Queen Margrethe II of Denmark attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the main building of the Sino-Danish Research Center for Education and Research (SDC) at the Yanqihu Campus of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) in Beijing’s Huairou District on Apr. 26 during her five-day visit to China.

The SDC building will have over 10,000 square meters of floor space and serve as the hub for all SDC activities. It will comprise classrooms, a large lecture hall, a library, reading rooms and space for dining, socializing and relaxing.

SDC was conceived in May, 2008 and formal agreements establishing the center were concluded by the Chinese and Danish parties in 2010. According to the agreements, the Danish Industry Foundation will contribute approximately 100 million yuan to finance construction of the SDC building and UCAS is providing land for the project.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Danish monarch said SDC has improved mutual understanding and cultural communication between China and Denmark. She also thanked all parties that have made contributions to the center.

Research at SDC primarily focuses on nanoscience and nanotechnology, renewable energy, water and environment, life sciences and biomedicine, and innovation and welfare studies. The center offers opportunities for collaboration between the two countries in training graduate students, conducting scientific and technological innovation, and undertaking technology transfer.

SDC was launched in 2012. Currently, 154 Chinese and 95 Danish master’s students, as well as 24 Chinese and 44 Danish doctoral students are studying at the center.