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Aalborg University's former rector, Sven Caspersen, names NOVI's new café
It is none other than the former rector of Aalborg University, Sven Caspersen, who is naming NOVI's new café in the research park on Niels Jernes Vej. Sven Caspersen has been one of the major driving forces behind Aalborg University's success over the years, and therefore NOVI's approximately 5.000 daily users can now make themselves at home in Caspers Café.
Sven Caspersen, colloquially known simply as Casper, was the rector of Aalborg University between 1976 and 2004 and helped shape the university's unique teaching style and close collaboration with the business community. As the university's longest-serving rector, he was a central figure in establishing a strong teaching and research environment in Aalborg, and he set a new direction for how we in Denmark think about education, innovation and research – with a clear footprint not only at home, but also abroad.
It was especially in the 1980s that the close interaction between the business community and university students was shaped, and at that time Sven Caspersen also created the conceptual basis behind what is today known as the NOVI Research Park. It has since grown to a full 100.000 square meters of Science and Business Park. Collaboration and knowledge sharing remain the basic elements of NOVI's success, which includes everything from small startups with 2-3 employees to established companies and development departments with over 150 employees. Most recently, NOVI has begun the establishment of NOVI MEDI PARK, which will in future house approximately 30.000 square meters with a focus on health innovation and life science.
NOVI is largely characterized by being a meeting place for research and commercial value creation, and therefore the idea behind the new Caspers Café is to be able to offer an informal focal point for the many thousands of academic and professional users who have their daily routine at NOVI every day.
As rector from 1976 to 2004, he played a key role in shaping the university's problem-based learning model and in positioning AAU as an internationally recognized technical and engineering institution. His work has had a lasting impact on both education, research and regional business development in and around Aalborg, and Caspers Café is a tribute to his efforts and the culture he helped shape.
NOVI is one of the country's most successful science parks and has attracted ambitious and knowledge-intensive companies for more than 30 years. We have a very well-functioning canteen, our own sourdough bakery, health clinic and hairdresser. But we have been missing a real café, and we did not doubt for a moment that the name should of course be a tribute to one of the most legendary figures at Aalborg University over the years, says Henrik Lundum, who as CEO over the past nine years has grown NOVI from approximately 50.000 square meters to the current 100.000 square meters of research park under roof.
Most recently, Aalborg University's Faculty of Health Sciences has established itself in a new building, AAU SUND, which is located directly next to the new super hospital and the upcoming NOVI MEDI PARK, which is also part of the NOVI Research Park.