Thomas Gammeltoft-Hansen wins the Elite Research Prize
On February 26, 2024, the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science, along with H.M. Queen Mary, awarded the prestigious Elite Research Prize to five outstanding researchers who have all been conducting cutting-edge research in their respective fields. Among these recipients was Professor Thomas Gammeltoft-Hansen, recognized for his years of research in the field of mobility law. Since 2023, Thomas has served as the Head of the MOBILE Center of Excellence for Global Mobility Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen.
Thomas was nominated for the prize by The Independent Research Fund Denmark, and in their nomination letter, they wrote: “Thomas Gammeltoft-Hansen is a pioneer in the field of mobility law and has, through a series of projects, generated significant research results to understand the interaction between legal regulation, politics, and movement patterns. (...) His research shows that widely different sets of rules affect individuals' mobility, such as visa regulations, free movement, trade agreements, and human rights.”
The Elite Research Prize is an annual recognition given to five outstanding researchers with international experience and a maximum of 15 years since receiving their PhD. Each prize is DKK 1.2 million, with DKK 200,000 given as a personal award and DKK 1,000,000 given for research.
In light of the faculty’s two separate wins at the Elite Research award ceremony, the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Jacob Graff Nielsen said:
“We are proud that Thomas receives the Elite Research Prize for his exciting and relevant research on the legal aspects of immigration and mobility, and that Nine receives an Elite Research Travel Grant in connection with her project on deficiency assessment in business data contracts. Your research is beneficial for both Denmark and the international community.”
The Elite Research Initiative is the overarching brand for a series of initiatives designed to honor and support the most prominent research talents in Danish research. The initiative aims to raise awareness of excellent researchers and their work, positioning them as role models to attract more young students to pursue a career in research. This effort is in line with the ambition to make Denmark one of the leading and most competitive knowledge societies globally.