Advancing European AI Research and Cross-institutional Collaboration: The ELLIS Unit Denmark Expands Nationally

The expansion of ELLIS Unit Copenhagen into ELLIS Unit Denmark marks an important milestone for strengthening Denmark’s position at the international forefront of Artificial Intelligence research, innovation, and scientific collaboration across the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) network.

Established in 2019, ELLIS Unit Copenhagen was founded by researchers from the University of Copenhagen, the Technical University of Denmark, and the IT University of Copenhagen, driven by a shared ambition to strengthen collaboration across Europe’s leading AI research environments.

Today, ELLIS Unit Denmark officially includes researchers from Aalborg University, Aarhus University, and University of Southern Denmark. While maintaining strong ties to the Pioneer Centre for AI (P1), under the leadership of Professor Ole Winther, Head of ELLIS Unit Denmark, and in close collaboration with its members, the Unit has evolved into a national-level entity, entering a new phase that is vital for strengthening Denmark’s AI research ecosystem and advancing cross-institutional collaboration.

As Professor Ole Winther emphasises:

“I believe that ELLIS should be seen in both a national and international perspective. At the European level we want to create network effects in Europe similar to those that have long benefitted machine learning in North America. At the national level we need to become better at bringing together the research community. Machine learning has grown so fast in recent years that we simply have not had the time to properly get to know new colleagues and seek out opportunities to collaborate. This is the national purpose of the ELLIS Denmark Unit. When we succeed with that then we are also in a position to give an even more significant contribution to the entire ELLIS community.”

As a multi-centric AI research laboratory connecting Europe’s top researchers, ELLIS plays an increasingly important role in strengthening Europe’s long-term competitiveness in artificial intelligence within the global landscape.

Across its sites, which comprise 42 Units and 2 Institutes, the ELLIS network supports cross-border collaboration and the development of internationally competitive research environments crucial for attracting and retaining international top talent. As highlighted in the ELLIS announcement of the seven new units joining the network, the continued expansion of ELLIS reflects a shared commitment to reinforcing a world-class European AI ecosystem rooted in scientific excellence.

Professor Serge Belongie, President of the ELLIS Board and Director at P1, further emphasises the broader impact of ELLIS Units and their role in strengthening the network:

"ELLIS Units are the geographical building blocks of the ELLIS network, representing the critical mass of Machine Learning research talent and collaborative spirit that is surfacing across the continent. Moreover, Units provide an important waypoint on the journey to becoming an ELLIS Institute, for which we have two shining examples in Tübingen and Finland. As ELLIS Board president, I am delighted by our recent announcement of the renewed, new, and expanded ELLIS Units, as these developments attest to the vitality and reach of the ELLIS Society as a whole. Speaking as a researcher in Denmark, I'm particularly excited about the expansion of ELLIS Unit Copenhagen to ELLIS Unit Denmark, as this change formally recognizes the richly interconnected research community that extends across the country."

The expansion into ELLIS Unit Denmark formally recognises Denmark’s interconnected AI research community while strengthening its contribution to European AI excellence. Through research programmes, workshops, innovation initiatives, and the ELLIS PhD & Postdoc Programmes, ELLIS Unit Denmark will continue to foster international collaboration and support the next generation of AI researchers.