30 January 2018

Prorector to become Director of Research at the Villum Foundation

Job change

Prorector Thomas Bjørnholm will be leaving the University of Copenhagen at the end of February to become Director of Research at the Villum Foundation. His new task will be to provide support for technical and scientific research.

The University of Copenhagen is about to say goodbye to one of the individuals who has shaped the University over the last eight years. In future, the University's current Prorector of Research and Innovation, Thomas Bjørnholm, will be in charge of awarding research grants at the Villum Foundation. The foundation awards just over DKK 1 billion annually. Half of this amount goes to technical and scientific research for which Bjørnholm will be responsible.

“I've really enjoyed my time at the University of Copenhagen. We’ve taken a giant step forward in the last decade and, in many areas, the University is top-notch when it comes to research. I'm proud of having contributed to that accomplishment. As Director of Research at the Villum Foundation, I look forward to supporting the most outstanding research and the best talents in all of Denmark," Thomas Bjørnholm says.

Thomas Bjørnholm took up his prorectorship at the University of Copenhagen on 1 September 2010. He came from a position as head of the Nano-Science Center at the University’s Faculty of Science. As prorector, Thomas Bjørnholm has been in charge of research and innovation. Among other things he has been the instigator and anchor of initiatives such as the Tenure Track programme, programmes of excellence and the 2016 pools for interdisciplinary research just as he has been engaged in, for example, Greater Copenhagen.

Shaped by UCPH

Thomas Bjørnholm received his PhD in materials chemistry from the University of Copenhagen in 1990. In 1992, he was employed as associate professor at the University’s Department of Chemistry, in 2000 he became research professor and in 2005 full professor. Thomas Bjørnholm has received numerous research awards, including the Ole Rømer Foundation Award, the Ellen & Niels Bjerrum Award and Gold Medal and the Director Ib Henriksen Award. Read more about Thomas Bjørnholm

From 1 March, Director of Research & Innovation at the University of Copenhagen Kim Brinckmann will report to Rector Henrik C. Wegener.

The University will host a farewell reception for Thomas Bjørnholm on 26 February at 14:30 in the Ceremonial Hall at Frue Plads.