Digital competitiveness is high on Europe’s agenda. Technology development is now fully digitalised, and the time-to-market for new knowledge has shortened dramatically. This demands continuous upskilling of the workforce – not only through private training providers but also via universities.
“Universities work with the latest knowledge and research, but we have not traditionally brought this into continuing education in the same way we do for young students. It is absolutely crucial that we make this work, because it is about Europe’s and Denmark’s competitiveness – and especially about technology,” says Carsten Orth Gaarn-Larsen, Senior Vice President, National and International Partnerships, Life Long Learning at DTU.
This applies not only to classical computer science but also to biology, energy, and other fields where new knowledge can quickly transform our daily lives. Universities hold a unique position here, making it vital to reach the segments that need upskilling.
Universities as part of the ecosystem
Gaarn-Larsen points out that universities can play a central role in an ecosystem for continuing education, where research-based knowledge is made accessible to both private companies and public institutions.
The aim is not to outcompete private actors but to complement them with courses grounded in the latest research and ready for practical application.
“We have traditionally focused on young students, and now we see a shift where a semi-commercial element is emerging. The state used to finance education, but now both public and private actors are involved, which changes the dynamics,” Gaarn-Larsen explains.
Meet the experts at Digital Tech Summit
When up to 5,000 people gather during the first week of November at Denmark’s largest digitalisation fair, Digital Tech Summit in Øksnehallen, Copenhagen, they will have the chance on 6 November to meet DTU’s Executive Vice President.
Together with Dansk Industri, IDA, and IT University of Copenhagen, Gaarn-Larsen will join a panel debate on rethinking lifelong learning – where universities and industry collaborate closely on new offerings.
Strong interest in upskilling for IT professionals
The collaboration is already underway. With support from the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science, DTU and several other Danish universities, together with industry partners, launched the ‘AI Integrator’ course this autumn – the first in a series of university-based continuing education programmes for private companies.
The project aims to develop and test new ways of delivering continuing education tailored to business needs, combining unique competencies from different universities.
Interest has been high: over 120 registered, and 40 were selected to participate, says Mark Riis, Head of Innovation at DTU Compute:
“We are delighted by the strong response to our AI Integrator course. There is clearly significant interest in university-based programmes that focus on turning AI into practical value for businesses. At the same time, I see great willingness from universities to continue collaborating on courses that upskill Danish companies in digital transformation.”
Digital Tech Summit will also mark the conclusion of the first course. On 5 November, each participant will present a case on data management and AI in practice, developed within their own company.
The Future: Rethinking continuing education as ongoing learning journeys
Funding from the Danish agency also supports the creation of a national community, where universities have discussed their role in digital continuing education and how to rethink formats beyond standalone courses – towards longer learning paths that allow participants to build competencies over time.
The goal is flexible, modular offerings tailored to business needs, creating dynamic learning journeys – with universities as strategic partners in digital upskilling.
📍 Join us at Digital Tech Summit on Thursday, 6 November, 11:15–14:15, when we debate the future of lifelong learning and digital upskilling in Denmark.
