Fifty students from eleven different nationalities gather during the summer in the Danish city of Odense to attend an International Summer School in Robotics. Most people know this city as the birthplace of the famous writer H.C Andersen, but in recent years, Odense has put itself on the tech map for being a hotbed of robotic innovations. Thus, being a small city, Odense cannot be overlooked with their contributions to the modern robotics marketplace. During the two and a half week long summer school, the students attend a highly ambitious curriculum of academic lectures in robotics and an extracurricular program with excursions to robotic labs and test centres and visits to innovative Danish companies that have implemented advanced robotics solutions in their production. The International Robotic Summer School, is a collaboration between the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Aalborg University (AAU), Danish Technical University (DTU), Aarhus University (AU), IT University of Denmark (ITU) and the Danish Innovation Centres in Silicon Valley, Boston, Munich, and Seoul.

Many countries invest heavily in the development of robotics technologies these years to enable future societies with driverless cars, drones, factory robotics and automated medical procedures etc. since we need robots to solve future challenges in manufacturing, agriculture, construction, green transition and the public sector. The investments are not only directed towards research and development but also towards workforce development and education since many advanced economies are experiencing a huge shortage of skilled labour and engineers. The International Elite Summer School in Robotics was created to support the development of robotics technologies and accommodate the need for a workforce in the field.

An ever-changing field

For the past ten years, the tech industry has been growing exponentially and is predicted to continue to do so, and many countries around the world including the USA and Denmark have launched national strategies for the development of robot technology to support the rapid development. The innovation centres therefore wish to give students within programming and engineering the insights of an ever-changing field full of new discovery and potential.

During two weeks in August the Danish and international students, attend lectures on subjects such as Building Collaborative Robots, Digital Twins & Simulation for Robotics Systems, Planning of Robot Motions & Behaviour Based Robotics, Robot-Vision Systems, and Human-Robot Interaction. One of the students who joined in 2022 was Jason Byun, PhD Student at University of California, Berkeley College of Engineering.

“We visited some tremendous Danish companies that have built their factories on robots and work continuously with automatisation to increase efficiency and productivity. I know that some people are worried about whether robots will steal our jobs, but from what I experienced this summer, companies utilizing robots will need more employees to keep up with the pace their robots are creating. We are just getting there, and Denmark is doing a great job. From what I experienced, Denmark, despite being a small country, is at the forefront regarding automation and home to many leading companies working with robotics and automation.”

Jason Byun

PhD student at University of California

Educating talent within robotics
Denmark’s ecosystem around robotics has been growing for the last 35 years and is now home to global market leaders. Currently 50+ robotics companies are centred in the hub surrounding the University of Southern Denmark and the city of Odense, and are the result of nearly 30 years of dedicated research.

Therefore, together with international partner universities, Innovation Centre Denmark is trying to educate and expand the future workforce of robotic talents, which will benefit both Denmark and participating countries.

“The purpose of the initiative is to run an international elite summer school focusing on teaching students advanced technologies for designing robotics systems and entrepreneurship in robotics. Furthermore, to establish an international acknowledged educational offer to the most talented students from the world leading universities in robotics and to give the participating students an international network early in their career.”

Allan Skaarup Kristensen

Innovation Attaché at Innovation Centre Denmark Silicon Valley 

Getting real life inspiration

For the students, the summer school provides a great way to learn more about how robotics systems are being used in the real world and get a chance to kickstart their international network. One of the students who joined in last year’s robotic summer school was Laura Ortiz, student at DTU.

"The combination of academic skills and networking is very nice. We get the best of both worlds. All the company visits are very useful, and a must for us to see the robots out in the real world and not just in a laboratory.”

The robotics school’s mission is among others to increase student interest in STEM educations, and build partnerships between Denmark and world leading universities in California, Massachusetts, Korea, Germany and India while giving Danish students the opportunity to get outside of the classroom and network with companies.

"It has been so exciting to be in Denmark with robotic students from all around the world. The lectures have been fantastic with world class professors, and it has been very insightful to visit the different organisations including Universal Robots in Odense."

David Millard

Student at University of Southern California