Because short term is not just trending

The UCPH International Summer Programme provides broad academic choice of core academic and interdisciplinary research-based summer courses. This year, it includes more than 40 courses distributed across our six faculties, covering a wide range of subjects such as Cultural Rights, Environmental Justice, Global Health Challenges and Urban Culture.

Not a summer holiday

The summer courses at UCPH are anchored in the research at the local departments and are taught by UCPH professors. They often use the opportunity to cooperate or even co-develop courses with other research-intensive universities, and invite guest lecturers to strengthen the learning outcomes.

When asking Associate Professor Tine Alkjaer at Rethinking Healthcare – innovation as a powerful driver about the benefits of planning an international summer school she reply: 

”The course was developed through a number of co-creation workshops that firstly included the students, who gave their input and wishes to a course with the focus on healthcare and innovation, and secondly workshops that included experts in innovation from different Danish universities and healthcare professionals. These professionals helped us putting together the final course content ensuring that state-of-the art theories and methods were included.”

Innovative methods and learning environments

The summer courses often make use of innovative teaching methods and learning environments. This compels the students to reset their conventional learning pattern and way of communicating new knowledge. P.hd. Student Rafel Simó Vicens at Rethinking Healthcare, further explains: “Innovation is not something you learn. […] Innovation goes beyond theory and trains your mind to think out of the box.”

Even though the students have decided to skip their summer holidays for an academically rigorous summer school experience, the courses often provide the opportunity to participate in social activities as well. The extracurricular activities work to strengthen the bond between the students, but they also help to enrich the academic purpose by extending the traditional classroom and include off campus activities.  

Internationalisation at home

Since the launch of our summer programme, students from all corners of the world have entered the doors to our faculties. The international classroom that is created has mutually benefitted our local students, some of whom may not have the possibilities to study abroad. As one summer programme participants elaborates: “It gives you an opportunity to see the world in your own backyard.”