Achieving international learning experiences with a talent programme

Win-win on both sides
To attract international talent and to support students from selected fields in studying abroad, the University of Copenhagen and Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk have set up the Novo Nordisk International Talent Program (NNITP). NNITP is one example of how universities can collaborate with industry to allow for resources, knowledge and competencies to come together to benefit both parties. On top of that, NNITP helps create international experiences for students from selected fields within the STEM disciplines. 

Every year in November, all NNITP students are invited to a reception with the Rector, Novo Nordisk executives and university staff – both academic and administrative. Here they share ideas, testimonials and experiences, while business cards and new pharmaceutical concepts change hands. Although everyone agrees that NNITP is rewarding for both research and education at UCPH, the message from the students is loud and clear: “The support from NNITP made it possible for me to study at the University of Cambridge this summer”, as Troels Boldt Rømer said explicitly in his presentation. All other students acknowledge this statement.

Troels is a medical student on third year of his Bachelor’s at UCPH. Since NNITP supports semester-long, short-term and research studies abroad, he was able to participate in a IARU Global Summer Programme at the University of Cambridge. This gave him a whole new outlook: “The opportunity to study abroad, get new perspectives and pick the ‘scientific fruits’ from some of the world's most inspiring universities is both healthy and necessary if my generation of students and researchers are to be able to address the major challenges of our time - whether it comes to diseases, climate change or economic systems.”

Supporting both inbound and outbound student mobility, NNITP makes sure that valuable exchanges of talent and motivated students take place every semester between the University of Copenhagen and select partners. This aligns well with the University’s vision, where research-based programmes are to deliver the best candidates. For this UCPH needs to recruit the best students and ensure good international relations with the best universities and their talented students.

A growing pool of talents
Three years into the programme, the pool of talented students has grown. By supporting talents within related fields of studies, Novo Nordisk has removed financial impediments to studying abroad and created a pool of students with international experiences at research-based universities, giving them a professional network at the beginning of their carriers.

As NNITP recipient and biochemistry student, Simona Kotesova, puts it; “On top of the

financial support, NNITP has provided me with a professional network. I have participated in two of the annual scholarship receptions, where I have engaged in great conversations with previous recipients as well as prominent leaders in the Copenhagen science community.”

The network and the international experience with NNITP had a strong impact on Simona, and she decided to stay in Copenhagen after finishing her semester. “I couldn't imagine leaving Copenhagen forever, so I applied for a Master’s in medicinal chemistry at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences – and now I’m living in Copenhagen and studying for my Master’s.”

Renewed in 2016, the talent programme will continue to foster a global mindset in talents from a range of select academic fields pertaining to metabolism, insulin, hemoglobin and obesity. The programme is open for students enrolled at partner universities in the International Alliance of Research Universities and Harvard University.

UCPH is looking forward to welcoming many talented scholarship students in the future.