University of Copenhagen Faculty of Science

The University of Copenhagen Faculty of Science is the university's academic and research faculty covering a broad range of natural, mathematical, computational, environmental, agricultural, food, and life-science disciplines. Its activities combine university teaching, basic research, applied research, public-facing science, museum work, and support for national and international research infrastructure. The faculty is part of the University of Copenhagen and is administered from the university's Frederiksberg Campus in Copenhagen. The faculty's academic scope is organized around two broad clusters. The mathematical, physical, and chemical cluster includes mathematics, computer science, actuarial science, mathematical economics, statistics, physics, astronomy, geophysics, meteorology, biophysics, chemistry, environmental chemistry, food science, biochemistry, and nanoscience. The natural-history and geographical cluster includes biology, physical education, sports science, geology, geography, geoinformatics, geology-geophysics, and bioinformatics. This breadth allows the faculty to connect fundamental scientific inquiry with issues such as climate, biodiversity, food systems, health, natural resources, computation, and sustainable development. The faculty provides three principal degree levels: three-year Bachelor of Science programmes, two-year Master of Science programmes, and three-year Ph.D. programmes. Teaching and research are conducted through departments and associated institutions, including the Department of Biology, Department of Chemistry, Department of Computer Science, Department of Food Science, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Department of Food and Resource Economics, Department of Science Education, the Natural History Museum of Denmark, and the Niels Bohr Institute. Its institutional structure reflects several major reorganizations within the University of Copenhagen. Biological institutes and museum units were consolidated in the early 2000s. The August Krogh Institute and Department of Molecular Biology were brought together in 2005, with later integration into the Department of Biology. The 2007 merger of the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University expanded the university's life-science capabilities. In 2012, the veterinary area moved to the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, while the remaining life-science activities joined the Faculty of Science. The current faculty therefore incorporates both long-standing scientific traditions and units created through modern university restructuring. Research is supported by specialist laboratories, national and international research centres, museums, and field stations in Denmark and Greenland. These facilities extend the faculty's work beyond conventional campus settings, including Arctic research through the university's Arctic Station in central West Greenland. The Natural History Museum of Denmark provides a major collection, research, conservation, and public-engagement platform within the faculty. The faculty also has an international profile through research cooperation and participation in European higher-education networks. The University of Copenhagen was a co-founder of the Euroleague for Life Sciences, established in 2001. The faculty's identity is additionally linked to the discovery of hafnium in 1923 by Dirk Coster and Georg von Hevesy. Hafnium's name derives from Hafnia, the Latin name for Copenhagen, and the element is represented in the faculty seal. As an academic institution rather than a commercial consumer brand, its principal offerings are degree programmes, research, scientific collections, field infrastructure, and expert knowledge.

The Faculty of Science is part of the University of Copenhagen's long-standing scientific and agricultural education tradition, although the supplied reference material does not establish a single founding date for the present faculty as a distinct organizational unit. Its modern identity was shaped by a series of institutional mergers and reorganizations during the 2000s and early 2010s. On 1 January 2004, the Botanical Institute and the Zoological Institute were merged into the Department of Biology. At the same time, four museum units—the Botanical Garden, Botanical Museum and Library, Geological Museum, and Zoological Museum—were consolidated as the Natural History Museum of Denmark. These changes brought biological research, collections, and public-facing natural-history work into a more integrated structure. In January 2005, the August Krogh Institute and the Department of Molecular Biology were combined to create the Department of Molecular Biology and Physiology. That unit was subsequently merged into the Department of Biology three years later. The changes reflected an effort to align molecular, physiological, and organismal research within a broader biological organization. A further major change occurred in January 2007, when the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University was merged into the University of Copenhagen. The resulting organization was known as the Faculty of Life Sciences. In 2012, that faculty was divided: veterinary activities moved to the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, while the remaining life-science activities were integrated into the Faculty of Science. This reorganization created the current broad faculty, combining natural sciences with substantial capabilities in agriculture, food, environmental management, nutrition, and related life sciences. Today, the faculty conducts teaching and research through 12 departments and associated institutions. Its portfolio covers mathematical and physical sciences, chemistry, computing, biology, geosciences, natural resources, food, nutrition, sport, plant and environmental science, and science education. The Natural History Museum of Denmark and the Niels Bohr Institute are among its prominent constituent institutions. Research is also carried out through specialized centres, laboratories, and field stations, including facilities in Greenland. The Arctic Station in central West Greenland provides an important base for Arctic research and education. The faculty's historical identity is connected to the discovery of hafnium in 1923 by Dirk Coster and Georg von Hevesy. The element's name refers to Hafnia, the Latin name for Copenhagen, and the hafnium atom appears in the faculty seal. Internationally, the University of Copenhagen was a co-founder of the Euroleague for Life Sciences in 2001, reflecting the institution's engagement with European collaboration in life-science education and research.

• 2012

  Life-science faculty reorganized

  [1]University of Copenhagen Faculty of Scienceen.wikipedia.org

  The veterinary component of the Faculty of Life Sciences moved to the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, while the remaining activities joined the Faculty of Science.

• 2007

  Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University merger

  [1]University of Copenhagen Faculty of Scienceen.wikipedia.org

  The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University merged into the University of Copenhagen, creating the Faculty of Life Sciences.

• 2005

  Molecular biology units combined

  [1]University of Copenhagen Faculty of Scienceen.wikipedia.org

  The August Krogh Institute and Department of Molecular Biology were merged to form the Department of Molecular Biology and Physiology.

• 2004

  Biological institutes and museums reorganized

  [1]University of Copenhagen Faculty of Scienceen.wikipedia.org

  The Botanical Institute and Zoological Institute were merged into the Department of Biology, while several museum units were consolidated into the Natural History Museum of Denmark.

• 2001

  Co-founding of the Euroleague for Life Sciences

  [1]University of Copenhagen Faculty of Scienceen.wikipedia.org

  The University of Copenhagen became a co-founder of the Euroleague for Life Sciences, an international higher-education network focused on life-science fields.

• 1923

  Discovery of hafnium

  [1]University of Copenhagen Faculty of Scienceen.wikipedia.org

  Dirk Coster and Georg von Hevesy discovered hafnium at the University of Copenhagen. The element's name refers to Hafnia, the Latin name for Copenhagen, and hafnium is represented in the faculty seal.

A comprehensive research-intensive university faculty linking fundamental natural science with life sciences, environmental research, food and resource studies, computation, and professional scientific education.

• Undergraduate education

  Bachelor of Science programmes

  Three-year undergraduate programmes covering fields such as biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, physics, geosciences, food science, and related natural and life sciences.

• Graduate education

  Master of Science programmes

  Two-year advanced degree programmes that allow students to specialize in scientific, computational, environmental, agricultural, food, and life-science disciplines.

• Doctoral education

  Ph.D. programmes

  Three-year doctoral programmes centered on original research conducted within the faculty's departments, centres, laboratories, museums, and field-research environments.

• Museum and research institution · 2004

  Natural History Museum of Denmark

  A faculty-associated museum created through the consolidation of botanical, geological, zoological, and related museum units. It supports collections, research, conservation, education, and public engagement in natural history.

• Field research infrastructure

  Arctic Station

  A University of Copenhagen field station in central West Greenland that supports Arctic research and related teaching in a remote field environment.

• 2012

  Integration of non-veterinary life sciences into the Faculty of ScienceStrategy

  Background

  The University of Copenhagen reorganized the Faculty of Life Sciences after the 2007 merger.

  Action taken

  Veterinary activities were transferred to the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, while the remaining life-science activities were combined with the Faculty of Science.

  Aftermath

  The current faculty gained a wider portfolio spanning natural sciences, agriculture, food, environmental management, nutrition, and related life sciences.

  Source

• 2007

  Merger with the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural UniversityM&A

  Background

  The University of Copenhagen expanded its life-science and agricultural capabilities by incorporating the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University.

  Action taken

  The merged activities were organized as the Faculty of Life Sciences.

  Aftermath

  The Faculty of Life Sciences was later divided in 2012, with veterinary activities transferred to the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences and the remaining activities integrated into the Faculty of Science.

  Source

1. 1University of Copenhagen Faculty of Scienceen.wikipedia.org
2. 2University of Copenhagen Faculty of Science official websitescience.ku.dk