Novo Nordisk helps to calibrate Denmark’s brain balance

Or, as the Vice-President of Novo Nordisk, Børge Diderichsen puts it, “The Return Fellowships is an innovative instrument that will help improve the ‘brain balance’ of Denmark.”

Many bright students and scientists from Denmark are currently studying or working at some of the best universities in the world, particularly in the US. Some of them may wish, for a variety of reasons, to return to Denmark. But they may be unable to find or be offered positions that are attractive to them, sometimes because they have been “forgotten” by the local research communities.

As part of the Return Fellowship, NovoNordisk is offering to pay removal expenses, on top of 1 to 2 years of salary while working at the company.

Part of the thinking is that returning Danes would be much more likely to settle and remain than non-Danish scientists of similar standing. “When the fellowship expires, the recipient may either wish to get a permanent position at the company, or to be employed by a university. In the latter case, Novo Nordisk will have contributed to research and training at Danish universities,” says Diderichesen.

Diderichesen will discuss the issue at Talents on Top of Europe, a conference to be held on 11 June in Berlin under the German EU presidency.