2025.10.14
UNESCO Chair in the Right to Science
The UNESCO Chair in the Right to Science is the first UNESCO Chair ever awarded to the University of Copenhagen. Helle Porsdam, Professor of History and Cultural Rights, has been the chair holder since 2017. As of 2025, Professor Timo Minssen is the Co-Chair holder.
The research focuses on one of the core cultural human rights outlined in the UDHR and the ICESCR: the right to science.
The UNESCO Chair in Cultural Rights is the first UNESCO Chair ever awarded to the University of Copenhagen. Helle Porsdam, Professor of History and Cultural Rights, and Professor Timo Minssen are the chair holders. Activities were launched in September 2017, and the focus areas are:
- The right to science
- The relationship between the three parts of Article 15,1 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: the right to participate in culture, the right to benefit from the progress of science and its products, and author’s rights
- Science diplomacy
The right to science has never been more important. People around the world increasingly rely on science and technology in almost every sphere of their lives: from the development of medicine and the treatment of diseases, to transport, agriculture, sustainable development, and the facilitation of global communication. At the same time, the value of science has come under attack, established facts are deliberately presented as ‘fake news’, and the possible abuse of science and technology (‘dual use’) is an increasing risk. The right to science provides a tool for defending science and the freedom to think, question, and share scientific ideas.
The UNESCO Chair in the Right to Science organizes a number of events and happenings relating to the right to science.
We co-organize the Cambridge-Harvard Right to Science Study Group which holds regular meeting. Read more about the research group and meetings.
For other activities, please see the list of news or the list of past events.
The UNESCO Chair in the Right to Science publishes articles and books, both academic and popular, on the right to science as well as on science diplomacy, and political and funding demands on open access/open data.
Questions related to the UNESCO lecture series on science, society, and politics at the University of Copenhagen should be addressed to either Professor Helle Porsdam at helle.porsdam@jur.ku.dk or Professor Timo Minssen at timo.minssen@jur.ku.dk.
Researchers
| Name | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| Helle Porsdam | Professor |
|
| Timo Minssen | Head of Centre, Professor |
|