Rector welcomes international students

The traditional Matriculation Ceremony at Ceremonial Hall Thursday drew crowds of new international students. They listened attentively to speech made in English by Rector Ralf Hemmingsen.

In his speech, the Little Mermaid took centre stage. Since she has been sent to Shanghai to be part of the 2010 EXPO, Hemmingsen compared the tiny world-famous statue to the newly-arrived international students.

»Perhaps you have something in common with the Little Mermaid: you will recognise the feeling of being in between two cultures,« he said.

Participation is expected

More, and yet more, students to Copenhagen

More foreign students than ever are the proud owners of white University of Copenhagen student ID cards.

For every two internationals that called Copenhagen their home five years ago, there are now three.

This can be seen from figures released to the University Post from the International Office.

Years of increases

In 2009-2010 there were 2126 internationals who had enrolled during the year, a five per cent increase compared to the same period the year before. The increase comes on the top of a year-on-year wave of newcomers to the city.

Top 5 places to get free or cheap stuff

For international students arriving in Copenhagen, housing is the top priority.

But once the key to the anticipated dorm room or shared apartment has been collected, it is time to make the tiny bare space feel like home – a cosy refuge from the social whirlwind and new experiences that lie ahead.

For tips on how to decorate on a budget, the Copenhagen way, here is our top 5 list of places to scavenge, barter or buy cheap stuff:

5. Flea markets

Black humour and culture shock at intro event

High summer means new students in town, and the first introductory meeting for international students was held Monday 9 August.

Around 500 curious students packed into the Christian Hansen auditorium at the Faculty of Social Sciences (CSS) Monday afternoon.

See our photo gallery of the event here.

The first hour of the meeting was highly practical: the Danish welfare state has a lot to offer, but requires a whole list of papers to be filled out. Unfamiliar with these, the audience had to take notes continuously.

Culture shock preparation

Internationals flock to new pharma MSc

English-language Pharmaceutical Science MSc attracts more internationals than expected. 14 out of the 30 new students starting on 1 September are international students.

This is according to the faculty’s website.

2010 is the first year that the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences offers an international MSc programme in the pharmaceutical sciences, taught in English.

Exceeded expectations

When the course was launched, it was estimated that around 5 international students would take part. However, the new MSc has been a bigger hit internationally than first thought.

Denmark charmed more students last year

Three per cent more exchange and guest students from overseas chose Denmark as their host country in 2009, compared to 2008. This is after year-on-year increases.

This is according to a press release by Danske Universiteter (Danish Universities, ed.).

The University of Copenhagen has seen a much greater increase than the average at the Danish universities. Six per cent more internationals chose the University of Copenhagen in 2009 than in 2008. This increase is double that of Danish universities in general.

Huge increase over five years

New internationals: From airport to auditorium

Carlsberg, Mærsk, Søren Kirkegaard and H.C. Andersen were some of the quintessentially Danish concepts presented to around 150 expectant and slightly nervous new international students from all over the world.

They had fought the cold and, in some cases, dragged enormous suitcases straight from the airport to the Faculty of Social Sciences so they could attend the International Office’s orientation meeting.

Colombian student: We were ‘better mentors’

We did not have to wait long to see the reaction to a Faculty of Humanities Mentor Group decision to no longer use international students as mentors.

Colombian student Mauro Castaño is one of the international mentors who has been kicked out, and he finds the decision rude.

He himself had a Danish mentor when he arrived to Denmark and it was, he says, a complete disaster. The mentor couldn’t care less about him, he says.

International students valuable mentors

Non-Danes kicked out of mentor group

For three semesters now, international students have, together with Danes, been mentors of exchange students at the Faculty of Humanities.

International mentors proved to be good mentors as they already had experienced the same coming-to-Denmark situation.

But now, the Faculty of Humanities has got rid of all non-Danish mentors. Danes are more appropriate for the task due to their knowledge of Denmark and, therefore, they can integrate better the newcomers, the Faculty argues.

Danes know Denmark