Editing UCPH Department of Computer Science

{{Short description|Department at University of Copenhagen}}
{{Infobox university
| former_names = 
| established  = {{start date and age|1970}}<ref>{{cite web | url=https://di.ku.dk/english/about/ | title=About the Department | date=6 June 2019 | publisher=University of Copenhagen, Department of Computer Science | access-date=2 April 2021 | language=da}}</ref>
| type         = [[Public university|Public]]
| parent       = [[University of Copenhagen]],<br>[[University of Copenhagen Faculty of Science|Faculty of Science]]
| city         = [[Copenhagen]]
| country      = [[Denmark]]
| coordinates  = {{coord|55.7022984|N|12.5613498|E|format=dms|display=title}}
| head_label   = Head of Department
| head         = Professor Jakob Grue Simonsen<ref>{{cite web | url=https://di.ku.dk/english/news/2021/new-head-of-the-department-of-computer-science-university-of-copenhagen/ | title= New head of the Department of Computer Science, University of Copenhagen  | publisher= University of Copenhagen, Department of Computer Science | author=Kristensen, Tina Virenfeldt  | date=2021-03-08 | access-date=1 April 2021 | language=en}}</ref>
| website      = {{URL|https://di.ku.dk/}}
| logo         = DIKU banner.png
| image        = Datalogisk Institut - main entrance.jpg
| caption      = Entrance of the main building, located at the [[University Park (University of Copenhagen)|University Park]] in Copenhagen, on the university's [[North Campus (University of Copenhagen)|North Campus]]
| image_size   = 300px
}}
The '''UCPH Department of Computer Science''' ({{langx|da|Datalogisk Institut, '''DIKU'''}}) is a department in the [[University of Copenhagen Faculty of Science|Faculty of Science]] at the [[University of Copenhagen]] (UCPH). It is the longest established department of [[Computer Science]] in [[Denmark]] and was founded in 1970 by [[Turing Award]] winner [[Peter Naur]]. As of 2021, it employs 82 academic staff, 126 research staff and 38 support staff. It is consistently ranked the top [[Computer Science]] department in the [[Nordic countries]], and in 2017 was placed 9th worldwide by the [[Academic Ranking of World Universities]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.shanghairanking.com/Shanghairanking-Subject-Rankings-2017/computer-science-engineering.html | title= Shanghai Ranking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2017 - Computer Science & Engineering  | publisher= Shanghai Ranking  | date=2018-01-01 | access-date=1 April 2021 | language=en}}</ref>

== History ==
DIKU has its roots at the [[University of Copenhagen Institute for Mathematical Sciences|Institute for Mathematical Sciences]], where in 1963, the first computer was bought.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://di.ku.dk/ominstituttet/historie-lang/ | title=Datalogisk Instituts historie - den lange version | publisher=University of Copenhagen, Department of Computer Science | access-date=2 April 2021 | language=da}}</ref>
In 1969, [[Peter Naur]] became the first professor in Computer Science at the University of Copenhagen, and in 1970, DIKU was officially established its own department.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.diku.dk/ominstituttet/jubilee/historie_side/1970erne/ | title=Fra DIKUs historiebog - 1970erne | publisher=DIKU | date=2010-06-02 | access-date=7 January 2016 | author=Søndergaard, Ann Steendahl | language=da}}</ref>

== Research ==
As of 2021, the department is home to 82 academic staff, 126 research staff and 38 support staff. Research is organised into seven research sections:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://di.ku.dk/english/research/|access-date=2021-04-02 |publisher=[[Copenhagen University]]|title=Department of Computer Science, DIKU|date=29 July 2012 }}</ref>
* The Algorithms and Complexity Section, headed by [[Mikkel Thorup]], who conduct basic [[algorithms]] research, as well as research on [[data structures]] and [[computational complexity]]
* The Human‐Centered Computing Section, headed by [[Kasper Hornbæk]], who research [[human-computer interaction]], [[computer-supported cooperative work]], as well as [[health informatics]]
* The Image Section, headed by Kim Steenstrup Pedersen,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://kimstp.github.io/ | title=Kim Steenstrup Pedersen | access-date=2 April 2021 | author=Steenstrup Pedersen, Kim | language=en}}</ref> who work on [[image processing]] including [[medical image processing]], [[computer vision]], [[physically based animation|physics based animation]] and [[robotics]].
* The Machine Learning Section, headed by Christina Lioma,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://di.ku.dk/english/staff/?pure=en%2Fpersons%2Fchristina-lioma(f05aae41-ef94-4bb6-8562-8abb5e760f42)%2Fcv.html | title=Christina Lioma | access-date=2 April 2021 | author=Lioma, Christina | date=14 August 2007 | language=en}}</ref> researching theoretical [[machine learning]], [[information retrieval]], and [[Machine learning in bioinformatics|machine learning in biology]]
* The Natural Language Processing Section, headed by [[Isabelle Augenstein]],<ref>{{cite web | url=http://isabelleaugenstein.github.io/ | title=Isabelle Augenstein | access-date=2 April 2021 | author=Augenstein, Isabelle | language=en}}</ref> who conduct research on core [[natural language processing]], [[natural language understanding]], [[computational linguistics]], as well as [[multimodal learning]] 
* The Programming Languages and Theory of Computation section, headed by Martin Elsman,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://di.ku.dk/english/research/pltc/ | title=Programming Languages and Theory of Computation (PLTC)| date=22 August 2019}}</ref> researching [[programming languages]], [[theory of computation]], [[computer security]], and approaches to [[financial transparency]]
* The Software, Data, People & Society Section, headed by Thomas Troels Hildebrandt,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://di.ku.dk/english/staff/?pure=en/persons/350259 | title=Thomas Troels Hildebrandt | access-date=2 April 2021 | author=Hildebrandt, Thomas Troels | date=14 August 2007 | language=en}}</ref> who work on [[decentralised system]]s, [[data management|data management systems]], and [[process modelling]]

== Teaching ==
The department offers programmes at BSc as well as MSc level, both in core computer science and in interdisciplinary subjects. Bachelor's programmes are 3-year programmes and mostly taught in Danish, whereas Master's programmes are 2-year programmes and taught in English. In 2020, DIKU enrolled 610 new Bachelor's students and 136 new Master's students.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://di.ku.dk/ominstituttet/ansoegningstal/ | title=Ansøgnings- og optagelsestal | date=18 June 2019 | publisher=University of Copenhagen, Department of Computer Science | access-date=2 April 2021 | language=da}}</ref>
As of 2021, DIKU offers the following study programmes:<ref>{{cite web | url=https://di.ku.dk/english/courses-and-programmes/ | title=Courses and programmes | date=15 October 2019 | publisher=University of Copenhagen, Department of Computer Science | access-date=2 April 2021 | language=en}}</ref>
* Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Computer Science
* Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Machine Learning and Data Science
* Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Computer Science and Economy
* Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Communication and IT
* Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Health and IT
* Master of Science (MSc) in Computer Science
* Part-time Master of Science (MSc) in Computer Science
* Master of Science (MSc) in IT and Cognition
* Master of Science (MSc) in Communication and IT

In addition, the department awards the research degree [[Doctor of Philosophy|Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)]]. PhD students are enrolled in the [[University of Copenhagen Faculty of Science|Faculty of Science]]'s Doctoral School for a typical study period of between three and four years.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/ | title=PhD School of Science | date=9 September 2015 | publisher=University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Science | access-date=2 April 2021 | language=en}}</ref>

== Location ==
[[Image:DIKU.jpg|thumb|left|DIKU]]
[[Image:Datalogisk Institut - main entrance.jpg|thumb|The entrance]]
DIKU is based at [[University Park (University of Copenhagen)|University Park]] in Copenhagen, part of the university's [[North Campus (University of Copenhagen)|North Campus]]. Its building complex comprises the former Department of Anatomy. The building was completed in 1942 to design by [[Kaj Gottlob]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bygningskulturenshus.dk/blog_entries/anatomisk-institut/html|title=Anatomisk Institutlanguage=Danish|publisher=Bygningskulturens Hus|access-date=29 August 2017}}</ref>

The Human-Centered Computing Section is located in Sigurdsgade, close to the North Campus.

== Student life ==
An important social event is the DIKU [[revue]] which is held each year in June. The DIKU revue is always in competition with the [[physics]] revue and never misses an opportunity to computer-animate the complete and utter destruction of the physics institute at the [[H. C. Ørsted Institute]].

As something unique among the institutes of Copenhagen University, the DIKU cantine is entirely student driven and open 24 hours. It is the natural hub for all social events on DIKU.

The two largest social events are the DIKU revue and the ''Julefrokost'' (Christmas lunch) of the canteen.

== Notable faculty ==
* [[Corinna Cortes]], who co-developed the highly influential supervised [[machine learning]] method [[support vector machines]], has been an adjunct professor at the department since 2011.
* [[Mikkel Thorup]], best known for his work on [[shortest path problem]] in undirected graphs, has been a professor at the department since 2013.
* [[Kasper Hornbæk]], who won a [[SIGCHI]] Lifetime Achievement Award for his work on usability in [[human-computer interaction]], has been a professor at the department since 2014.
* [[Serge Belongie]], known for his work on [[object recognition]] and [[image segmentation]], has been a professor at the department since 2021.
* [[Isabelle Augenstein]], known for her research on [[natural language processing]], and for being appointed the youngest female full professor in Denmark in October 2022.

== Notable alumni ==
* [[Peter Naur]], a [[Turing Award]] recipient, was a professor at the department between 1969 and 1998.
* [[Per Brinch Hansen]], a [[IEEE Computer Pioneer Award]] winner, was a professor at the department between 1984 and 1987.
* [[Mads Tofte]], the first managing director of the [[IT University of Copenhagen]] and co-developer of the [[Standard ML]] programming language, who graduated with a MSc in Computer Science and Mathematics in 1984.
* [[Michael Seifert (programmer)|Michael Seifert]], a Danish computer programmer who developed the popular multiplayer text-based role-playing game [[DikuMud]], was a BSc then MSc student at the department from 1990 to 1996.

== Miscellaneous ==
The [[domain name|domain]] <code>diku.dk</code> was registered on October 29, 1987, and was one of the first [[.dk]] domain names to be registered.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.netsite.dk/blog/2015/03/verdens-foerste-domaenenavn-fylder-30-i-dag/ | title=Verdens første domænenavn fylder 30 i dag | publisher=Netsite | date=15 March 2015 | access-date=7 January 2016}}</ref>

The popular [[DikuMUD]] codebase was developed at DIKU in March 1990, and derives its name from the institute.<ref name="shahromine-diku">{{cite book
 | last1 = Shah | first1 = Rawn
 | last2 = Romine | first2 = James
 | year = 1995
 | title = Playing MUDs on the Internet
 | publisher = John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
 | page = 22
 | isbn = 0-471-11633-5
 | quote = DikuMud first appeared in mid-March of 1990 when a group of programmers at the Department of Computer Science at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark got together and began work on a multiplayer game that is similar to but improved on AberMuds.  These coders were Hans Henrik Stærfeldt, Katja Nyboe, Tom Madsen, [[Michael Seifert (programmer)|Michael Seifert]], and Sebastian Hammer.
}}</ref>

In the 1994 Danish [[Thriller film|thriller]] [[Nightwatch (1994 film)|Nattevagten]] ([[Nightwatch (1994 film)|Nightwatch]]) directed by [[Ole Bornedal]], the main entrance and stairwell of the institute was used as a main location.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.diku.dk DIKU homepage]
*[http://www.diku.dk/ominstituttet/historie-lang/ DIKU's history]

{{University of Copenhagen|academics|state = expanded}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:University of Copenhagen]]
[[Category:Computer science departments]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges established in 1970]]
[[Category:Educational institutions in Denmark]]