DesignDenmark

The Danish Government

April 2007
DesignDenmark
The Danish Government
April 2007
5
DesignDenmark
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ISBN
Electronic version: 978-87-7862-266-2
Design
[Link]
Printed in Denmark, April 2007
by: Litoprint
The Danish Government
Foreword
Denmark has a tradition for good design, which is internationally re-
nowned. Danish Design was an international trendsetter in the 1950s
and 1960s and helped pave the way for international commercial suc-
cesses in furniture, fashion and hi-f design, for example.
Good design is essential for the ability of Danish products and services
to sell at a high price and hold their own in global competition. Te
Danish Government, therefore, aims for Denmark to be restored to the
international design elite.
With this publication, DesignDenmark, the Government presents a
white paper on the direction for design policy in Denmark. Te publica-
tion sets out the Governments vision for this policy and for the initia-
tives that will be implemented in the time ahead.
Te objectives of the Governments design policy are expressly: to gen-
erate growth in the design industry, and for design to boost growth in
the rest of the corporate sector.
With this white paper, the Government wishes to elicit a dialogue with
the Danish design world and the rest of the Danish corporate sector
concerning the lines of sight in the present white paper and what it will
require from all the players involved to succeed.
Bendt Bendtsen
Minister for Economic and Business Afairs
6 7
Denmark restored to the international design elite
Good design is an increasingly important means for businesses to hold
their own in international competition. Design has the power to make
products and services more attractive to customers and users, so they
are able to sell at a higher price by being diferentiated from the compe-
tition by virtue of new properties, values and characteristics.
Studies from Denmark and abroad
1
indicate that businesses that make
use of design do better than those who do not in terms of both earn-
ings and exports. Te more integrated design is in the development and
innovation processes of the business, the greater its impact is on gross
proft growth and export capability.
For an increasing number of companies, design is a key element in their de-
velopment and innovation processes. Take for example the design of MP3
players, which stand out from the rest. Or the design of menus in compu-
ter games or on mobile phones that makes them more user-friendly. But
more businesses need to tap into the potential of design. It is thus essential
that the corporate sector is assured of access to the best design services.
In the 1950s, Denmark was instrumental in setting the international de-
sign agenda. Danish Design was and still is internationally renowned for
its frst-rate design, born out of a form-giving tradition. Danish Design
was and still is characterised by its focus on pure form-giving design
and knowledge of materials, and a sense of detail and quality. But since
then, design has undergone a profound transformation.
Today, the word design embraces many diferent disciplines such as
communications design, digital design, product design, interior design,
fashion and textile design, interaction design and service design. Design
is thus no longer a closely delimited discipline, but rather an array of
ofen interacting disciplines; see fgure 1.
In addition, new methodologies have become integrated in the proc-
esses embodied by the design discipline, such as those from user-driven
innovation, marketing research and the engineering skills.
At the same time, design has also evolved in the direction of a more
strategic and conceptual level, where businesses increasingly use design
throughout the development process or for defning and developing
new business areas. Diferent companies and public institutions employ
design in diferent ways. In some companies, design is used as a strategy,
i.e. as a business method in which they take a strategic approach to the
use of design and designers. In other companies, design is used prima-
rily in the fnal styling of the product.
2

1
Designs konomiske Efekter (Economic Impacts of Design), Danish Enterprise and Construction
Authority (2003); Nringslivets holdninger til design (Business Sector Attitudes to Design), Nor-
wegian Design Council (2006), Te Impact of Design on Stock Market Performance, British Design
Council 2004; Design in Britain 20052006, British Design Council (2006).
Figure 1: New trends the design discipline expands
Traditional
form-giving
design
More and more strategic disciplines:
e.g. product design, service design, inclusive
design, digital design, interaction design
New methodologies:
e.g. user studies, observations, virtual visualisa-
tions, marketing research, multidisciplinarity
Degrees of integration in companies:
e.g. design as styling, design as a process,
design as a strategy
2
Udvalget om styrkelse af dansk design (Commission on Danish Design Promotion) (2006): Rapport
fra udvalget omstyrkelse af dansk design. (Report formthe Commission on Danish Design Promotion).
3
Danish Enterprise and Construction Authority (2007): Et billede af dansk design udfordringer og
perspektiver (A picture of Danish design challenges and perspectives), Red Associates (2006): Dan-
markTM perceptionsanalyse og anbefalinger til en ofensiv global markedsfring af Danmark (Den-
mark TM perception survey and recommendations for a global ofensive to market Denmark).
In this way we have seen a dynamic development in the design disci-
pline, which again makes new demands regarding the application of de-
sign if design is to provide leverage in international competition. And
while Denmark is still renowned for its design in the 1950s and for its
strong position in form-giving design generally, there is much to indi-
cate that Denmark has found it difcult to retain its position as a trend-
setting design nation. Danish design has not been sufciently capable
of assimilating the new trends, unlike countries such as the USA, Ja-
pan, Germany, Great Britain and the Netherlands, which set the design
agenda. Instead, Denmark ranks among countries following in the wake
of the leaders, such as Belgium, Italy, Sweden and South Korea.
3

8 9
overall in terms of the number of design awards for Danish businesses
for the use of design in their products.
4
A number of adjacent industries, which traditionally use design as a pow-
erful value-adding factor, are also enjoying a favourable trend. Denmark
is currently on the rise as a leading fashion centre, with Copenhagen
Fashion Week currently Northern Europes largest fashion fair. Turnover
for the apparel industry rose to DKK 20 billion in 2005, of which nearly
90% derives from exports. Danish furniture industry turnover amounts
to DKK 19 billion, of which more than 80% derives from exports.
5
Figure
2 below shows turnover for the design, furniture and fashion industries.
The Governments vision for Danish design
Te Governments vision is for Denmark to be restored to the inter-
national design elite. Danish design is founded on a strong tradition
conveyed by the original native synonym for design: formgivning, as
in form-giving: in its purest sense, creating artefacts be they chairs,
televisions or wind turbines with regard for their functionality and
aesthetic. A continued development of Danish design should be based
on that foundation. Design should be instrumental in turning Den-
mark into a nation brimming with ideas, inventions and advances that
can be realised as exports and jobs.
First, the ambition is to give impetus to development and growth in the
design industry. Te Danish design environment should be powerful
enough to attract international design clients, the design departments of
international companies, talented designers, students and researchers as
well as international conferences. Tis in turn will attract investment and
trade to Denmark, while securing demand for cutting-edge design serv-
ices from the Danish design industry.
Second, design should be instrumental in boosting the growth of
the Danish business sector generally. Denmark should be among the
worlds best nations at applying design in the development of products
and services.
We also need to become better at using design in more industries, where
design will serve to create added value. Design should not be used solely for
the fnishing touches, but instead be pivotal for innovation in companies.
In order to succeed in this, Denmark must sustain and build on its
strong position in form-giving design, but also embrace new trends in
design disciplines such as service design, interaction design and user-
driven innovation.
Positive trends in Danish design
Te preconditions for the Governments vision for Danish design are in
place. Over the last decade, Danish design has seen a positive trend, from
which an independent design industry has emerged.
Tere is intense entrepreneurial activity in the design industry. Te
number of businesses and the industrys total turnover has quadrupled
since the mid-1990s. Tere are now more than 4,500 businesses with to-
tal turnover in excess of DKK 3.5 billion. Exports have increased sixfold
over the same period, which means a quarter of Danish design industry
turnover today derives from exports. Further, Denmark is in 8th place
4
Danish Enterprise and Construction Authority (2007): Et billede af dansk design udfordringer og
perspektiver (A picture of Danish design challenges and perspectives).
5
Federation of Danish Textile & Clothing, [Link]; Danish Furniture, [Link].
But Denmark has not quite succeeded yet. Te Governments ambition is
for Denmark, by 2015, to be the worlds most competitive society, and for
Danish companies and public institutions to be among the most innova-
tive in the world. Te same applies to the design industry, where recent
years have seen rapid development. If Danish design businesses are to be
the most competitive, they will need to do more than tag along afer the
best. It is therefore necessary to ensure conducive framework conditions
for Danish design to reclaim its ranking among the international elite.
The Governments initiatives
Within recent years, the Government has taken a number of initia-
tives, the object of which is to ensure sustained positive growth in the
design industry.
Figure 2: Turnover in the design, furniture and fashion
industries 2005 in DKK billion
25
20
15
10
5
0
D
K
K

b
illio
n
Design industry Furniture industry Apparel industry
19,3 19,9
3,5
10 11
In 2003, a radical reform of the design study programmes was intro-
duced under the Ministry of Culture with the object of ensuring that
Danish design students receive a training of the appropriate standard
and with relevance for the needs of the corporate sector.
In 2005 the Government launched the BornCreative export promo-
tion scheme to assist among others Danish design businesses in their
internationalisation eforts. Finally, the Government was instrumental
in mounting the worlds largest design award show INDEX: in Co-
penhagen in 2005.
In autumn 2005, the Government appointed the Commission for Dan-
ish Design Promotion, which in May 2006 submitted a catalogue of 16
recommendations and proposals for strengthening design as a growth
parameter for the Danish corporate sector.
Te Commission indicated a need to strengthen the framework condi-
tions within fve main action areas the corporate sectors design use,
the availability of design services, education and research in design, de-
sign rights and greater visibility for Danish design in order to promote
growth in the Danish design industry.
On the basis of the Commissions recommendations, the Government
has allocated an additional DKK 10 million p.a. over the period 2006
2009 for design promotion. Te DKK 10 million will be used to follow
up on the Commissions recommendations and thereby fnance many of
the initiatives currently being set in motion in the feld of design. Tese
are in addition to the DKK 13 million allocated annually to Danish De-
sign Centre for design promotion activities in the corporate sector. Tus
in total, DKK 23 million are allocated annually to corporate sector de-
sign promotion activities.
Te recommendations from the Commission are currently being put
into efect. One of these has been the intensifed commercial orienta-
tion of activities comprised by the performance contracts between the
Government and Danish Design Centre. At the same time, the INDEX:
international design award will be repeated in 2007, and new advisory
schemes on the protection of intellectual property rights and copyright
have been launched for the design industry.
Furthermore, a study has been conducted into the challenges facing
Danish design: Et billede af dansk design udfordringer og perspektiver
(A survey of Danish design challenges and perspectives).
Challenges facing Danish design
Overall, Danish design is developing in a positive direction. But a number
of challenges remain to be met if Denmark is to be restored to the inter-
national design elite:
Tere is much to indicate that the market for design services is not alto-
gether well-functioning. Rapid developments in the feld of design
make it difcult to obtain a complete overview of the new possibilities
aforded by design. Consequently, many businesses are not making the
most of the full potential of design. Tis means, for example, that only
few design businesses achieve sustained growth.
Tere is a need to ensure that design graduates are more geared to
corporate-sector needs, and more internationally oriented than they
are at present.
Danish designs potential must be better exploited internationally.
In this publication, the Government presents a number of specifc lines
of sight for Danish design. In order to succeed 9 initiatives will be imple-
mented, representing new measures since the Commission on Design
Promotions report of 2006, and which should be seen in the context of
the initiatives already being implemented.
It is vital that the Government contributes to ensuring internationally
competitive framework conditions. But it is equally vital that the design
industry and design users themselves take action. If Denmark is to be
restored to the design elite, it is not to be taken for granted that the ini-
tiatives that have already been taken, and the new ones set out in this
paper, on their own can push Denmark to the top. Tere is a need for
action from all parties involved.
Te Government will therefore be setting up a reference group, consist-
ing of representatives from the design industry, the rest of the corporate
sector, trade organisations, knowledge institutions and ministries. Te
reference group will be evaluating and monitoring developments in the
feld of design.
12 13
A better functioning market for design services
Te Government aims for Danish companies to be among the best at
making the most of and working with design. In order to increase cor-
porate sector use of design it is crucial to have a well-functioning mar-
ket for design services.
In recent years, the design industry has enjoyed positive growth with
rising demand, an increasing number of businesses and rising turnover.
Tere is much to indicate that the market for design services is in many
ways quite well-functioning.
But the market for design services is not transparent because design ca-
pabilities are evolving rapidly, along with many new design disciplines
and methodologies. Consequently, the potential aforded by design is
not being put to best use in the Danish corporate sector, and there is
thus a need for greater awareness of the potentials ofered by design
among those businesses that purchase and use design.
Among other things, this means that no design businesses are created
with multidisciplinary competencies. It also means that a strong growth
layer is lacking in the design industry, where very few design businesses
are achieving sustained growth.
Greater awareness of the potentials of design
It is important for Danish companies to have access to information
about the many potentials aforded by using design. Especially because
design is evolving rapidly, with the design of products such as furniture
and apparel supplemented by new design disciplines.
Design is now expanding to embrace new types of products and serv-
ices such as interaction design, which comes from communications and
information technology, and is used for instance in the design of user
menus for mobile phones. And service design, where design is used in
enhancing the user-friendliness of services.
At the same time, design has begun to embrace new methodologies.
Tere is a growing focus on systematic and methodical incorporation of
user experience in design, which entails the involvement of competen-
cies in marketing research, consumer behaviour, technology, anthropol-
ogy and psychology in the design processes.
Te many new potentials of design mean that it can be used more exten-
sively by businesses as a strategic tool in commercial development. An
example is retaining the services of designers in defning new business
areas, and involving designers in the entire process of developing new
products or services. Another example being where design creates a vis-
ible link between the businesses products and services, brand, websites,
marketing and retail outlets.

But while 4 out of 5 medium-sized Danish businesses are using design,
only 1 in 5 is using design strategically. Among small businesses, there
are even fewer. We also know that companies which have received a
great deal of information about the use of design are more inclined to
use design at a strategic level.
6

Tere is thus every indication that the market for design services is non-
transparent. Many companies may fnd it difcult to get a clear picture of
the potentials ofered by the new design disciplines, and which services are
supplied by which design businesses. It may also be difcult to know what
to demand in the way of services, and how to put a value on those services.
Tere may therefore be a need to strengthen information eforts concern-
ing strategic use of design, for example, by ensuring that information and
knowledge about design is targeted at all industries and sectors, and that
companies in all parts of the country receive full information about the
potentials of using design.
Tis also applies to the public sector, where design is still used primarily
in producing brochures, websites, signage etc. Tere is much to indicate
that the public sector is to a greater extent capable of exploiting the poten-
tial of design in extending and enhancing its services.
In the UK, there are examples of the use of service design in public sector
services, such as in ftting out classrooms in such a way as to ensure optimal
involvement of pupils in teaching. Or the design of an operating theatre
where all the instruments are adapted and inter-matched in such a way as to
minimise the risk of surgical error. Specifc international experiences thus
indicate that incorporating design in the development of public sector serv-
ices will ofen result in improved quality and enhanced usability. But there is
still a need for an information drive to ensure this also reaches Denmark.
A line of sight for corporate use of design
Te Government wishes to boost the conditions for the dissemination
and use of strategic design for more businesses in the Danish corporate
sector. In 2005, 21% of Danish businesses were using design as an ele-
6
Explora (2006): Motiver og barrierer for virksomheders brug af design (Motives and barriers for
corporate use of design; Explora (2005): Dansk Design Centers designfremmeindsats. (Danish
Design Centres Design Promotion Drive).
14 15
ment in their strategy. No surveys have been conducted, either at home
or abroad, of how many businesses would beneft from strategic use of
design. Neither in Denmark nor in other countries are there any experi-
ences of measuring the macroeconomic impacts of design.
However, there is much to indicate that intensifying global competition
from low-wage countries makes it essential for Danish businesses to give
higher priority to non-cost-related competitive parameters not least de-
sign. When Danish export businesses achieve high prices for their prod-
ucts this is due, among other things, to the fact that they ofen produce
niche or up-market products of high quality, with attractive design, etc. A
specifc line of sight for the Governments design policy is therefore:
Stronger growth layers in the design industry
It is important to achieve growth in the design industry itself. Tis creates
jobs in the design industry, and it is vital for the Danish corporate sector
to have access to design services from a well-functioning design industry.
In recent years, the design industry has enjoyed positive growth, with
rising demand, an increasing number of businesses and rising turnover.
But the potential could be exploited even better if more design busi-
nesses were to achieve sustained growth.
Te design industry currently consists primarily of one-man businesses;
see Figure 3.
Even among businesses with as much as a decade in business behind
them, only one in twenty ends up with more than fve employees.
8
Tis means that many small design businesses are not incorporating e.g.
social science competencies and engineering and business skills. Many
design businesses are unable to perform design assignments incorporat-
ing diferent design disciplines. And only a few work systematically with
their customers and suppliers to develop products and services.
Finally, Danish design businesses are to a great extent concentrated geo-
graphically around the large towns and cities. Tis means that it can be
difcult for businesses outside these urban centres to engage in perma-
nent partnerships with design businesses and to come to appreciate the
full potential of design. It is therefore even more important to ensure
targeted design information activities in all the Danish regions.
Lines of sight for the growth of design businesses
Businesses that use design systematically and strategically do better
than other businesses. Businesses at home and abroad that use design
systematically and strategically rate design more highly than other busi-
nesses do.
9
And those design businesses that are capable of supplying
services that meet demand will therefore be able to charge more for
their services than other design businesses.
Te greater the demand for design services, the easier it will be to charge
more for design services and thereby generate value in the design indus-
try. Te trend in value added per design industry employee may there-
fore be taken as an indicator of the scale of corporate sector demand for
design services and of how highly design services are rated.
10
Tere is much to indicate that the design industry faces a challenge on
that point. Studies show that value added per design industry employee
in 2004 was 38% lower for businesses in the design industry than in
commercial services generally; see Figure 4.
7
Danish Enterprise and Construction Authority (2007): Et billede af dansk design udfordringer og
perspektiver (A picture of Danish design challenges and perspectives), Red Associates (2006).
Line of sight: A larger proportion of Danish businesses
is to use design strategically.
92 %
3 %
3 %
2 %
0 employees 1 employee
24 employees 5+ employees
8
Vkstfonden (2006): Dansk design en god forretning? (Danish Design a Good Business?).
9
Danish Enterprise and Construction Authority (2003): Designs konomiske efecter (Te economic
impacts of design); British Design Council (2006): Design in Britain 20052006; Explora (2006):
Motiver og barrierer for virksomheders brug af design (Motives and barriers in corporate use of design);
Norwegian Design Council (2006): Nringslivets holdninger til design. (Corporate attitudes to design).
10
Value added equates to the turnover of a business plus other operating income less its consumption
of products and services.
Figure 3: Distribution of businesses in the design industry
according to size
7
16 17
Te Governments ambition is for the design industrys value genera-
tion to be strengthened over a number of years in order for the design
industry to approximate other businesses in commercial services. Te
line of sight is therefore:
In order for this to be achieved, it is important that businesses express
demand for and use design as an important element in their value
generation. And that more design businesses are capable of supplying
high-quality design services.
For the Government, this will mean ensuring that businesses in all in-
dustries and in all parts of Denmark gain access to better information
about the potentials aforded by design. Te Government will therefore be
ensuring that businesses in all industries and in all regions of the country
gain access to better information about the potentials aforded by design.
At the same time, the Government will be launching an initiative for de-
sign in public-sector services with the aim of raising awareness of the pos-
sibilities of using design in new ways, including within the service sector.
Figure 4: The trend in value added per employee,
20012004
11
2001
Design industry
Commercial services
600.000
500.000
400.000
300.000
200.000
100.000
0
D
K
K
2002 2003 2004
11
Statistics Denmark, StatBank Denmark.
Line of sight: Value added per design industry employee is
to approximate the average for commercial services.
While growth in the design industry must ultimately be driven by the
design businesses themselves, the Government will ensure that they have
the most conducive frameworks for building and enhancing their busi-
ness to ensure continual professionalisation of the industry in terms of
specifc access to advice on capital, information about technology and de-
sign rights protection.
18 19
More commercially oriented and international-
ised design competencies
Te competencies of Danish designers must be able to meet corporate
sector competency requirements and be internationally competitive.
Tese competencies are a crucial raw material for both design frms
and other businesses using design, but are also crucial in attracting
international frms, designers, students and conferences to Denmark.
Te two Danish schools of design, Danmarks Designskole and Design-
skolen Kolding, both ofer fve-year further education programmes,
while design is also an integral component of the programmes at
Aarhus School of Architecture and at the School of Architecture at
the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. In addition, institutions such
as the Graphic Arts Institute of Denmark and TEKO, the institute of
education within fashion and lifestyle, ofer a range of short and me-
dium cycle study programmes in the feld of design. Finally, there are
a number of commercial programmes qualifying students as technical
designers and skilled textile and clothing assistants for example.
Te Danish workforce numbers a total of 15,000 individuals with dif-
ferent design qualifcations. However, the rate of unemployment is ap-
proximately twice as high for persons with design qualifcations as it
is for the Danish workforce generally. Further, designers on the labour
market are ofen not using their design qualifcations in their posi-
tions; see Table 1. Tis may indicate that not all designer competencies
are sufciently up to meeting corporate-sector demand.
Tis trend is confrmed by the fact that job opportunities for newly
qualifed designers have been weaker than for newly qualifed profes-
sionals in the workforce as a whole. In 2004, approximately 20% of
designers who qualifed in 19972002 were unemployed.
12
By com-
parison, the average rate of unemployment one year afer qualifying
was 9.4% of the total workforce, while 10% of university graduates
qualifed for 14 years were unemployed.
13
12
Rectors under the Danish Ministry of Culture (2006): Employment Report 2005.
13
Uni-C Statistik & Analyse: Befolkning, Uddannelse og Arbejdsmarked 19972004 (Population, Edu-
cation and Labour Market 19972004), Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (2006):
Ledighedsstatistik (Unemployment Statistics).
Box 1: Overview of initiatives in the Governments
DesignDenmark policy
A better functioning market for design services
A greater proportion of Danish businesses encouraged
to use design strategically
Value added per design industry employee to approxi-
mate the average for commercial services.
Content
From 2007, Danish Design Centre will be implementing an
information drive on the use of design geared to selected
industries and in each region. This will ensure that business-
es nationwide gain local access to professional information
about the use of design. At the same time, Danish Design
Centre will be presenting new propositions to Danish design
businesses concerning business development advice.
Service design is a new design discipline where the fo-
cus is on developing user-friendly services. The Govern-
ment will be instituting consolidated measures to pro-
mote the development of a market for service design in
Denmark. This will be achieved through the launch of a
number of demonstration projects on design of public
sector services and through a strategic partnership with
foreign authorities and knowledge institutions in the
frst instance in the UK on the use of service design.
The Danish fashion industry is on the rise, but is made up
of very small businesses. This means that large parts of
the industry are very vulnerable. The Government will be
looking into the option of inviting tenders for the develop-
ment of one or more fashion zones. The fashion zones will
provide access to advice on business development, inter-
nationalisation and growth.
Protection of rights to design is all-important in ensuring
that Danish businesses proft from using design. The Gov-
ernment will be offering Danish businesses a number of
new options for protecting their designs. Among other ini-
tiatives, the Design:VAGT scheme offering Danish design
businesses comprehensive advice on rights protection will
be continued. As of 2007, tuition will also be offered on
rights issues on Danish design degree programmes, as
well as thorough instruction in protecting rights to design,
patents and trademarks via the regional Business Links.
Challenge:
Lines of sight
Initiative
1. Danish Design
Centre activities
to be made in-
dustry-specifc
and regionalised
2. Design of public
sector services
3. Development of
Danish fashion
zones
4. Rights protec-
tion, including
design, patent
and trademark
rights
20 21
A survey of 200 international designers and design experts identifed the
60 design study programmes worldwide that are best at linking design,
engineering science, commerce and social sciences. Te list contains de-
sign study programmes in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Finland, Swe-
den and Austria, but no Danish programmes.
15
Tis indicates that while
Danish design strengths lie in form-giving design, Danish design study
programmes have found it difcult to make their mark internationally
when it comes to new multidisciplinary trends in design.
At the same time, the number of Danish design students studying abroad
as part of their education in Denmark is relatively low. A total of 29 stu-
dents from the Danish schools of design Danmarks Designskole and
Designskolen i Kolding went on a student exchange abroad in 2005,
which equates to some 17% out of a single year. By comparison, 31% of
university undergraduates go on international exchanges.
16
Line of sight for the employability of design graduates
Tere is much to indicate that many design graduates do not fully pos-
sess the competencies demanded by the corporate sector, including in-
ternational competencies. It is important that the Danish design study
programmes enable designers to take up employment in their feld,
while the corporate sector should have access to recruiting labour with
the competencies it requires.
Te rate of unemployment can be seen as an indicator of the relevance
of study programmes to the corporate sector. Te aim is to ensure that
design study programmes give graduates the same chances of gaining
employment in their discipline as graduates of other disciplines. Te
Government will therefore be monitoring employment trends in the
coming years:
Te Government has implemented a number of initiatives with a view to
strengthening long-cycle further education in design. In 2003, a reform
was carried out to introduce new academic content, whereby the study
programmes are now organised into the Danish candidatus (equivalent
to a masters degree) and international bachelor programmes. Te frst
masters equivalents receive their degrees in 2008. At the same time, the
study programmes reduced their intake to match the supply of gradu-
ates to demand.
As next steps, the Government will be following up with a number of
initiatives to ensure that the design programmes are more closely target-
ed to demand in the corporate sector and the international market. Tis
will be done by orienting the programmes more closely to their area of
application, and through collaboration with prospective employers. At
the same time, the international profle of Danish design programmes
will be strengthened to enable Danish designers to operate in a corpo-
rate sector with international customers and competitors.
Finally, measures will be instituted to establish better course and educa-
tional options for designers. Design graduates will have the opportunity
to be employed as Regional Knowledge Pilots in businesses with only
limited experience of employing highly qualifed staf.
Commercial qualif-
cations related
to design
Short and medium
cycle design-related
qualifcations
Long-cycle further
education design
qualifcations
Number in the workforce 5.621 7.413 2.320
Rate of unemployment 8,1% 10,4% 12,8%
(Nationally: 5.3 %)
Percentage in non- 43,6% 43,5% 27%
design-related jobs
Table 1: All persons with design qualifcations and
commercial relevance, November 2005
14
14
Statistics Denmark, see Danish Enterprise and Construction Authority (2007): Dansk design per-
spektiver og udfordringer. (Danish Design Perspectives and Challenges). Te categories are made
up of diferent qualifcations, and may comprise qualifcations resulting in both high and low rates of
unemployment.
15
Business Week, October 2006: [Link]
16
CIRIUS: Mobilitetsstatistik videregende uddannelser 2004/2005 (Mobility Statistics Further
Education Programmes 2004/2005).
Line of sight: The rate of employment among newly quali-
fed designers must approximate the rate of employment
among other newly qualifed persons.
22 23
Better international use of Danish design
We want to see Danish design become world class, and the nation capa-
ble of reaping the rewards in the form of exports, jobs and investments
in Denmark. Tis calls for us to be internationally oriented. To do that,
we need to attract customers to Danish design businesses, the design
departments of international companies, highly qualifed labour, for-
eign students and conferences.
Exports are ofen an important precondition for business growth,
17
and
it is vital that Danish design businesses also hold their own on the inter-
national market. It is therefore encouraging that the design industry is
already undergoing an internationalisation process.
Between 1995 and 2005, the Danish design industrys exports increased
sixfold and currently amount to just under DKK 800 million, while
the individual businesses are becoming increasingly internationalised.
While the export share of turnover generated by design businesses rose
from 15% in 1995 to 24% in 2005, this share is still lower than the pri-
vate sector average. At the same time, increasing numbers of Danish
design businesses are setting up business abroad, with subsidiaries in
Northern Europe, East Asia and North America.
Tis trend demonstrates Danish designs great potential on the interna-
tional scene. However, the design industry is made up of many small
businesses that lack experience of the international aspect of exporting
abroad or trading with international customers or of establishing activi-
ties abroad. Tis makes it essential to support the internationalisation of
such design businesses.
It is also important to promote international awareness of Danish de-
sign and Denmark as a design nation in order both to preserve and de-
velop Danish design as a brand and to attract international investments,
designers and students to Denmark. It is therefore important to ensure
that Denmark is known not only for its 1950s furniture classics, but also
for state-of-the-art and innovative design.
18

Although Danish design has a good reputation abroad, Denmark is
facing keen competition from other countries and centres for design.
17
Danish Enterprise and Construction Authority (2006): Ivrksttere og nye virksomheder, ngle-
tal 2006 (Entrepreneurs and new businesses, key performance indicators 2006).
18
Red Associates (2006): DanmarkTM perceptionsanalyse og anbefalinger til en ofensiv global
markedsfring af Danmark (Denmark TM perception survey and recommendations for a glo-
bal ofensive to market Denmark).
Box 2: Overview of initiatives in the Governments
DesignDenmark policy
More commercially oriented and internationalised design
competencies
The rate of employment among newly qualifed designers
must approximate the rate of employment among other
newly qualifed persons.
Content
Study programmes at Danmarks Designskole and Design-
skolen Kolding will be made more commercial and interna-
tional in their orientation in order to strengthen the qual-
ity of the programmes. The programmes will be accredited
as bachelor and master equivalents by 2010 at the latest.
Among other things, strategic partnership and exchange
agreements will be concluded with leading international
design study programmes. More formalised collaboration
with the corporate sector will be introduced in the form of
employer panels and partnerships.
The competitiveness of short and medium cycle further
education programmes (the Danish 2-year academy pro-
fession diplomas and professional bachelor degrees) will
be improved. This will be achieved by introducing ac-
creditation and work experience, by strengthening the
international profle of the programmes and promoting
interaction with the corporate sector.
Danish designers are to have access to updating their
academic/technical and commercial competencies and
offered education schemes. Courses will therefore be
offered in interaction design under the Copenhagen In-
stitute of Interaction Design and in business manage-
ment under Danish Design Centre. At the same time, the
Knowledge Pilot Scheme will admit designers to enable
them to acquire commercial competencies through a pro-
bationary position with a business that has only limited
experience of employing highly qualifed staff.
Challenge:
Line of sight:
Initiative
5. Commercial and
international
orientation of
further education
design study
programmes
6. The commercially
oriented further
education design
study program-
mes must be
able to match the
best counterparts
abroad and meet
corporate sector
demand
7. Boost compe-
tencies of quali-
fed designers in
the workforce
24 25
And even if individual businesses have established design departments
in Denmark, there is even greater potential in attracting international
businesses design departments, students or a workforce of highly quali-
fed designers.
19
Line of sight for design industry exports
From an overall perspective there is thus a need for measures to ensure
that Danish design is exploited for export purposes and to ensure that
Denmark becomes a leading design centre capable of attracting foreign
investments and customers to the design industry. Because in their
frst year, companies that achieve growth average more exports than
other businesses.
20

In 2005, exports by Danish businesses amounted to an average 24% of
their turnover. Tis then puts the design industry above several other
commercial service industries, which generally fnd internationalisation
difcult. However, the design industry is still well behind those com-
mercial service sectors that achieve the highest exports such as consult-
ing engineers and architects for whom 32% of turnover derived from
exports in 2005; see Figure 5.
A direct line of sight for this trend is:

Te Government will ensure the most conducive framework conditions
for supporting this developemt, but whether the design industry can
export a higher share of turnover is up to the industry itself.
In support of export promotion, the Government implemented the
BornCreative programme in 2005, aimed at creative Danish business-
es. So far, design businesses are the most frequent clients on the pro-
gramme. In addition, in early 2006, a global team of employees was set
up under the Danish Trade Council to work primarily on export pro-
motion activities for Danish design businesses. In supplement to this,
the Government is implementing a number of initiatives designed to
assist Danish design businesses in their internationalisation eforts and
in attracting international businesses, students and labour to Denmark.
Tis is being done specifcally in the form of export promotion initia-
tives and initiatives to market Denmark as a design nation.
Line of sight: The design industrys export share should
approximate the level for consulting engineers and
architects, which is approx. 30%.
19
Danish Enterprise and Construction Authority (2007): Et billede af dansk design udfordringer og
perspektiver (A picture of Danish design challenges and perspectives), Red Associates (2006).
20
Danish Enterprise and Construction Authority (2007): Ivrksttere og nye virksomheder, ngletal
2006 (Entrepreneurs and new businesses, key performance indicators 2006).
21
Statistics Denmark, StatBank Denmark.

1998
Consulting engineers and architects
Design industry
0,40
0,35
0,30
0,25
0,20
0,15
0,10
0,05
0,00
P
e
r
c
e
n
t
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
12 %
14 %
18 %
19 %
21 %
24 % 24 %
32 %
34 %
30 % 30 %
34 %
20 %
Figure 5: Trend in export share of turnover, 19982005
21

26 27
Object: Denmark restored to the international design elite
A better functioning
market for design services
Commercially oriented
and international design
competencies
Better international
use of design
1. Danish Design Centre
activities to be made
industry-specifc and
regionalised
2. Design of public-sector
services
3. Development of Danish
fashion zones
4. Rights protection, in-
cluding design, patent
and trademark rights
5. Commercial orientation
and internationalisation
in long cycle further
education design pro-
grammes

6. Short and medium
cycle further education
programmes related
to design must be able
to match the best
abroad and meet corpo-
rate sector demand
7. Boost competencies of
working designers
8. International design
week
9. Strengthened inter-
nationalisation of
Danish design
Line of sight: A greater
proportion of Danish
businesses is to use
design strategically.
Line of sight: The rate of
employment among newly
qualifed designers must
approximate the rate of
employment among other
newly qualifed persons.
Line of sight: Design industry
export share is to approxi-
mate the level for consulting
engineers and architects,
which is approx. 30%.
Line of sight: Value
added per design
industry employee to
approximate the aver-
age for commercial
services.
Challenges
Catalogue of initiatives
Better international use of Danish design
The design industrys export share should approximate the level for consul-
ting engineers and architects, which is approx. 30%.
Content
The Government is taking the initiative for the hosting of an international
frst rate design week every other year. The design week event will coincide
with the presentation of the worlds largest design award: INDEX: and will
attract tourists, experts, students and international media to prominent de-
sign-related activities.
A number of innovation centres will be established in leading international
research, innovation and business environments capable of facilitating ac-
cess to design environments in the countries concerned. The frst innovati-
on centre opened in Silicon Valley, USA, in 2006. In 2007, Invest in Denmark
is launching a new action area entitled Creative Denmark, which will serve
to promote foreign investment in Denmark in areas such as fashion, texti-
les and furniture. Finally, Danish commercial and creative competencies will
be marketed on key markets based on an innovative and multidisciplinary
umbrella concept.
Challenge:
Line of sight:
Initiative
8. International
design week
and travelling
exhibitions
9. Strengthened
internationali-
sation of Danish
design
Box 3: Overview of initiatives in the Governments Design Denmark policy
28 29
A better functioning market for design services

1. Danish Design Centre activities to be made industry-specifc
and regionalised
More Danish businesses in different industries and in all regions of Denmark to
use design
Many of the Governments design promotion activities are implemented under a
performance contract with Danish Design Centre, and 2006 saw the commence-
ment of a commercialisation of public-sector activities at the Centre. From 2007,
the following new activities have been launched under the performance contract:
Targeted design promotion drive aimed at selected industries
Regionalised design promotion drive
New professionalisation scheme for the design industry
In future, Danish Design Centre will be carrying out a focused drive aimed at se-
lected industries. The drive includes industry-specifc knowledge dissemination,
surveys, workshops and seminars on applications for and impacts of design. In
2007, in the frst instance, the Centre will be carrying out a drive aimed at the
food industry and the medico industry with a focus on industry-specifc needs in
relation to use of design. This drive is intended to disseminate design in indus-
tries not traditionally strong on design.
At the same time, design promotion activities will be regionalised based around
the new regional Business Links as of 2007. Danish Design Centre will be providing
tuition to at least one employee with expertise in design at each Business Link, and
organising information and course activities in the form of seminars and workshops
for businesses that are basic-level users of design. Finally, Danish Design Centre
will be establishing regional networks among new design business start-ups and
entrepreneurs in other industries. In this way, businesses in all the Danish regions
will gain better access to information about work involving design.
The frameworks for sustained professionalisation of the design industry will con-
tinue to be supported. As of 2007, Danish Design Centre will be matching a number
of design businesses with ambition and growth potential with external investors,
either Vkstfonden (the Danish Investment Fund) or other venture capital funds.
Further, in 2008 Danish Design Centre will be piloting a scheme for Danish design
businesses to attract leading technological expertise via the Technological Part-
nerships information network. Under this pilot scheme, Design businesses in the
process of product development will be able to submit queries regarding specifc
technological issues to the networks 22,000 experts within 850 specialist felds.
The initiatives will be fnanced under Danish Design Centres performance con-
tract, which for 2007 amounts to a total of DKK 19.6 million.
The initiatives are being implemented in early 2007 or commencing in 2008
Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs/Danish Design Centre
Object
Content
Timeframe
Responsibility

Danish design businesses to be among the international leaders in service design
The Government has decided to implement an initiative for the design of pub-
lic-sector services whereby the services are adapted to user requirements. The
initiative comprises:
The launch of demonstration projects in the public sector
Methodology development and dissemination of information about
service design
Strategic international partnerships on service design
711 specifc demonstration projects will be launched in the public sector. The
aim of these will be to provide examples of design solutions to specifc problems
entailed by public welfare services. The demonstration projects will illustrate how
service design can be used to fundamentally improve public sector services. At
the same time, the projects will build competencies in the design industry within
service design. All design businesses will be able to apply to participate in the
demonstration projects. Further to the demonstration projects on the use of serv-
ice design in public sector services, methodology development and dissemination
of information about service design will be implemented. This component will
include a training programme on service design methodology with a view to pro-
fessional competency building for Danish designers in the feld of service design.
At the same time, a strategic collaboration will be initiated with authorities and
knowledge institutions in the UK, which for a number of years have worked sys-
tematically on methodology development and on growing the market for service
design. This collaboration might consist of a forum in which Danish and British
educational and knowledge institutions can exchange experience, conclude ex-
change and training agreements, form research and development partnerships
and, make arrangements for continuing education programmes so that compe-
tencies in service design are boosted signifcantly by drawing on expertise in the
UK. Danish Design Centre, Danmarks Designskole and Designskolen Kolding will
also, together with UK enterprise promotion organisations and other design study
programmes, have access to participate in the collaboration.
This initiative will draw attention to the use of design in the service sector, while
at the same time exposing the design industry to the demand for service design,
while building their competencies in the feld.
The initiative will be fnanced by design promotion allocations under the National
Budget. A total of DKK 8 million will be allocated to demonstration projects in
20072009.
Due to be implemented mid-2007
Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs
Object
Content
Timeframe
Responsibility
2. Design of public-sector services
30 31

For more Danish fashion businesses to achieve sustained growth
Danish fashion is undergoing rapid development. The industry is however charac-
terised by a proliferation of small businesses that are very fragile in their early stage
and many of the businesses do not have the requisite commercial competencies.
The Government is currently looking into the options for establishing one or more
fashion zones in Denmark, the object of which will be to support development of
the fashion industry.
One zone will consist of a number of schemes for businesses within a geographi-
cally delimited area in order to develop a strong and visible environment where the
businesses can collaborate and learn from each other. Inspiration can be drawn
from environments such as New York Fashion Center, where a network organisa-
tion offers member frms in a district of New York City access to joint marketing,
networking and business advisory services.
A fashion zone would give entrepreneurs and other businesses in the fashion in-
dustry access to sparring and advice on business development, internationalisation
and growth as well as facilities, networks and more.
In order to build up the fashion industry, help more businesses to grow and acquire
greater insights into international trends in fashion design, a study will be launched
of trends and tendencies in the fashion industry, nationally and internationally. The
body of know-how collected will be distributed to fashion businesses in Denmark.
This measure will contribute to professionalisation of the fashion industry so that
more businesses achieve sustained growth.
The Government launched the project of looking into the options of development
one or more fashion zones in 2007
Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs
Object
Content
Timeframe
Responsibility
3. Development of Danish fashion zones

To improve Danish businesss options for protecting their design concepts by secur-
ing patent, design, trademark rights
The Government will institute measures for designers and businesses in which de-
sign plays a key role that will enable them more easily to obtain an overview of legal
issues surrounding rights protection:
Continuation of Design:Vagt in 2007
Tuition in rights on design study programmes from 2007
New advisory schemes in the regional enterprise incubators
Interministerial working group on copyright and counterfeit
Design:VAGT is a scheme available free of charge to design businesses enabling
them to receive thorough advice from the Danish Patent and Trademark Offce on
rights protection, once a week at Danish Design Centre. This scheme will be contin-
ued in 2007. At the same time, information events will be held nationwide.
Also from 2007, tuition in rights to design will be offered as an integral component
of design study programmes at Danmarks Designskole and Designskolen Kolding.
This will be undertaken in a collaboration between the Danish Patent and Trade-
mark Offce and the Ministry of Culture as a continuation of the tuition in copyright
coordinated by the Ministry of Culture.
Through the newly established regional Business Links, businesses will initially be
advised on the options available to them from various forms of protection, includ-
ing the rules and procedures for registering designs in Denmark and the EU. If the
concept or design is new, the Business Links will then refer the business to a pri-
vate advisory service concerning the next steps in registering the design and the
commercial opportunities this offers. To that end, the businesses will be offered
an introductory pack providing help and a guide to design protection. Through the
introductory pack, Danish businesses will be able to secure funding of up to 50% of
the costs of their IP investigation (up to a limit of DKK 4,000 per IP investigation).
Finally, a working group has been appointed by the Ministry of Economic and Busi-
ness Affairs, SKAT (Danish tax authority), the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Cul-
ture and the Public Prosecutor for Serious Economic Crime. The working group will
be stepping up measures to combat piracy and counterfeit which is a rising problem
nationally and globally. The working group will be examining whether sanctions and
the maximum penalties for piracy should be increased.
Design:VAGT has been established. Tuition at the schools of design will commence
in autumn 2007. The introductory pack will be launched in connection with the es-
tablishment of the enterprise incubators in 2007. The working group on piracy will
be submitting its report in the 2
nd
half of 2007.
Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs /Danish Patent and Trademark Offce
Object
Content
Timeframe
Responsibility
4. Rights protection, including design, patent and trademark rights
32 33
Commercially oriented and international design competencies

5. Commercial orientation and internationalisation in long cycle
further education design programmes
The corporate sector is to have access to commercial design competencies at the
highest level
A number of initiatives will be implemented at Danmarks Designskole, Design-
skolen Kolding, Aarhus School of Architecture and at the School of Architecture
at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in order to create Danish design study
programmes to match the highest international level. As a suprastructure for all
the initiatives, the programmes will be accredited as bachelor and master equiva-
lents by 2010 at the latest.
Firstly, the schools will be introducing internationally recognised quality-assurance
systems to provide them with continuously updated information about the quality
of the education provided. The internal systems will be tied in with independent
external evaluations to document the quality of the programmes.
Secondly, the study programmes will to a greater extent be geared to the corporate
sector through careers counselling for the students, marketing of the students
competencies, partnerships with the corporate sector and employer panels at the
institutions, made up of working designers and the rest of the corporate sector.
Thirdly, the study programmes will take the initiative for establishing credit trans-
fer agreements with relevant institutions of higher education in Denmark, includ-
ing business colleges, universities and engineering courses in order thereby to
facilitate greater multidisciplinarity in the design programmes.
Fourthly, the institutions of education will be signing agreements on exchanging
students, tutors and researchers with a number of the leading foreign design pro-
grammes. The object is to increase the number of design students on academic and
work experience exchanges abroad and the number of foreign students attending
Danish design programmes, including those from countries outside of the EU/EEA.
Finally, the assignment of the Centre for Design Research will be geared to achiev-
ing a suffciently high standard of research at the schools of design to ensure
the accreditation of bachelor and master programmes in 2010. The Centre will
ensure the development of well-functioning research environments aimed at and
developed through interaction with the corporate sector, and the application of
research fndings in the study programmes.
These initiatives form part of the multiyear agreements for Ministry of Culture
study programmes 20032006 and 20072010 and will be implemented under
the performance contracts with the institutions.
20072010
Ministry of Culture
Object
Content
Timeframe
Responsibility

6. Short and medium cycle further education programmes related to
design must be able to match the best-in-class abroad and meet
corporate sector demand
The corporate sector is to have access to commercially oriented design competen-
cies at the highest international level
An initiative has been taken for short cycle further education programmes (the
Danish 2-year academy profession programmes) and the medium cycle design-
related study programmes (professional bachelor degrees) to be made more in-
ternationally competitive through:
Internationalisation of the programmes
Introduction of compulsory work experience under the programmes
Consolidation of institutions into professional colleges
More systematic collaboration with the corporate sector
Accreditation
The short and medium cycle further education programmes in design will be in-
ternationalised, e.g. making it possible to complete part of a programme or go on
work experience abroad. An international grants scheme will be established to
enable more Danish students to pursue part of their studies abroad.
Compulsory work experience will be introduced for all academy profession di-
ploma programmes in the feld of design in order to strengthen their links with
the labour market. The quality of the work experience on professional bachelor
degree programmes will be enhanced via new methods, e.g. preparation, eva-
luation and communication, with work experience as an indicator of the overall
quality of the programmes.
The present Centres of Higher Education will be consolidated within 68 multidi-
sciplinary regionally based professional colleges with academically strong study
environments. This will serve to generate greater synergy between the design
programmes and other felds of study and strengthen the possibility of concluding
international exchange agreements.
Finally, the institutions of education must improve their capacity to pick up sy-
stematically on labour market requirements through contact with the corporate
sector and strengthened collaboration fora. To that end, the possibility will be
created for establishing a centre of excellence in extension of an institution of
education. This might be a forum for collaboration between education, business,
organisations and centres of excellence in order to extend and intensify the focus
on the combination of design and commerce in the study programmes and in the
corporate sector. The Centre will develop and implement new study programmes/
specialist felds to match industry needs and the latest know-how.
These initiatives are part of the follow-up to the Governments globalisation stra-
tegy and will be implemented as of 2007.
Ministry of Education
Object
Content
Timeframe
Responsibility
34 35


To ensure that Danish designers have access to continual updating of their busi-
ness and design competencies
Through a number of new initiatives, the Government will facilitate the provision
of courses for designers already on the labour market:
Courses and instruction in interaction and service design
Education of designers in business acumen
Extension of the Knowledge Pilot scheme for design graduates
As part of the competency building initiative, designers will be offered instruc-
tion in new design disciplines such as interaction design and service design
which are new methods for designing products, services and systems. In
2007, a number of activities will be implemented with a view to offering de-
signers training in these felds of design. One such activity, to be provided
under the newly established Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design, will
be a workshop; another will be a symposium on interaction design and service
design attended by leading international capacities. In addition, a study will be
conducted of demand for a two-year masters programme in interaction and
service design.
Danish Design Centre will be offering a number of module-based courses for
designers with a focus on aspects such as strategy, management, fnance, cus-
tomer dialogue, marketing, sales generation and network formation on a course
entitled TURBO (an acronym for the Danish words for talent, development, re-
sources, bottom line, organisation).
Finally, graduates with the equivalent of a Master-level degree in design will
have the opportunity to participate in the Knowledge Pilot scheme under the
Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, from 2007. Businesses with 2
to 100 employees located outside of Denmarks urban centres can apply for a
subsidy of DKK 10,000/month for up to 12 months for probationary employment
of a designer from the schools of design Designskolen Kolding or Danmarks
Designskole to be assigned to a development project. Businesses can also
apply for a grant of up to DKK 50,000 to be spent on retaining the services of
a knowledge institution. The aim is to give Danish designers competencies and
experience from the corporate sector and to give the corporate sector experi-
ence of employing designers.
These initiatives will serve to ensure that designers increasingly update their
competencies post-graduation so that they are fully equipped to service the
corporate sector.
Extension of the Knowledge Pilot scheme to open it to graduates with the
equivalent of a Master-level degree in design will be fnanced through the
existing scheme. Interaction design and TURBO will be fnanced under the Na-
tional Budget Design Promotion allocations and Danish Design Centres per-
formance contract.
Object
Content
7. Boost competencies of working designers The extension of the Knowledge Pilot scheme has come into effect. The work-
shop and international symposium will be held in 2007. Continuing education
modules under the Danish Design Centre will be offered in 2007.
The Knowledge Pilot scheme is administered by the Ministry of Science, Technol-
ogy and Innovation. The Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs and Danish
Design Centre are responsible for interaction design and TURBO.
Timeframe
Responsibility
36 37

The object of the design week is to preserve and strengthen Denmarks reputa-
tion as a design nation by raising awareness of contemporary Danish designers
and their competencies
As part of a proactive and global promotion stategy to market Denmark, the fol-
lowing new initiatives will be implemented:
The hosting of an international frst rate design week
Travelling exhibitions devoted to Danish design and architecture
A Danish design week of frst rate international standard will be held every other
year. The design week event will coincide with presentation of the worlds larg-
est design award: INDEX: and will attract tourists, experts, students and interna-
tional media to prominent design-related activities. Activities might for example
include exhibitions, talks, conferences, workshops, etc.
Further, in order to strengthen marketing of Denmark as a design and architec-
tural nation, travelling exhibitions will be mounted. The exhibitions will present
classic and contemporary Danish design, architecture, arts & crafts and the top
design entries from INDEX:
The design week and travelling exhibitions will be organised by Danish Design
Centre in association with other relevant cultural institutions, including Danish
Architecture Centre, Danish Crafts, public authorities and the corporate sector.
The projected effect of these initiatives is for Danish design competencies to
gain greater prominence as a brand internationally for the beneft of the Danish
design industry, Danish businesses generally and for Denmark as a tourism and
investment country.
The design week and travelling exhibitions will be mounted for the frst time in
2009 at the latest.
Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs/Danish Design Centre
Object
Content
Timeframe
Responsibility
8. International design week in Copenhagen
Better international use of Danish design

The object is to promote the internationalisation of Danish design and attract
international companies, students and labour to Denmark
In 2007, the Government will be launching several new initiatives for Denmarks
competencies in design to be applied internationally:
Establishment of bridgeheads for companies abroad
New measures to promote foreign design investments
General concept for marketing Danish commercial and creative competencies
A number of innovation centres will be established in leading international
research, innovation and business environments. The centres will be able to
facilitate access for the Danish design environment to international networks,
knowledge, technology and investors and thereby support international cooper-
ation, knowledge sharing, etc. The frst centre was established in Silicon Valley,
USA, in June 2006. A decision has been made to establish the next innovation
centre in Shanghai in 2007.
At the same time, a new action area, Creative Denmark, will be launched in
2007 through Invest in Denmark, which will be instrumental in promoting foreign
investment in Denmark in areas such as fashion, textiles and furniture. In 2007,
Invest in Denmark will direct focus at Denmark as a leader in user-driven design
and innovation. Material will be compiled on Danish competitive advantages in
the feld, which will be used in sales efforts to attract foreign investments within
the focus areas of Creative Denmark, Renewable Energy, ICT and Life Sciences.
An innovative and multidisciplinary overall concept will be formulated for how
Danish commercial and creative competencies can be marketed on key markets.
The aim is for the concepts to form the basis for a number of Creative Nation
drives on selected OECD markets. These campaigns will be based on the overall
concept that creates visibility and is relevant to the market in question. Within
the frameworks of the overall concept, the businesses, cultural institutions,
etc. will present their specifc competencies to relevant target audiences. These
campaigns will be made in close collaboration between trade organisations,
businesses, cultural institutions and relevant public authorities.
The initiative will serve to boost the internationalisation level of Danish design
businesses and help to ensure that Denmark is more capable of attracting inter-
national design customers.
A total of DKK 2.5 million will be allocated to Creative Nation, as part of a global
promotion to market Denmark in 2007.
The initiatives will be implemented in 2007
Danish Trade Council, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Economic and Busi-
ness Affairs
Object
Content
Timeframe
Responsibility
9. Strengthened internationalisation of Danish design
38