About CEFAU
CEFAU is an economic research and analysis centre focusing on the business sector and the conditions shaping it. Our work combines high-quality academic research with practical analysis, translating complex economic issues into clear, actionable knowledge to aid private and public decision-makers who share a common interest in the business sector.
What we do
- Conduct independent research on key economic and business topics
- Provide fact-based analysis and policy recommendations
- Deliver insights on how framework conditions affect firms and markets
- Share knowledge with decision-makers, researchers, and stakeholders at large
Founded in 2025 with support from Købmand Herman Salling’s Foundation, CEFAU is based at the Department of Economics and Business Economics at Aarhus University.
Address
CEFAU
Universitetsbyen 51-53
Building 1814
8000 Aarhus C
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The two pillars of CEFAU
CEFAU consists of two pillars: CEFAU Research and CEFAU Analysis, each created with its own distinct purpose. CEFAU Research teaches and focuses on in-depth, data-driven university research, while CEFAU Analysis conducts shorter, timely analyses on current affairs and policy topics and actively contributes to the public debate on business and industry. Together, the two pillars make CEFAU a strong and independent knowledge provider.
“Firms and industry dynamics have a decisive impact on a wide range of societal outcomes such as globalisation, the green transition, and technological development – yet our understanding of firms’ opportunities, barriers, and interaction with political framework conditions remains largely incomplete.”
The centre directors
Research methodology
CEFAU employs cutting-edge empirical and theoretical methodologies. We have access to extensive Danish register data at the firm level, which enables us to examine firm behavior and their interaction with economic markets. Our focus is on how business dynamics and framework conditions influence corporate decision-making and profitability.
We aim to shed light on decisions made within individual firms as a consequence of economic market conditions and politically determined framework conditions, and to investigate how firms manage to remain competitive in a dynamic world. We make our findings accessible to businesses and policymakers to ensure that decisions are made on the most informed basis possible.
