Professor Bjarke Bak Christensen has been appointed as the new university director at DTU. He is an experienced DTU leader with a strong background in engineering. Throughout his career at DTU, he has combined an understanding of research and technology with leadership, innovation and a steadfast focus on how the university’s knowledge can create value for society.

DTU’s President, Anders Bjarklev, is looking forward to Bjarke Bak Christensen taking the helm of the university’s administration.

“Bjarke is an engineer, and he understands DTU from the inside – our academic expertise, our culture and our ambition to create value through technology. At the same time, he has demonstrated that he is an exceptionally capable leader. The development of DTU Bioengineering speaks for itself: he has succeeded in bringing together strong academic communities, fostering collaboration across DTU, linking research and education more closely to industry, and maintaining a clear focus on ensuring that our research makes a difference. I am therefore particularly pleased that Bjarke is to become University Director at DTU,” says Anders Bjarklev.

Close collaboration with industry

Bjarke Bak Christensen has a long career in research and university management behind him. He holds a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering from DTU and a PhD in Molecular Biology from the university. Since 2016, he has been Head of Department at DTU Bioengineering, where he has led the department’s research, education and innovation.

He has also emphasised the importance of putting research and new technologies to practical use, including through innovation and start-ups.

“DTU has been an important part of my professional life, and I am very much looking forward to taking on new responsibilities for the university. DTU stands on a strong foundation, and as University Director, my task will be to help ensure that our administration and organisation provide the best possible framework for research, education, public sector engagement and innovation. I am very much looking forward to this,” says Bjarke Bak Christensen.

As the incoming University Director, Bjarke Bak Christensen will be responsible for ensuring strong administrative support for the core activities of the university’s departments and for contributing to the continued development of DTU alongside the Rector, the rest of the Executive Board, and the university’s managers and staff.

Curriculum Vitae - Bjarke Bak Christensen:

• Professor and graduate civil engineer in chemistry from DTU in 1990.
• PhD in molecular biology from the Department of Microbiology at DTU in 1994.
• Head of Department at the Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, from 2011 to 2016
• Head of Department at DTU Bioengineering from 2016 to 2026.