Center for Computational Thinking and Design (CCTD) was founded in 2018 to set the agenda for international research and to develop research-based education with an emphasis on digital technology (TechEd) to strengthen citizens' digital competences and their democratic participation in a digitalized society. We term this agenda as computational empowerment.

The CCTD vision is to give citizens, particularly children and youth equal opportunity to acquire competences to construct and reflect on digital technology – in relation to their own life, their community engagement and society in general. 

In CCTD we believe that digital competencies such as the investigation of complex problems that can be handled by a computer, design of new digital solutions, and understanding the ethical and democratic consequences of digital technologies should be taught with progression throughout formal (and informal) education ranging from preschool to a university level.

The purpose of CCTD research and development is to:

1. Create ground-breaking research results on computational empowerment at the highest international level.
2. Set and qualify the policy agenda in Denmark and internationally, in relation to the digital competences of citizens and, particularly in relation to children and youth.
3. Build educational capacity for technology comprehension at all levels of education through education of PhDs, research-based educational content and tools to pre-service and in-service training programs for educators (K-12) and by offering consultancy to educational institutions. 

CCTD integrates computer science and humanistic disciplines and develops digital technology and digital competences through research studies (theory building, experimental tools, qualitative studies and design interventions) with a high degree of stakeholder participation.