DTU Aqua has a broad national and international cooperation and most research projects, scientific publications and result dissemination involve external partnerships.
Collaboration within DTU
DTU Aqua collaborates with several of the other departments at DTU either within the area of life science and bioengineering or within maritime science.
Furthermore, we are involved in cross-cutting initiatives like Maritime DTU, Arctic DTU and Water DTU.
National collaboration
At a national level, DTU Aqua collaborates with other relevant universities, i.e. University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University, University of Southern Denmark, Roskilde University and Aalborg University. This collaboration has launched a number of large shared research projects and centres such as the VKR Centre for Ocean Life and the Marine Ecological Modelling Centre (MEMC). Furthermore, the collaboration has resulted in Danish Centre for Marine Research (DCH) which coordinates national marine research activities and finances research surveys and research infrastructure.
DTU Aqua also cooperates with the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) and the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS).
Additionally, universities, incl. DTU Aqua, and research institutions within the Danish realm collaborate in the Centre for Climate Research and Ocean Currents around the Faroes, the Greenland Climate Research Centre and the Greenland Integrated Observing System (GIOS).
In most scientific areas DTU Aqua is experiencing an increase in industrial collaboration, in particular related to aquaculture and shellfish/macro algae farming, observation technology and fisheries technology.
European collaboration
DTU Aqua has an extensive research network with central partners (universities, research institutions etc.) in various countries and is heavily involved as international coordinator or participant in research projects under EU Framework Programme within different themes in Societal Challenges (bioeconomy and climate), including the cross sectorial joint calls “Blue Growth” (H2020).
The Institute is also active in other EU Framework programme components, e.g. under Excellent Science, especially Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions and programmes dealing with research infrastructure. In addition, the Institute is involved in a series of projects under thematic EraNets and the regional BONUS programme. This is complemented by a series of Interreg and LIFE projects as well as DG MARE/ENV tenders.
Science programming and coordination is conducted within the European Fisheries and Aquaculture Research Organisation (EFARO), the European Marine Board (EMB), the EuroMarine programme as well as the EU Standing Committee on Agriculture Research (SCAR Fish).
Furthermore, the Institute contributes to the design of a more effective fisheries data collection framework (DCF) within the EU Regional Coordination Meetings, related ICES expert groups and the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF).
Global collaboration
DTU Aqua’s global cooperation is strongest with Canada, e.g. the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), USA, e.g. the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Australia, e.g. the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). This is complemented by cooperation with various universities in all three countries and beyond, e.g. Brazil and South Africa.
Furthermore, the Institute is involved in foreign aid activities focusing on research collaboration and capacity development in aquaculture in Ghana and Tanzania and in fisheries in Namibia and Angola.
Collaboration in international commissions
DTU Aqua is active in a range of international organizations, particularly the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). The Institute participates in ca 100 expert, planning and review groups, is chairing a number of important expert groups, contributes substantially to the Advisory Committee (ACOM) and the Science Committee (SCICOM) and is as well involved in the leadership of the organization.
DTU Aqua also contributes to the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) in EU, the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) and the Northeast Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC)—the latter two under contract with Greenland Institute of Natural Resources.
Additionally, the Institute contributes to activities of FAO including the European Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Advisory Commission (EIFAAC), the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO), the Benguela Current Commission (on behalf of the EU) and international tuna commissions (the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)).
Furthermore, we are involved in environmental commissions, such as the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) and the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR).
In most recent years, the Institute has intenzified cooperation within the Nordic Council of Ministers, especially in view of addressing challenges in aquaculture, the impact of invasive species and climate induced changes in open North Atlantic ecosystems.
Most recently DTU Aqua has also provided scientific input to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on e.g. risk analysis of invasive species in ballast water.