More – but Too Few – Danish Students Studying Abroad

More and more students are crossing the Danish border. Both international students coming to Denmark to read, and Danish students on their way to study visits or internships abroad.

This appears from the newest statistics on student mobility for the 2008/2009 academic year, when nearly 8,500 Danish students were staying abroad, and well over 16,600 international students were on study visits in Denmark.

In 2008/2009, the number of Danish students reading abroad rose by nearly three per cent, while the number of international students in Denmark rose by two per cent.

– It is a positive thing that more young Danes are ready for a study visit or internship abroad. This is an advantage both to themselves, the universities and the Danish society: our industries need graduates and employees with an international understanding in order to compete successfully in the global competition, says Science Minister Charlotte Sahl-Madsen.

– But the increase is a modest one, and we need even more young Danes with international experience, understanding and outlook. So next month we will launch the campaign "Grib Verden" ("Seize the World"), which is intended to motivate and inspire more Danish students to go on a study visit or internship abroad.

The campaign includes a website with video material communicating the knowledge and experience gained by students during study visits abroad and leaving room for direct exchange of experience between the young people.

Overall, it is estimated that one in five graduates at the universities has been on a study visit abroad.

– I believe that students – at the university programmes where this is relevant - should basically spend one term of their studying time abroad. Young people who have already been abroad report that this seems to increase their global and cultural understanding, and also gives a boost to their professional insight and personal development. Qualities in demand by the job market. In addition, we definitely need to reduce the administrative barriers to young people who wish to study abroad so that a larger number will be going, says the Science Minister.

Charlotte Sahl-Madsen points out that economically Danish students can study abroad on very favourable terms since they can bring along their state education grants and in many cases receive international scholarships for full or partial payment of their tuition fees.

International scholarships were introduced in 2008, and nearly 900 Danish students availed themselves of the scheme during the first year. In 2009, more than 1,200 used the scheme, corresponding to an increase close on 38 per cent.

Science Minister Charlotte Sahl-Madsen can be contacted via Information Manager Allan Boldt, tel. +45 22 92 62 03, abo@vtu.dk.

Further information about the mobility statistics can be obtained from the Danish Agency for International Education, Ken Thomassen, Chief Consultant, tel. +45 33 92 62 43, keth@iu.dk.

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