History and Inspiration

It is always worth remembering why – with no previous history of making grants of this size outside Denmark – the AP Møller Foundation’s decision to donate a substantial amount to this specific project at this particular college.

To quote Mr Møller directly, “Had it not been for the leadership of that great man Winston Churchill, the nations of Europe would not have been free in 1945. Let us never forget, generation after generation.”

As Ane Mærsk Mc-Kinney Uggla, his youngest daughter, said on our 25th anniversary, “The Institute has followed the spirit of my father from the start and has proved worthy of his legacy.”

The Institute is a world-class, dedicated residential leadership development and conference centre at Churchill College, University of Cambridge. Our inspiration comes from the connection between two inspirational leaders, Sir Winston Churchill and Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller, whose vision and benefaction has created a unique ‘Centre for Excellence’.

The Møller Institute, named after a renowned shipping magnate, was constructed through a generous donation from a well-established Danish institution established in 1953. The Foundation, which supports various causes related to national heritage, shipping, industry, and science, was established by none other than the magnate himself, A.P. Møller.

Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller’s admiration for Sir Winston Churchill and the College’s excellence in science and engineering led him to contribute towards the establishment of the Institute in 1992, which Her Majesty Queen Ingrid of Denmark inaugurated.