Research:
Research is often interdisciplinary and problem-oriented, with internationally recognized groups in areas such as wireless communication, energy, and health science and technology.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
4000
Current students***:
20000
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
70000
Pros
Its unique Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model provides excellent hands-on experience and teamwork skills. The university also has strong industry collaboration and a high rate of student satisfaction.
Cons
The PBL model, which replaces traditional lectures with group projects, may not be suitable for all learning styles. The university’s main campus is located outside the city center.
Best For
Students who thrive in a collaborative, hands-on, project-based learning environment focused on solving real-world challenges.
In terms of fields, University of Southern Denmark is the nearest neighbour, with robotics, ecology and sustainability and AI and machine learning again at the core; it is slightly larger, at about 27,000 students against roughly 20,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Among national alternatives, Roskilde University stands out for its focus on project management and ecology and sustainability, and it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Another national school that puts based, internationally and recognized at the centre is Aarhus University, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers astroscience and agriculture as well.
Another national school that puts ecology and sustainability, AI and machine learning and engineering at the centre is Technical University of Denmark, and it covers civil engineering and bioengineering as well, and is smaller, enrolling about 13,400 students against roughly 20,000 here.
University of Copenhagen shares the core fields of this institution, namely health; it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Linköping University, based in Sweden, is built around telecommunications, robotics and AI and machine learning much like this university, and it is larger, enrolling about 32,000 students against roughly 20,000 here, and is also a public institution.
University of Brasília in Brazil pursues a similar profile in project management, ecology and sustainability and engineering, and it is larger, enrolling about 30,000 students against roughly 20,000 here, and is also a public institution.
In the United Kingdom, Middlesex University teaches much the same core subjects, robotics, AI and machine learning and software engineering, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
Halmstad University (Sweden) works on the same fields as this university, chiefly telecommunications, robotics and ecology and sustainability; it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers industrial design and mechanical engineering as well.
For robotics, AI and machine learning and software engineering outside the home country, Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the United States is a natural reference; it is private, whereas this institution is public, and also offers mba programmes.
*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 Aalborg University?
The main campus is at Fredrik Bajers Vej 5 in Aalborg, North Jutland. It also has campuses in Esbjerg and Copenhagen.
How large is AAU?
About 20,000 students and 4,000 staff.
When was it founded?
In 1974.
What is the Aalborg model?
It is a problem-based and project-organised way of learning in which student groups work on real problems each semester under a supervisor.
Why is it popular with engineers?
Students work in groups on projects that cut across courses, which resembles how engineers work in companies.
What are its strongest fields?
Engineering, wireless communication, energy systems, building engineering, robotics and health technology.
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, and international students work in mixed groups.
Is there a UNESCO chair at Aalborg?
Yes. The university hosts a UNESCO chair in problem-based learning.
Is Aalborg expensive?
It is smaller and cheaper than Copenhagen or Aarhus, with a lively student life near the waterfront.
Engineering, Innovation, Problem Solving Techniques, Project Management, Quality Management, Research and Development, Teamwork
*: 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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