ReNEW (Reimagining Norden in an Evolving World) aims at developing path-breaking research on the Nordic region within a challenging global context. Promoting mobility, exchange, high-level conferences and education, it brings together six Nordic universities in one strategic hub, with world-wide connections. It involves key disciplines and diverse strands of scholarship, uniting existing research initiatives within the social sciences and humanities that engage with Norden. ReNEW also facilitates cooperation and partnership between researchers and decision makers from the public, private and third sector.

The Nordic region has attracted global interest in the last decade, having been proclaimed ‘the next supermodel’ by The Economist in 2013. It has been favourably cited for combining economic competitiveness and innovation with social equality and well-being. Topping global indexes of happiness, competitiveness and equality, the Nordic states featured as models in the 2016 US presidential election campaign, in the Brexit and Scottish independence referenda, and in debates over gender policy and social investment in the EU and beyond.

This interest has created global demand for knowledge about Nordic societies and institutions, ranging from the economics of the tripartite model and small state internationalism to the cultural innovations of new Nordic cuisine, Nordic design and Nordic noir. The idealization of the region has, however, been tempered the electoral success of right-wing populists and by criticisms of the Nordic countries, for example over their treatment of asylum-seekers and non-western immigrants. Applying cross-disciplinary and critical analyses we examine Nordic responses to global challenges in order to better understand their paradoxes, added-value and limitations.

The ReNEW programme aims to become the leading hub for research and teaching excellence, focusing on the Nordic region with regard to the following themes: Nordic co-operation; gender and equality; public policy, welfare and labour markets; democracy and governance; branding and reputation; multiculturalism, humanitarianism and environmentalism; and culture and media.

The hub is led by the Centre for Nordic Studies at Helsinki University. Other participating institutions include: Copenhagen Business School; University of Iceland; University of Oslo; Södertörn University; Aarhus University.

At Aarhus University, colleagues from different departments in Faculty of Arts are participating in the project. As part of the project, Aarhus University will take responsibility for the communication of reliable, evidence-based information about the Nordic countries through the establishment of a new free-to-access website, in relation to the existing website danmarkshistorien.dk.