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Discover Denmark - opportunities for postgraduate studies
Known as a liberal, progressive and highly educated country, Denmark is welcoming international students interested in a range of distinctive postgraduate programmes. Michael Huss Svejstrup and Jesper Langergaard provide an attractive introduction to Danish higher education.
Danish poet once compared Denmark to a grain of sand when you look at it from a foreign shore. But to the Danes the country seems very large. Denmark is certainly a small country with only five million inhabitants, but it nevertheless offers postgraduate students many options and opportunities in the field of higher education. A growing number of international students have already experienced the values and qualities of Danish study programmes and Danish higher education institutions are happy to welcome talented students from all over the world.
Danish higher education institutions are all internationally oriented and offer a wide selection of programmes and individual courses taught in English. This means that you can study for a globally recognized degree or add credits to your national degree, while experiencing Danish culture, society and the way of living. Danish higher education has a long academic tradition that combines excellence with a dynamic and innovative culture in education as well as in research areas. Apart from attending lectures, students work together in small groups and are encouraged to contribute actively to discussions. The student's own critical and analytical initiative is an important element of postgraduate education in Denmark.With the international labour market being increasingly competitive, many higher education institutions cooperate with businesses and research institutions, bringing about an enriching and upto- date learning environment for all students.
An extensive selection of programmes and courses taught in English makes it easy to find suitable study opportunities at all levels, but particularly amongst the postgraduate qualifications. All institutions use the European credit transfer system, ECTS, facilitating international credit transfer and qualification recognition. Students receive certificates, diplomas, or other types of documentation, for all completed courses and all students finishing a full postgraduate degree or diploma receive a Diploma Supplement in English.
Universities have a commitment to teach and do research at the highest international level. Some are multifaculty institutions covering many disciplines; other institutions are specialized in technical science, agriculture and veterinary science, business and architecture. All institutions are placed in the larger cities and have close cooperation with the local community around them. Postgraduate degrees are structured through two-year candidatus programmes (MSc/MA), which require a thesis of up to one year in duration before the qualification is awarded. Threeyear PhD programmes requiring independent study and research, as well as a lengthy thesis and oral defence, are commonplace. The approach to studying is robust, “I like the Danish way of studying very much,” says Anna Ryl from Poland, a student pursuing a degree in Intercultural Management. She continues “I find it quite challenging – especially the oral examinations.”
For international students, the issue of quality and recognition is important. All higher education institutions in Denmark are state recognized. They receive their main funding from the Danish state and, though they enjoy a high degree of autonomy, must follow the national regulations on teacher qualifications, award structures and external evaluation of their study programmes. This system ensures high quality at all institutions. Additionally, library, IT and laboratory facilities are excellent and students usually have free access to make use of these resources. “I like the good facilities.When I first got here, I immediately got my own desk and computer,” says Portuguese biologist Rita Maria Tinoco da Silva Torres.
At most education institutions, the first semester begins in August/September and finishes in December/January, with Christmas holiday in between. The second semester starts in January/ February and ends in June, with the Easter holiday in between. The structure of the academic year is a key feature of Danish higher education. Philip Robinson, an Irish national studying religion agrees, “I like the pace of life in Denmark, the cycles and the way of studying. The students learn to reflect upon their own choices, get detailed feedback and have to defend their projects at oral exams.” The different holiday breaks make it possible for students to plan their own time with regards to studying, working and travelling. Many international students use the vacations to explore Denmark and the other European countries close by – an important aspect of being an international student.
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