It’s all about engaging

The first thing you notice when talking to Tom is his interest in Denmark and Danish culture. An interest that apparently has followed him since early childhood and into his adult life. His encounter with the Danish language through a friend was perhaps accidental but it was a kick starter for his fondness of and interest in the country. This interest has been the foundation for his meeting with Denmark and Danish academic culture. When asking him what his first reaction to UCPH was, he says “I felt like I belonged at UCPH when I arrived”.
The sense of belonging and eagerness to become part of the UCPH community and wider Danish society are strongly reflected in Tom’s activities outside his classes.

It's all about engaging
Tom has already made an impressive effort to settle in at the university and in the country itself. The list of things he is involved in, both academically and socially, is long. Through the app ‘Meet up’, Tom finds new friends with common interests, he functions as a mentor in the UCPH Mentor Programme for new students, he has a student job where he assists a blind PhD student at UCPH and he is part of the career programme Young Professionals in Denmark (YPD), just to mention a few. 
Recently he joined the Danish charity DanChurchSocial (Kirkens Korshær) where he volunteers in a Soup Kitchen for homeless people. Tom explains it as “the Danish way of giving back and creating social awareness”. It might not open doors to a job in Denmark, but it gives him so much else – an identity and a role in the local community.

Get a foothold in the Danish labour market
All in all, Tom is very content with his life and studies in Denmark. His only concern is that it might be a challenge to find a job in Denmark after graduation, which he aims for.
By engaging in so many things Tom hopes that his involvement in activities at and outside UCPH will give him an opportunity to enter the Danish labour market when he graduates this summer. With Tom’s love for Denmark, a job with Danish colleagues is high on the list.
Earlier he had a student job at a global pharmaceutical company in Denmark and thought that he would experience a Danish work environment, improve his Danish language skills and that it could be a way into the Danish Labour market. Unfortunately for Tom, the work environment was so international that even his manager was international and did not speak Danish. All in all, it was a good job experience but maybe more an international experience than a Danish one.

Not just about getting a degree
Tom’s level of engagement might be a bit rare, but he still exemplifies the many issues that often fill up the minds of international students. First, they need to get to know a new culture away from home. Second, they must also learn a new academic culture of attending classes and taking exams. On top of this, most international students really want to feel like they are part of their new community and culture. Some students, like Tom, do this by volunteering or having a student job. Other students might do it differently. Regardless of their level of engagement outside the classroom, many students share the same concern: “What can I do when I’m done with my studies”?

We wish Tom all the best finding a job in Denmark. One thing is for sure: His commitment to engage in activities outside the classroom gives him a unique understanding of the Danish language and culture, an important network and a range of ‘soft skills’ that will benefit him.

By Christina Grauballe and Simone Hauskov

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