The Student Handbook 2020

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Editors Anna Nørgaard Sørensen Mathilde Elsig Christine Plesner Translated by Sandra Lyngsie Pedersen Design Graphic design and illustrations by Matilde Digmann Layout by Mija Byung Photos University of Copenhagen Student Union Daniel Urhøj The University of Copenhagen

Print Narayana Press Published by The Student Union at the University of Copenhagen Købmagergade 52, 3rd floor.

1150 Copenhagen K www.srku.dk ISBN 978-87-91993-15-2 EAN 9788791993152 Editing finished by June 2020

Preface

This is the 128th edition of the Student Handbook. The first time it was published - in 1892 - it was published in a small, dry and contently packed pocket-book. Since then, it has developed gradually in both size and content, and today it won’t fit into most pockets.

Whether you’re going to put it into your pocket or not, we hope to transform your nervousness about starting your studies at UCPH into excitement.

The book is written and published by the Student Union that consists of a lot of students just like you. In the Student Union, we are passionate about making the start of your new life as a student the best as humanly possible!

There are plenty of others that are passionate about the same thing as you. Among others, your mentors (tutorer) or ‘rus’ counsellors who you’ll meet before long. They’ll do their best to tell you about what it feels like to be a part of your specific educational programme. They know much more about that than here at the Student Union. You could say that your mentors know a lot about your specific educational programme, but the Student Union knows little about a lot of things: we have the great overview of student life at the University of Copenhagen.

It is that kind of overview we open this book with.

Here you‘ll get an insight into the campus areas of UCPH, where to find the nearest student bar or reading hall and how UCPH is connected online.

In chapter two, we offer you an insight into our community as UCPH-students, how we can influence the university, what we fight for - and most important of all: how you can join!

For many students, the thing about being a student is more than just reading and doing experiments. Chapter three is about student life at UCPH, academically and socially.

Are you in need of help, but don’t know where to go? Chapter four can be the guide you need. Here you’ll find a list of initiatives that work to help students.

Finally, in chapter five, you’ll find general knowledge about everything concerning UCPH - from the many weird abbreviations to study discounts.

Other than that, you can read more about the Student House (Studenterhuset), which will be your new favourite café!

CONTENT

Contents Chapter 4 Get help

Chapter 1 The great overview

4

WELCOME TO YOUR AND OUR UNIVERSITY

6

A GREETING FROM YOUR PRINCIPAL

8-25

The Great Overview

10

CAMPUS (MAPS OF UCPH)

18

THE STUDENT BAR

20

THE READING HALL

24

HOW TO SURVIVE THE IT-SYSTEMS OF UCPH

26-37

Our community

28

STUDENT DEMOCRACY AT UCPH

32

ENGAGE IN THE COMMUNITY

36

THE FOUR BATTLES OF UCPH STUDENTS

38-59

Life as a UCPH student

40

GET TO KNOW THE FACULTIES

44

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR UNI

48

ACADEMIA OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

51

STUDY ABROAD

54

STUDYING AND WORKING AT THE SAME TIME

58

FOLLOW UNIVERSITY POST

60-79 Get help

Chapter 3 Life as a UCPH student Chapter 2 Our community Chapter 5 The encyclopaedia

62

WE ARE HERE FOR YOU

65

THE STUDENT UNION‘S ACTIVITY SUPPORT

66

THE STUDENT COUNSELLOR

69

THE STUDENT AMBASSADOR

70

CENTRE FOR THERAPY (PSC)

72

DISABLED STUDENTS & POSTGRADUATES, DSP (HSK)

74

QUKU - THE QUEER UNION AT UCHP

77

STUDUING PARENTS

78

YOUNG RIGHTS

80-96 The encyclopaedia 82

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF UCPH

94

THE STUDENT HOUSE (STUDENTERHUSET)

Welcome to your and our university It can seem terrifying and like a big deal to start at the University of Copenhagen. It’s an entirely new chapter of your life - you might wonder; ‘is it going to be a good one?’ Similar chapters have been written for thousands of students before you, and even though no one have an identical story, we dare to promise you that the chapter of the University of Copenhagen will become one of the best in your story.

The University of Copenhagen is not just big buildings with reading halls and genius professors.

The University of Copenhagen is our university and it can also be yours. All it takes is for you to want to be a part of creating it. UCPH is an everchanging university and is created by it’s students.

As students, we are parts of creating our classes, our knowledge, our communities - our university.

Our university offers exciting syllabi and inspiring professors, but that is not is everything. UCPH is also our fellow students, the student bars, the communities and everything else not related to your classes That is where your student life takes place. It is in the study group that allows you to immerse into the syllabus and provides you with crazy discussions about the most exciting parts of the reading material. It is your fellow students that you meet at the student bar who put a smile on your face after a long week of studying and thereby helps you through it. It is your local council that help transfer your frustrations into action when parts of your educational programme could be improved. It is

the football team that provides you with new friendships and makes sports feel fun.

UCPH is all of the fantastic people that you’ll meet in your time as a student, all of the exciting knowledge you’ll gain and all of the wonderful experiences you’ll have. UCPH is all of these things and more - and that is why the next couple of years will be some of the best.

Our best piece of advice to you is to make UCPH your own university. Be a part of making it into exactly the university you want it to be. Engage in that and your fellow students, leap into new experiences and enjoy all of the best that UCPH has to offer.

We want to wish you a warm welcome to your and our university. We’re looking forward to see how you and all of your new fellow students will make UCPH an even nicer place to be.

Best wishes, Anna, Mads, Maria, Mike, Nicolas and Valdemar

Welcome 5

Wunderkind and old boy Dear new students! Welcome to UCPH Chilling wow-experiences. As addictive as watching Netflix. Scientific cliff-hangers. Academic suspense. Look forward to experience the state of mind that your education can put you in - in starry moments presented in collaboration with the beaming professors of UCPH. As students at UCPH, you share life-paths with notable persons from the person gallery of UCPH from which it is easy to namedrop heavy-weight champions: Tycho Brahe, Søren Kierkegaard, Niels Bohr or Inge Lehmann.

Yes, UCPH is an old boy with 541 years of experience on his LinkedIn-profile, since the university logged on to the world in 1479: the Reformation, autocracy, the canon balls of Lord Nelson, state bankruptcy & the Golden Age, dreams of being a superpower & defeat, plaque & cholera, democracy, world wars, women’s liberation, youth riots, climate change and corona. Nevertheless, the university is like a wunderkind at all times, that no matter the pressure of the events, manages to reinvent itself and the world.

How so? The researchers deliver new knowledge, newly found in the laboratory or the conscious mind, which can contribute to solving every kind of problem. Such as corona that calls for all of UCPH’s scholarly diversity: vaccines, control, preventions, changes in behaviour, online learning, governmental crisis-control, psycho-social healing, financial and cultural reconstruction.

At the same time, the university gets a new influx of students, asking critical questions concerning already established truths about everything from climate change to gender. The magical break at the university happens when the two - researchers and students - melt together into one in the research-based educa6

Welcome

tion. An invincible construction that equips you student with an always renewable capability to open every package of knowledge - a new technology, a new job or a new crisis.

Big words. High expectations? Don’t despair.

You have the best boss. Yourself. Say goodbye to the pupil that learns duties and schedules and say hello to the student that takes responsibility for its own life and learning. The one who manages his/her own rationality will also feel the motivation.

There’s no “real” way to study. Find your own.

But be sure of the fact that your education demands complete attention. Turn up for classes and at times it will be tiresome, before cracking the study-code and a blissful feeling of a flow will arise.

Important: you’re better together. The scholarly trials of the study group are just as valuable as the gems you can snap up at the lecture.

And remember to ‘hygge’, have some fun. Take a walk in nature. Play a round of softball. Invite them out for a picnic or or start a book club.

Right now (May), we don’t know what kind of study start awaits us after everything with the coronavirus. The traditional matriculation at Frue Plads with thousands of students and handshakes with the principal, is not coronacompatible in its current shape. And what about cabin trips, sleeping halls and dancing? We’re planning a ‘mixed’ study start with both physical and online elements in line with the guidelines from the health authorities.

Student counsellors, professors and fellow students are right now tumbling around with new ideas of the possible. Don’t worry: UCPH - the eternal wonder child - will reinvent itself and create a new, great beginning for your lives as students.

All thanks to the richness of your ideas.

Best study wishes from Henrik & Bente

Principal Henrik C. Wegener Velkommen 7 Pro Vice-Chancellor Bente M. Stallknecht

CHAPTER 1

The great overviev For a new student (well, even for a senior student) the University of Copenhagen can seem like a gigantic institution, where it is impossible to figure out what is important to know.

We’ve tried to figure it out, in order to give you an overview of what is important for you to know.

8 The great overview

The great overview 9

Campus The University of Copenhagen is divided into four campus areas all over Copenhagen: Campus Frederiksberg, Campus North, Campus City and Campus South.

As a student at the University of Copenhagen, you’ll usually only be connected to one, maybe two, of the aforementioned campus areas. But you’ll find it useful in your time as a student to get to know the other campus areas and the students that go there. You’ll maybe find that one campus area is closer to where you live than the one where you take your classes . That way you’ll find a new place to study that’s closer to home. It might be, that you’ll find yourself thirsty for a cold soda or cheap beer and you can find a new student bar to go to. All it takes, is to know where to find them!

We’ve tried to fulfill your needs by drawing four maps of the University of Copenhagen - one for each campus area. You might think, “what do I need an old map for, when I can just use Google Maps on my phone?” Our suggestion is that you use these four maps as an addition to Google Maps - as an overview of how UCPH divides itself across the city. on the maps, you’ll see how we’ve highlighted UCPH’s buildings and which faculty they represent. That way you’ll get a sense of who belongs where.

10 The great overview

1. ÅR ER GRATIS Tilmeld dig via app’en Hello Fellow

TINE

As a supplement to the four maps, we’ve shortly described four student bars and reading halls (they’ve been highlighted on the maps). They only make up a small section of the student bars and study halls at UCPH, but can be used as an inspiration to explore the university. With that said, our suggestion to you is simple: explore UCPH and exploit that the university is divided all over Copenhagen - that way you’ll have access to all of the university’s opportunities and facilities.

læser molekylærbiologi på KU

5.000 STUDERENDE PÅ KU HAR ALLEREDE GJORT DET… …De er blevet studiemedlemmer af IDA og har fået adgang til de fedeste fordele, der giver dem et forspring på studiet og luft i SU-budgettet.

Gør det samme og bliv en del af et stærkt fællesskab.

The great overview 11

12 The great overview

The great overview 13

14 The great overview

The great overview 15

Mød os i studiestarten på KU

DU ER MERE VÆRD, END DU TROR

Pssst !

Vidste du forresten, at du som medlem af DM har eksklusiv adgang til billige studieforsikringer hos Lærerstandens Brandforsikring?

Studerer du medicin, så besøg bauta.dk/mereværd

Sørg for at være godt forsikret Med en studieforsikring hos Lærerstandens Brandforsikring får du tre forsikringer i én fra 199 kr. om måneden: • Indboforsikring med elektronikdækning: 50 % rabat • Rejseforsikring i hele verden: 50 % rabat • Ulykkesforsikring med farlig sport: 25 % rabat Er du medlem af Dansk Magisterforening, får du tre fordele oveni: • 0 kr. i selvrisiko, hvis din cykel bliver stjålet • Heltidsdækning på din ulykkesforsikring • Et helt års ekstra rabat på dine forsikringer, når du er færdiguddannet Gå ind på lb.dk/studie eller ring til os på 33 95 76 80.

16 The great overview

The great overview 17

Lærerstandens Brandforsikring – en del af LB Forsikring A/S, CVR-nr. 16 50 08 36, Amerika Plads 15, 2100 København Ø

The student bar By: University Post Campus City

Campus North Campus South

Kommunen Campus City, CSS, building 12

Helga Campus South, building 12 (room 12.3.68)

Kommunen is the meeting place for students at the Faculty of Social Sciences and it can get crazy when tie-wearing boys from Economy meet the sly girls from Psychology on the dance floor in a beautiful symbiosis. Somewhat famous DJs often headline their parties and on a good Friday, you’ll find the dance floor completely packed.

Kommunen offers table football, shots and cheap beer along with many dark corners that has sketchy couches that make up perfect kissing nooks, when the night comes to an end. KØS (Communal Beer Service) serves special craft beer every Friday afternoon, which makes it a perfect place for you to start your weekend.

The past and the present meet in a wonderful combination at Helga: on the walls you’ll find historical persons in paintings framed in gold, while the bartenders pour shots to the guests in a manner that only the historical persons could dream of.

Helga throws a party or “Friday bar” every single Friday of the semester.

18 The great overview

INFORMATION: University Post has made an exhaustive list of the student bars at UCPH: uniavisen.dk/den-store-guide-til-kus-fredagsbarer/

Studenterklubben (The Students’ Club) at Panum Campus North, Panum Institute, Blegdamsvej 3b, building 9 We won’t ever really know if the students at Panum have access to a special kind of caffeine pills, but the fact is that the “Friday bars” at Studenterklubben last from 11.00 am to 11.45 pm.

Colored lights, concerts and a crowded dance floor is a stable at Studenterklubben. If you, for some reason, don’t think that a 12-hour party sounds crazy enough, then Studenterklubben is also renowned for their 69-hour long parties. That is 69 hours (nearly three days!) in a row where the party doesn’t stop with a long list of DJs, live bands, stand-up and different themed sections of the party. People who’ve been there tell us that the lines for the parties can be rather long - so be there in good time if you want to be a part of the party.

Campus Frederiksberg A-vej Campus Frederiksberg Dyrlægevej 7 Everybody loves A-vej. The bar (whose name is an abbreviation of Acaciavej) is an institution at the University of Copenhagen. Why? Maybe it is due to the great rooms in the former Farming School, where the walls are decorated with wallpaintings by the famous Danish artist Storm P. Maybe it is due to the cheap craft beer, that sell so quickly that A-vej is one of Carlsberg’s biggest customers and have even gotten their own beer-glasses made from the same brewery. Or it might be due to the fact that the regulars from Veterinary Medicine, Biotechnology and Human Nutrition know how to party.

The great overview 19

The reading hall

THE LIBRARY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES CITY

KUB

Do you feel that the distance from Nordvest to Campus South is too far this morning?

Are you tired of the coffee where you usually study?

Are maybe you just need a change of scene?

CAMPUS SOUTH

By: University Post For many students at UCPH, a lot of their study time happens in the form of independent studying. It might be that you have to read a long article or write a recurrent week-paper. No matter what, it is an art-form to be able to study by yourself. It is something that you have to train for and it demands patience. For some, it can take several years to figure out how to study in the best possible way for oneself. Some people study vacation-style: get up early and hi-jack the best spots from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Other people study well into the night as mad geniuses with red eyes and 26 litres of coffee in their blood. Whether you are an A, B, C or D study person, the reading hall can be the place that gives you the kind of structure you need.

Especially, if your neighbour has been working on their apartment for 15 hours straight or if Netflix has gotten the better of you.

20 The great overview

Campus North: KUB North (KUB Nord) At Campus North, you’ll find the students from the Faculty of Science and from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. Here you can find the faculty library KUB North (also known as The Faculty Library of Health, Medicine and Science). Other than nearly 500 study spots, the library also has a mix of both reading halls, group rooms and silent study spaces. You’ll find the spaces for silent study in the Old Reading Hall (Den gamle læsesal) and in the two silent reading halls attached to the ground floor of the Book Hall (Bogsalen). The group spots can be found in the Info Hall (Infosalen, the room with all of the wallpaintings) and on both floors of the Book Hall.

KUB NORTH

KUB FREDERIKSBERG

The great overview 21

INFORMATION: University Post has made an exhaustive list of the reading halls at UCPH: www.uniavisen.dk/den-store-guide-til-laesesale-i-koebenhavn/.

Find your way: KUB North is located in the intersection of Tagensvej and Nørre Allé. In front of it, you’ll find a nice grass area. But watch out! On sunny days, the grass can easily lead you astray.

Address: Nørre Allé 49 2200 Copenhagen N Campus South: KUB Campus South (KUB Søndre Campus) At the heart of the beige buildings of Campus South, you’ll find a quadratic building that in reality is just one big window. This the Library of the Faculty of Humanities. The volume of noise in the library depends on where you find yourself: on the 1st floor of the library, smalltalk is allowed, whereas complete silence is required on the 2nd floor.

If you need to make a bit of noise, you can book a group room through the library’s website.

Find your way: You’ll find the building in the middle of KUA1, KUA2, KUA3 and the Tietgen Residence Hall. It is very square and filled with windows.

Address: Karen Blixens Plads 7 2300 Copenhagen S Campus City: The Library of the Faculty of Social Sciences (SAMF-biblioteket) The Library of the Faculty of Social Sciences consists of nearly 300 study spots spread across on three floors, four reading halls, six group rooms and a number of lounge areas. People are figh-

22 The great overview

ting over the good study spots at the library, so be there early. Fun fact: if your feet are cold, you can borrow some slippers.

Find your way: The Library of the Faculty of Social Sciences is to be found in the intersection of Gothersgade and Øster Farimagsgade, nearly 300 metres from Nørreport Station. No wonder that this place is popular.

Address: Gothersgade 140 1123 Copenhagen C Campus Frederiksberg: KUB Frederiksberg At Campus Frederiksberg there are not many reading halls to choose from. Besides from the library, the students can hide away in group rooms and closed off tables/benches in the hallway on campus. But with 300 study spots at the library, there are plenty of places to sit.

Find your way: KUB Frederiksberg is placed in green surroundings with e.g. The Garden of the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences and Campus Frederiksberg itself. If you feel like influencing the environment rather than enjoying it, you’re only a couple of minutes from the Frederiksberg Mall (Frederiksberg Centret).

Københavns Universitetsbibliotek - altid nær dig.

Adgang til trykte og digitale bøger og artikler – hjemmefra og på biblioteket Hvis du registrerer dig som bruger ved biblioteket, kan du gratis låne materialer og samtidig få adgang til bibliotekets mange digitale artikler, tidsskrifter, bøger og databaser. Også hjemmefra.

Kurser og vejledning

Studiemiljø

Der er mange veje til viden. Det bedste sted at starte er på biblioteket.

Københavns Universitetsbibliotek har mange forskellige studiefaciliteter.

Vi tilbyder: • Kurser og workshops • Faglige guides • Individuel søgevejledning i ”Book en informationsspecialist”.

• • • • •

Print/skan Datalabs med særlig software og 3D-print Stillelæsesale og studieskabe Læse- og studiepladser for grupper Grupperum der kan bookes

Address: Dyrlægevej 10 1870 Frederiksberg

Få bedre karakterer - brug biblioteket https://kub.ku.dk

The great overview 23

How to survive the IT-systems of UCPH Important knowledge, unimportant information.

Find your way through UCPH online.

It’s not only in the psychical world that the University of Copenhagen can seem overwhelming. There’s a lot to keep track of, also in the digital world. The intranet of UCPH can seem very chaotic, even for experienced students. Knowing that this is the case, we will offer you a two-minute guide on how to get a good headstart with UCPH’s many webpages, so you’ll know how to find information about exams, schedule and a lot more.

The first thing to know is that all the information that is relevant to you is spread across two websites: Absalon and KUnet.

Absalon You can find Absalon on absalon.ku.dk. On the website, that is imported from the U.S., you’ll get an overview of your workload, messages from your professors and your schedule. Getting access to your different courses is easy, but not every professor is great at using Absalon. This means that professors do not agree on where to put information, files and other stuff in the different allocated folders. On your course site, you’ll then have to figure out what the different folders ‘Home’, ‘Modules’,

24 The great overview

‘Files’ and ‘Pages’ mean to your professor.

Get access: www.absalon.ku.dk KUnet KUnet, which you’ll find on kunet.ku.dk, is a completely different matter. If Absalon is the crush who you don’t know how to talk to, KUnet is the chatty uncle who captures you in an endless monologue at birthday parties.

KUnet is a website that contains a lot of important information to you as a student, but it can hide this important information behind many indifferent features, that might only interest a small amount of people. We’ve tried to illustrate this with our visual guide. KUnet contains information about the time and place of written exams, licenses for computer programmes, enrollment confirmation, grades and much more.

Get access: www.kunet.ku.dk

The great overview 25

CHAPTER 2

Our community Here we’ll tell you about the student community at the University of Copenhagen and how you can make a difference.

26 The great overview

The great overview 27

Student democracy at UCPH

With approximately 40,000 students and a large number of employees at the University of Copenhagen, you can almost compare it to a small country. The principal is the Prime Minister and every faculty is its own region with few or many cities, which constitutes our educational programmes. We students are part of all bodies of course, but how does democracy really work in the land of UCPH? We’ll try to answer that here.

UCPH is the country - we are the civil society We students are just one amongst several groups that wants to be part of negotiating and deciding at UCPH. There are researchers and professors, technical and administrative staff and us students.

Other than that, UCPH is a public educational institution, meaning that UCPH is somewhat under regulation from the government.

What does that mean to the students? Our influence can be compared to the influence of the civil society on a national, regional and local level.

It’s only strong because we’ve gathered ourselves into one united front, namely the Student Union.

We have a great supportive background from students from so many educational programmes that can prepare for negotiating with the principal. The structure of the Student Union mirrors the structure of UCPH, so that there’ll be students that are parts of making decisions, whether it is about investing in climate change research, helping local student initiatives or making sure that the exam process is fair during corona-lockdown.

28 Our community

The University of Copenhagen and the Student Union - one democracy University democracy is part of the law. The University of Copenhagen and the Student Union are two independent organisations, but both coorperate to make UCPH a better university through several institutional bodies. UCPH consists mainly of three bodies: the Board of the University of Copenhagen, Academic Councils and Study Boards, where students are part of the decision-making on all three levels. The university law also requires that if you want to take part in this, you must be elected at the university elections, a type of miniature government election held every November.

The Student Union is like civil society and represents all students at UCPH. We’re gathered in one single unit, in order to run for election at all three institutional bodies of UCPH. Here you’ll see the Board of the Student Union, Faculty Councils and Local Councils, that matches UCPH’s Board, Academic Councils and Study Boards. Now we’re counting six institutional bodies, so sit tight - we’ll look at all of them now.

Our community 29

UCPH’s democracy with student-influence

At the election in November, we choose our candidates (who are all fellow students) for the three institutional bodies of UCPH. In every body it’s also required that there are representatives for the technical and administrative personnel along with representatives for researchers and professors. Even though it can seem a bit terrifying to discuss with your academic idol, they’re always good friends to have.

The Board of the University of Copenhagen:

The top-tier institutional body of the university, who is responsible for hiring and firing principals, approve strategies, planning the university budget, and much more. The Board consists of external members, e.g. business representatives. Other than this, it consists of representatives from UCPH, meaning student representatives along with representatives for researchers and professors and technical-administrative personnel. There are two student representatives chosen at the University Election for a period of two years. The candidates are chosen at the General Assembly of the Student Union. According to university legislation, there’s always a majority of external members.

Academic Councils:

Advice the Dean on academic questions, including faculty finances, strategies, granting PhD-degrees and granting awards. There are 3-6 student seats

30 Our community

in an Academic Council, depending on the number of employees. There’s a total of six Academic Councils, one for each faculty.

Study Boards:

The institutional body with the most direct influence on the day-to-day life of students. There are 4-7 students seats on the Study Boards. There’s always an equal number of students and employees on the Study Board. Here you can decide on whether or not to add new educational programmes, take initiatives to better the quality of teaching or implementing better types of exams.

Other than that, this is where special authorizations are granted - all the situations where our fellow students have not gone the most stringent way through their study time and are in need of a special authorization. UCPH has a total of 36 Study Boards.

The democracy of the Student Union The Student Union is like one big student council with approximately 200 volunteer UCPH-students in about 50 local departments. They are very different, such as the educational programmes of UCPH. They are the backbone of the Student Union - the community for us UCPH-students.

The Board of the Student Union:

The Board of the Student Union maintains the interests of the students at the University of Copenhagen and is the top-tier management of the Student Union. Among other things, we organize campaigns, discuss national education-political cases, how to make lives better for students and write the Student Handbook, which you’re reading right now. It consists of, among others, two student representatives from the University Board and students from the faculty councils.

The faculty councils:

At the faculty councils, local councils work in collaboration by exchanging experience knowledge, bettering qualifications, communication and communities. It is the faculty councils that decide the candidates for the Academic Council. The

faculty councils are also represented in the Board of the Student Union. There’s a total of six faculty councils.

The local councils:

Locally, every educational programme or institute have their own local council. They nominate candidates for the Study Board and in many places, they function as a social, academic and political foundation for gathering. A local council can arrange academic presentations from scientists within your academic field, pot-lucks with debates, film screenings or Christmas parties. It is also the local council you have to contact, if you have a complaint about your educational programme - or if you want to make a difference at your institute/educational programme. There are approximately 50 local councils.

Our community 31

Engage in the community!

Being a student is much more than just studying, but in order to experience parts of life at UCPH, you must dare to take the leap.

By Mikkel Rasmus Schmidt and Anna Nørgaard Sørensen Every faculty and every educational programme can be very different, but still there’s something that connects all of us - curiosity. It is curiosity that has gotten you into exactly your educational programme, but in the future also will drive you to new opportunities and experiences - and there are plenty of them at your new university. Here you’ll see so many different committees, groups and societies flourish, without any us being able to keep track. Everything from new revues, to climate change groups and bookclubs. Everything

32 Our community

is possible here.

At most educational programmes, they have a really great study environment and it gets better every year. This is due to the thousands of committed young people that love to spend their time on something that makes sense to them. Now you have to find find out what makes sense to you!

Do you feel like being creative, academic, social or festive? Don’t worry, there’ll be something for you as well. .

Our community 33

Take the leap

There are an incredible number of clubs, groups and committees that you can take part in, and every educational programme have their very own unique communities. At e.g. Rhetorics, we have a speech-contest that we’re very proud of, and at Pharmacy, I’ve heard that the choir jumps from table to table. Across educational programmes at the Faculty of Humanities, students meet up in a group to discuss Ex on the Beach. Some committees are primarily of an academic character, others exclusively social, such as the student bar.

Some require specific creative skills, such as the revue, and others fit all, such as the football team.

No matter your abilities and interests, there’ll be a community for you. When you find it, don’t hold back - involve yourself and engage! Leap into it head first and with both legs.

34 Our community

Break down stereotypes

Starting my studies and moving to a new city, all at the same time, is one of the most terrifying things that has happened to me. Who am I going to talk to? What kind of people are on the same educational programme as me? Is it the geeks that spend all their time looking into a computerscreen - or is it the people that wear a suit, despite it being 25 degrees outside? There are many stereotypes and some of them fit, but people are also so much than their allotted stereotype.

There are people who engage in much more different things than you would think of from your first impression: the gamer standing on a scene at the revue, or the snobby girl that pours you a pint at the student bar. Break down stereotypes and challenge your boundaries. Maybe you’ll find out that you’re at your happiest when pouring coffee in the student bar (also open during the day) or planning the next climate change demonstration - or

maybe in a meeting with your local council where you have finally created the educational programme of your dreams! Or when you are on stage at a revue or managing sound and light.

Our communities

Joining a community, being part of a community, getting to know new people - that is an essential part of a great student life. It is a choice on whether you want to focus less on papers and classes or not, and you can also choose not to do it. You can turn up for classes and go home again, but you’ll miss out. You’ll miss out on academic discussions, fantastic friendships, weird and unpredictable ex-

periences worth mentioning to your family (sometimes). You’ll miss out on possible friendships, flirts and future study partners. You’ll miss out on an essential part of life as a university student.

Our best and only advice to you as a new student?

Try out and join different communities - take the leap, try out something new and love every minute of it, as university life is the best thing in the world.

UCPH is a community for everyone

You must not worry about whether or not there’ll be a community that fits you. Of course there will be! It can take some time to find, but you’ll always find it. At UCPH, we have everything from climate change activists and revue managers, to those who read Ulysses for the fun of it and those who’ve created a community for queer students at UCPH. We are a university that prioritises wellbeing and room for everybody, so of course there’s room for you!

Our community 35

The four battles of UCPH students

Something happens when we stand together. We are able to influence the Board of UCPH. We cooperate with The Green Network (Det Grønne Netværk), where we meet across of all green organisations to strengthen the collected effort.

Welfare

We students can influence the university, because students before us have fought for it. We’ve not reached our goal yet and we keep on fighting. Student politics is not just something they did in the 70s. Today, we keep on fighting to make sure that UCPH becomes a worldclass university. What does that mean? In 2020-2022, the Student Union fights the four following battles.

36 Our community

Climate change

Your time as a student should be filled with safety, a sense of a shared community, scholarly pride, equality and ownership of our shared university. Even though you can look forward to your life as a student, many students also experience issues. These issues can be related to stress, performance anxiety, a culture of perfection, underfinancing, housing problems, unequal possibility for participation and other issues.

At the Student Union we want the university to take responsibility for the climate and the future.

The university must educate students that have the abilities to solve the climate crisis and the problems of the future. We fight for making UCPH’s new sustainability strategy as ambitious as possible, and for the ideas to be realized!

We want to change that!

In collaboration with student-run climate change and sustainability organisations, we’ve worked out five climate change demands for UCPH: 1) Classes on climate change and sustainability for all students.

2) A CO2-neutral campus by 2025.

3) Research on the future with the Sustainable Development Goals as a guideline.

4) Travel policy.

5) Closing down the Centre for Oil and Gas.

Free and equal access

That is why we must stand together when 48% af UCPH’s students experience physical stress symptoms in their day-to-day lives and many of our fellow students do not feel at home in their studies.

We can only fight this together.

We fight for all students to not just have the opportunity to get an education, but also being able to participate in an educational programme, where they can feel welcome and equal to other students without thinking about economy our housing.

Even though we are in the year of 2020, we’ve still not reached our equality goal - not at university either. It should be possible to participate equally in academic and social activities, even though you might have a disability, are a parent, have had

a difficult life or something completely else. UCPH must be a university where you are just as welcome, even though you don’t „look“ like the majority of students.

A strong Student Union

We want a democratic university, where the students are not just invited to join, but also are active co-creators of our classes and educational programmes. To get there, we must organize ourselves as students.

Connected to nearly every educational programme at the University of Copenhagen, is a local council that takes care of the students’ interests.

They are the backbone of the Student Union. Read more on p. 28.

Something happens when we stand together. We are able to influence the Board of UCPH, but it also demands something from us as students and as a community. It requires that we keep reaching out to each other, invites ourselves into the negotiating room and let our voices be heard - that we stand together!

Join us!

Does it sound interesting and do you want to be a part of making a difference? Then we would like to hear from you. Write an e-mail to srku@srku.dk with your name, educational programme and telephone number. Then we’ll call you and we can talk about what you find interesting.

Our community 37

CHAPTER 3

Life as a UCPH student There are many ways to be a student. Here we attempt to give you an overview of the opportunities you have as a student.

38 Life as a UCPH student

Life as a UCPH student 39

Get to know the faculties You probably know of the yearbook from high school and we’ve made something similar for the faculties. That way, you can explore some of the prejudice against yourself and your fellow students. Remember, not every faculty is one-sided and you can quickly pack away your prejudice when walking around the different campus areas.

The Faculty of Humanities

Secret wish: to be able to watch reality-TV without making advanced analyses The university’s: grassroots activist Uniform: glasses with a metal frame, home-knit sweater and shoes with laces First impression: hippies that spend most of their time drinking coffee and talking about deep thoughts, because they don’t have any classes Animated movie: Atlantis The Lost Empire (you’re dreaming your way back to the heyday of humanities)

The Faculty of Law

Secret wish: everything would be easier to understand, if it was written down as a law The university’s: police officer Uniform: shirt, blazer and a leather bag First impression: have criminal law memorized and can help you already the day after they’ve started studying Law Animated movie: Zootropolis - a faculty that cares about justice

40 Life as a UCPH student

Life as a UCPH student 41

The Faculty of Social Sciences Secret wish: world domination

The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences Secret wish: smoking cigarettes without feeling bad about it

The university’s: opinion creator

The university’s: nerd

Uniform: black pants with a light-blue shirt

Uniform: white lab coat with matching clinical shoes

First impression: are educating themselves to become a member of Parliament, believe they can change the world one op-ed at a time

First impression: fanatic about health, diet and exercise under control and never without hand sanitizer

Animated movie: Megamind - dreaming of world domination

The Faculty of Science

Secret wish: for their parents to understand what they’re doing The university’s: Einstein Uniform: lightsaber and a cape First impression: live at the laboratory Animated movie: Monsters Inc. - we have no idea what you’re doing in your laboratories

42 Life as a UCPH student

Animated movie: The Incredibles - always there to save the lives of people and animals

The Faculty of Theology:

Secret wish: for the church service on Sunday to be moved to a later hour, in order for them to cure their hangover The university’s: drunk uncle Uniform: a cassock and ruff First impression: “are you studying to become a priest?”

Animated movie: Inside Out - religion includes many feelings

Life Skab asdit a UCPH eget studieliv student 43

Tips and tricks for university We are Anna and Mathilde, two completely normal students.

Anna studies English at Campus South and Mathilde studies Health and Information at Campus North. Together, we will give you all of our best tips and tricks for the lecture, the reading hall and the student bar.

The lecture There are many lectures and the rooms can look very different. You can experience sitting in a room with 100 other students or in a room that looks like a regular classroom. After some time as students, we’ve attended many different lectures and that is why we have a couple of good pieces of advice for you. First and foremost, buy a good thermos so that you can bring coffee (or tea) from home or get some from one of the many student bars (that sell hot and cold beverages and snacks during the day) on campus. This is how you can save money on your morning coffee that can be absolutely essential if you have to attend lectures for several hours.

Remember to charge your computer from home not every lecture hall or classroom will have outlets for charging. Another great trick is to bring an extension cord. With time, you’ll get to know the rooms and what kind of tactic to use in each room.

44 Life as a UCPH student

We are not encouraging you to turn up the volume for others to hear when you’re listening to “Run the World (Girls)” by Beyoncé though. Also if you just want to celebrate finally understanding some difficult theory.

mes, there can be a lot of people at the reading halls, so be there early to make sure that you get a spot. It also helps you to get out of bed and get a normal routine, which can be absolutely essential to survive exam periods. Other than that, watching other people read motivates us and makes us more efficient.

The same tip about bringing a blanket/sweater is also valid here. Are you able to concentrate while listening to music? Then remember to bring headphones. Listening to a great song is the best kind of break from studying. We are not encouraging you to turn up the volume for others to hear when you’re listening to “Run the World (Girls)”

by Beyoncé though. Also if you just want to celebrate finally understanding some difficult theory.

Snacks! Bring snacks to make sure that you don’t get low blood sugar. It makes us able to read for a couple of hours extra. Again, we recommend that

If you get cold easily, a small blanket or a warm sweater can mean the world. It can get chilly in the big lecture halls and it’s more difficult to concentrate if you’re cold. Another great tip for concentration is to bring snacks. The hunger will sneak up on you around mid-day and it’ll be expensive (a maybe a bit unhealthy) for you to go to the cafeteria everyday. It might be enticing to buy their delicious cookies with extra chocolate chips, but the truth is that you can make it to the end of the many lectures with your own afternoon snack.

The reading hall The reading halls are perfect for focused reading and group work. When reading many pages or studying for exams, we believe that it can be nice to sit somewhere else than home. There are some reading halls where silence is required in order for you to be able to immerse into the syllabus. Be aware of the fact that, during exam ti-

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Life as a UCPH student 45

After a couple of beers, you might feel like dancing and your new sneakers won’t be new anymore.

you’re considerate of your fellow students - avoid the crunchy carrots or noisy chocolate wrapping paper that definitely will irritate your study neighbour.

Last, but not least, a great piece of advice from two girls who have experienced this mistake themselves: bring a good water bottle (preferably a thermos) with a good lid. And here is it the most important: REMEMBER to put the lid back onto the bottle. There is not enough chocolate in this world to ease the pain of a broken computer and a newly bought expensive book ruined by your water bottle. And with the entire reading hall as audience as well.

The student bar We recommend going to the student bar connected to your institute. It’s always fun and a good way to talk to your fellow students about everything else than studying while drinking a cold beer or meeting new people. And why settle for your

46 Life as a UCPH student

own student bar? There are plenty of other student bars at the university, everything from huge parties to small, more intimate cafés. Bring your new friends and try to find the best student bar along with where you can find the best and cheapest beer.

We also have a couple of tips for you to survive parties at your own student bar. Remember to put the MobilePay-number of your student bar into your phone. That way, you’ll get your beers a lot quicker and that is always a good thing. Don’t wear your new sneakers: when we started studying, we made the mistake of wearing our new sneakers at a party at the student bar - we wanted to look good! They did not look new for long. After a couple of beers you might feel like dancing and your new sneakers won’t be new anymore.

Life as a UCPH student 47

Academia outside the classroom You’ve probably heard about how important it is to engage in your study environment. One way to do this, is through your courses. When you are a student, your work doesn’t stop after the end of your latest lecture. You have the responsibility for what you learn, meaning that your favourite course doesn’t have to end when you’ve read everything on the syllabus.

The sun shines through the big windows at the H.C. Ørsted Institute on an unusually warm day in May. It is 11 a.m. and it is relatively quiet, despite the sound of students who eagerly types on their computers, and I meet up with Svend over a humus sandwich. He studies a MsC in Science at UCPH and is currently writing his bachelor’s project on chiral perturbation theory (I don’t really know what it means either, but I nod at appropriate times). He just got home from Zagreb, Croatia, where he attended a three-day contest in physics, where students from various universities from all over the world, meet up to compete in solving 100 problems, within all parts of the field of physics.

No one has ever gotten all of them right and the best team this year got about 50 right answers.

He attended for the third year in a row (one time

48 Life as a UCPH student

in Austria and one time in Romania).

He attended the Olympics of Physics in high school and was thereby encouraged to attend PLANCK (Physics Leagues Across Numerous Countries for Kick-ass Students) by some older students, meaning that Svend had to get started.

As PLANCK is arranged by the international community of physics students, UCPH had to become a member, before Svend could attend and represent the university.

Svend went to his local council and pushed them in the right direction; they got the idea, but they had to move fast, because Svend had a goal to achieve.

A team had to be gathered. Two other interested students had been collected, but you compete in teams of four. While the hunt went out for a fourth student, they also had to think about the fact that Svend and his two team mates were on their first year of university. The tasks are set within all parts of the field of physics, meaning that our protagonist was a bit behind everyone else. Once again he found a solution: attending lectures in quantum mechanics for second-year students, because that’s something you “just” do, right? They “just” did that and found a fourth member for their team.

And that is how it happened, that three physics students and one maths student went southward to test themselves as kick-ass students.

When listening to Svend talk, you can easily hear that he won’t let himself get impressed by their final result, but also that it doesn’t seem to bother him.

The result of the competition was reportedly just fine, but that is not what is important to Svend.

Even though he wanted to improve his result, the result in itself is not the reason why he wanted to compete. It sets a specific goal when one uses his/her academic skills outside of the classroom, Svend tells me. You can train your brain to something specific, do it and after that, try out something new. It provides a break in the usual study routine, where achieving something specific can seem far away. Other than that, you get to travel and meet people from all over the world who have the same interests as you. It gives you a network that crosses borders and new friends in the same field of study. Furthermore, it boosts one’s confidence, when your institute wants to invest money in you - it gives you a richer field of study with greater responsibility. Svend emphasizes that the competition is for everyone who is interested and studies physics or maths & physics. Other than that, Svend hosts a workshop during the fall for everyone who is interested.

Life as a UCPH student 49

Study abroad

Hundreds of students from the University of Copenhagen decide to go on exchange every year - and there can be many reasons to do it. Here you’ll meet two students, who’ll separately tell you about their experience as an exchange student.

“Why Sweden?!” says Emilie Dahlmann Olsen, when she laughingly imitates her friends who might have thought it seemed a bit boring to just go to Sweden. Emilie chose to take her fifth semester of Philosophy at the University of Lund in Sweden. Here she studied at their Department for Gender Studies along with a single class in Anthropology.

in another country or something else.”

But why Sweden?

“I heard others talk about the University of Lund and their Department for Gender Studies, which supposedly is one of the best in Europe. I chose my field of study before I chose the destination. The courses I chose reflected my interests, both when it comes to academia, but also what I do during my sparetime.”

New perspectives “My time as an exchange student was also a way to get out of Copenhagen for a little while and to break away from my usual study habits. I’ve tried to travel alone before and often feel a different type of connection, when I get by myself for a bit and I had the same experience in Lund.”

“There can be a lot of reasons to go. It also depends on where you are in your life as a student; whether you seek new inspiration, want to try living

50 Life as a UCPH student

Then, how was it to study gender studies in Sweden?

“We read a lot of interesting texts, I experienced a different certainty in the way gender and feminism was talked about and the professors were very skilled.”

What could you bring with you back to Copenhagen?

“We had more classes and and more group work than I was used to from studying Philosophy at

Life as a UCPH student 51

” They’re extremely hospitable, the Americans. It is a tradition that I would like to be brought forth to Denmark.”

”The University of Copenhagen is just one university, but there are many ways to be a university and that can be exciting to experience.“

pected to read, and that they are not that skilled in what I understand as a methodical approach to a text or theory.”

Emilie Dahlmann Olsen, Philosophy student

Jeppe Foldberg Hansen, Anthropology student

UCPH, meaning I got better at talking in front of others. In my classes, there were students from all over the world with completely different academic backgrounds. Here I noticed how strong my academic foundation is from back home. It was an extremely validating experience, which has given me greater academic confidence.”

The American way Jeppe Foldberg Hansen studies 6th semester Anthropology and went on exchange to the University of Texas in Austin in the fall of 2018.

Here, he took two courses at the Department for African and African Diaspora Studies along with courses on drawing and music.

“All in all, I found a great sense of peace in studying over there. A sense of peace, which I’ve taken with me home and which still makes it more fun for me to study. I also found out how different universities can be, even here in Scandinavia. The University of Copenhagen is just one university, but there are many ways to be a university and that can be exciting to experience.”

“The American educational system is completely different from the Danish. Here at home, we have a set of basic courses through your chosen education, which means that everyone have the same prerequisites for reading texts and discussing them, while they in the U.S. tailor their own education to a higher degree. This means that I had to get used to the fact that not everyone had read the same texts as Anthropology students at UCPH are ex-

52 Life as a UCPH student

How did it effect your study programme?

“The reading of texts and the following debate was a bit more loose and more based on subjective opinions and anecdotes. It was a bit of a challenge and a huge cultural change for me.”

“The topic in itself was interesting and awakened an academic interest that I can investigate further at home.”

The co-op life Jeppe lived in a co-op in Austin with around 100 people, both Americans and exchange students.

“It is a democratic way to live. You are a member as well as a resident, meaning you share the domestic tasks. But it also means that you party a lot, when so many people are living together.”

It wasn’t just a random decision for Jeppe to live this way: “I’m kind of crazy about the idea of living in a democratic way and doing one’s best to carry out a somewhat hierarchy-free living structure. It is a fun experience to live like this, but not always easy! Sometimes it was equal parts entertaining and frustrating to see when the system failed at times.”

Jeppe got to know several local Americans and was also invited to a Thanksgiving weekend at a big ranch: “That was probably the most American experience. Eating their food, driving out to a field and shooting with these insane automatic rifles.

They’re extremely hospitable, the Americans. It is a tradition that I would like to be brought forth to Denmark.”

Some final advice for future exchange students?

“Think about why you’re going and tailor your plans after that. There are some things that you can’t be prepared for. Be open to the unexpected experiences and challenges that may come.”

Life as a UCPH student 53

Studying and working at the same time Whether the student job is relevant to your educational programme or not, it is a good way to gain experience and broaden your network when you’re ready.

A student job - the words you want to hear when you’re a new student at university. But do you need a job, what kind of job should you choose and what do you really gain from a job? Here you’ll meet three students who have three completely different student jobs, but who all appreciate what it can give them while they study. As a student at a Danish university, you get student aid (SU) to cover your expenses. But we all know that the money doesn’t cover as much as we’d like and that is why some students feel obligated to work.

Of course you’ll get something out of it Cæcilie studies 2nd semester Food and Nutrition and works as a substitute lifeguard. She was in need of a job after moving to Copenhagen, so she applied at swimming stadiums in Copenhagen, when she heard that there was a local need for lifeguards. Cæcilie says that she is especially fond of the flexibility of being a substitute lifeguard as she can schedule her work hours after her class

54 Life as a UCPH student

schedule and exams. The job is not relevant to what she studies, but Cæcilie likes the peacefulness of the job, the flexibility and the opportunity to create a network outside of campus, as a new resident in Copenhagen. “All types of jobs give you some experience. Even though it is not a job relevant to your educational programme, you’ll still get experience and you get to work with different people - it does give you something,” says Cæcilie.

She is still aiming to get a relevant job for her field of study though. Is she says; “As soon as something comes along, I’m hooked.”

From working with music all week long to working a stable job at a supermarket Isabella studies 2nd semester B iologyBiotechnology and has studied European Ethnology before. When she studied European Ethnology, she found value in the opportunities that the structure of the semester gave her. It allowed her to skip one week of classes, so she could

Ellen (left) and Isabella (right)

Life as a UCPH student 55

work with music events and festivals. This required week-long intense periods of work, meaning that in other weeks, it was possible to gather one’s thoughts and completely focus on studying. When she changed to studying Biology-Biotechnology, she could only do it during summer break as the study programme’s block structure (half semesters) sets one back of everyone else, if you skipped just one week of classes. Instead, Isabella found a job at a supermarket. Here she has found great value in the stability of work hours that takes place during the evening, but also that the schedule is planned for months ahead, meaning that the shifts can be planned in relation to her constantly shifting class times. Even though a study-relevant job sounds really nice, Isabella is happy about the simplicity and the opportunity to disconnect when working, instead of thinking about the next report she to needs to turn in and that it doesn’t take time away from studying. “In the first year of university, it’s more important to find a job that fits with your study schedule and workload, rather than it being relevant for what you study,” says Isabella.

Instead she aims to get a study-relevant job when she is further on in her academic life, when she has more academic experience and then can get a better view into the reality of the industry.

Take your time and get help from your friends Ellen is on her 2nd semester of the Master’s in Biology-Biotechnology and has just landed her first student job. During summer break she works at a pig farm and other than that, she has focused on studying, as she wanted to figured out how it all went about at university first. Ellen herself believes that has she has felt the pressure of getting a job relevant to her educational programme, as some of her fellow students have gotten jobs at popular companies. Furthermore, she explains that one shouldn’t stress about it. “Take your time, it’s going to be fine,” but when you’re ready, look for it actively. “Earlier on, I haven’t felt com-

petent enough to have a student job,” Ellen says, in relation to applying for a relevant student job, where certain skills are expected of you. In her quest for a student job, Ellen got a recommendation from one of her study friends, as they, at her department on campus needed someone to work with the genotypes of Christmas trees in the sterile cabinet. With this recommendation, Ellen managed to get the job,

I dag kan du blive medlem af Djøf for

0

“… whether it is relevant for what you study or not, it’s more about creating a network and getting some experience,” says Ellen.

kr.

HOW DO I FIND A STUDENT JOB? UCPH’s own job portal: www.jobportal.ku.dk Job listings can be posted on the Facebook page of your local council.

I morgen får du adgang til de billigste studiebøger, de bedste studiekurser, og den bedste studieforsikring.

Meld dig ind i Djøf i dag.

De første 12 måneder er gratis. djoef.dk/studieliv

56 Life as a UCPH student

Life as a UCPH student 57 170x210_annonce_SDU_OS.indd 1

30.04.2020 10.18

Follow University Post

University Post is the independent platform of the University of Copenhagen. We write about anything concerning the university and student life - education in the times of corona, freedom of research, student cabin trips (rustur) and loneliness (and everything in-between).

By Christoffer Zieler, editor-in-chief University Post is your independent, critical platform. Our editorial office consists of a handful of journalists and two student journalists. We publish daily news, critical interviews and features on www.uniavisen.dk/en/.

We confront the principal, his people and the politicians in the Parliament at Christiansborg. We meet you students, the professors and the people who clean. We also guide you through the study start, SU regulations, the housing market and the best (and the worst) coffee on campus.

avis) and Instagram (@uniavis), and sign up for our weekly newsletter on www.uniavis.dk.

Six times a year, we publish a magazine to be found at all campus areas of UCPH. The study start issue will be ready on the 4th of September.

Write for University Post As a student, you too can write for University Post.

Send an e-mail to uni-avis@adm.ku.dk, if you want to know more.

Follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/uni-

58 Life as a UCPH student

Life as a UCPH student 59

CHAPTER 4

Get help You are never alone at UCPH. In this chapter, we’ll inform you on some of the amazing initiatives you can find at UCPH. These can help you if you are facing challenges in your time as a student.

60 Get help

Life as a UCPH student 61

We are here for you

The Programme Curriculum

All educational programmes have an attached Programme Curriculum that determines the content of and rules for the educational programme. In the Programme Curriculum, you’ll find information on the content of the individual courses, types of exams along with your rights and the expectations to you as a student.

You can find your Programme Curriculum on the website for your educational programme

Student counseling

Every educational programme, faculty and institute offer student counseling; available to you, both virtually and physically on campus. They can help you with everything from student life to your future, your wellbeing, opportunities for elective courses, internships, etc. see page 66

Here’s an overview of all of the places where you can go to get help and answers when there’s a need for it. Don’t worry there’s always help to get.

The Student Union at the University of Copenhagen The Student Union is our shared interest organisation for students at the University of Copenhagen. We consist of more than 50 local councils and six faculty councils, all working to improve our educations and study environments. For more than 100 years, the Student Union has worked across all educational programmes in order to ensure a better university and a better student life. We’re here for everybody and you can always contact us if you want to join, if you have any questions or need some sort of help.

www.srku.dk

62 Get help

Get help 63

Young Rights (Ung Ret)

Legal advice for students by students.

Here you can get free legal advice from volunteer law students on everything from housing scams and your stolen bicycle to your workers’ rights. see page 78

Debt counseling

The Danish Consumer Council (Forbrugerrådet) and DSF have created debt counseling for students with debt issues.

The counsellors volunteer and can help you map out your financial situation, inform you on your rights and help you move on.

Counseling is, of course, anonymous and non-binding. gaeld.taenk.dk

Special aid to students (Særlig støtte til studerende, SPS)

If you have a diagnosed psychological or physical disability, trouble reading or writing, or a neurological condition, you can get compensating financial support for your education. If you have a chronic illness, there can also be help to get. The help is dependent on your need for support, but can also be in the form of physical instruments, study support hours at Studenterrådgivningen or a support person that’ll help you keep track of your day-today life as a student.

Read more about opportunities for support on www.studier.ku.dk/funktionsnedsat or contact the SPS-counsellors at UCPH on +45 35 32 29 29.

64 Get help

Studenterrådgivningen

Studenterrådgivningen offers free social, psychological and psychiatric counseling and treatment to you as a student. The counsellors are professional therapists, psychiatrists and social workers, all of them ready to help you. They practice absolute confidentiality and you have the opportunity to be anonymous.

The Student Union’s Activity Support Social and academic initiatives made by students themselves, make a big difference to all of us. However, for a great idea to be realized, it usually costs some money. That is why the Student Union gives out approximately a quarter of a million DKK every year, for activities run by students. Do you have a good idea for an activity that’ll be beneficial for your study environment? Then you can apply for Activity Support on srku. dk! Here you can read about the organization SIMA and what it has meant for them to get Activity Support.

www.srg.dk

The student ambassador

The student ambassador is an independent type of support to the students, whom you can always talk to if you are in disagreement with the administration at the University of Copenhagen or if you, in any way, feel unjustly treated. The student ambassador is independent from the university and contributes to ensuring your rights. www.studenterambassadoer.ku.dk

Who is SIMA? SIMA is a student organisation, based at CSS with students from e.g. Anthropology, Political Science and Psychology. We work on making social scientific relevance visible in relation to environment and climate change along with trying to influence the environment agenda at the University of Copenhagen. The Activity Support from the Student Union has made it possible for us to launch more projects and is one of the things that has defined our work in 2019. The support has also contributed to bettering our participation in national climate change demonstrations. Here we offer breakfast, exciting pre-

sentations and painting banners to our co-students, before we all go to the big climate change demonstrations in Copenhagen together. We are also part of a green network, consisting of green student organisations from all over the University of Copenhagen. Here, we’ve been able to discuss with each other and target our efforts across all the green student organisations.

The support has also contributed to our campaign on climate demands by the name of ‘5 climate change demands for UCPH’ (5 klimakrav til KU). Now we’re working on pushing the sustainable development on campus, more climate change on the syllabus and a sustainable focus in research.

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you stu r ex tra dy frie nd

The student counsellor How do I sign up for exams? How should I structure my day as a student? How do I apply for study-leave? The student counsellor helps you, whether it is about merits, pre-approvals, sick leave, doubts about what you are studying or course requirements.

Name: Steffen Bergum Petersen Guidance area: Assistant student counsellor at the Department of Political Science at UCPH. At UCPH there are several types of counseling for students. Closest to the students are the assistant student counsellors, who are skilled students themselves that use their experience and knowledge about your specific educational prgramme to offer guidance to students

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What can a student use the assistant student counsellor for?

I come from studying Political Science, so when a student needs advice and guidance from a person, who knows about the life as a student of Political Science pretty well and has been in the same situation as the student, I’m the right person to turn to, for example when it comes to asking about types of exams, course requirements and typical student challenges. My office is not located at the same floor as the administration, meaning I don’t

”I believe it is absolutely essential that we, as students feel good, both mentally and physically while we study.”

Steffen Bargum Petersen, Assistant student counsellor at the Department of Political Science at UCPH

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”That way, my loyalty lies with the student and I am obligated to practice absolute student confidentiality, unless you’ve cheated on an exam. That I have to report. So you shouldn’t tell me stuff like that.”

have a responsibility to bring down the study time of students, for example. I believe it is absolutely essential that we, as students, feel good, both mentally and physically while we study. That way, my loyalty lies with the student and I am obligated to practice absolute student confidentiality, unless you’ve cheated on an exam. That I have to report.

So you shouldn’t tell me stuff like that.

What other types of student counsellors exist?

Sadly, not all departments at UCPH have assistant student counsellors. Most faculties or departments also have full-time employed student counsellors who are not students themsel-

ves, but can guide students in the more technical aspects of being a student. The organisation Studenterrådgivningen (Organisation for student counseling) offers free help to students with mental issues. If you have a disability, you can contact counseling from SpecialPædagogisk Støtte (a university interest organisation for students with disabilities). UCPH also has several student ministers attached to the university, who many students talk to about self confidence, etc. There are many places to get help and it can be somewhat complicated to figure out where to go - but if you go to your student counsellor, they’ll help you find the right place for you.

STUDENT COUNSELING OFFERS Talk to your fellow students about how to get in contact with your nearest student counsellor.

Studenterrådgivningen (Organisation for student counseling): srg.dk/en/ Students in need of special support (for students with disabilities): studier.ku.dk/bachelor/funktionsnedsat Student ministers: studenterpraesterne.ku.dk/

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Having trouble with regulations and applications?

Contact the student ambassador - an independent and impartial university body that offers guidance to you as a student at UCPH Are you confused about the rules for your education? And are you wondering about what you’ve been told by the student counsellor or student administration? Then this is an offer you. Contact the student ambassador if you, for example: • • • • •

Experience challenges when applying for special authorizations or when handing in an official complaint You’ve been accused of cheating on one of your exams Experience bullying, sexual harassment or the like Need mediation in a tense situation Are in the middle of a procedural grey-area and are in doubt about who to turn to

studambassador@adm.ku.dk +45 35 33 55 26 Nørregade 10, Professorvillaen Copenhagen K studenterambassadoer.ku.dk

It is completely non-binding to contact the student ambassador. The student ambassador offers a space for you to discuss your situation with absolute confidentiality.

All students at UCPH are welcome to contact the student ambassador at:

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Centre for Therapy (Psykologisk Samtalecenter, PSC) Centre for Therapy is an organisation run by volunteer Psychology students, finishing their studies, along with fully educated therapists.

Project description PSC offers free therapy hours to young people and students that experience issues in their day-today lives. It can be about stress, exam anxiety, depression, life crises, self-esteem and many other things that can hinder the wellbeing of students and them finishing their education. PSC addresses all young people between the ages 18 to 30 and all students over the age of 18. The project is thereby a voluntary offer run by students for students.

The background for the project Many young people and students are facing challenges in their time as students, as there can be personal problems that hinder them from engaging in their studies. That is why we at PSC want to offer conversations to the young person/student, that can help open up to new perspectives and make it possbile for the person to be more capable of handling the issues and continue study-

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ing. PSC is an offer that started in January 2013.

As of the 1st of March 2020, we have 10 volunteer therapists in PSC, all doing conversation therapy.

We have a long waiting list of people that want to start a process with us, as we are a free offer addressing young people and students. This target group consists of people who are not financially able to pay for a therapist themselves and even with a reference from their doctors, the waiting time in Copenhagen can last for several months.

This is why believe that there is a documented need for us.

Project organisation As of the 1st of March 2020, PSC consists of 13 active members, whereas ten of them are therapists. Other than this, we also have a board of six members.

In order to ensure great quality of therapy and a

high professional level, we aim to offer supervision of the volunteers, at least six times a year along with 2-3 courses with relevant content, in order to help the client group of the organisation in the best possible way. Finally, each year we have four team meetings along with two general assemblies, where we discuss the organizational aspect of the organisation and make larger decisions concerning operation, finances and development. These also work as a forum for internal sparring and is often combined with smaller academic presentations.

The criteria for success of the project Criteria for supervision are as follows: • Our therapists address possible issues that can arise within the professional framework of therapy.

• Our therapists will have the occasional possibility to discuss with each other and the supervisor.

• Our therapists feel safe in working with the clients.

Criteria for courses are as follows: • Interdisciplinary action: Teacher/supervisor does not focus on a specific method, as our therapists practice different types of therapy. However, teaching can be theme-oriented and focus on e.g. stress or anxiety.

• Teacher/supervisor is specifically educated within their area of expertise and is able to communicate specific knowledge that is relevant to our target audience.

• Our therapists are competent to practice therapy and will keep academically updated with time.

By achieving these criteria, PSC ensures quality and professionalism in the therapy room.

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Disabled Students & Postgraduates, DSP

DSP is a volunteer organisation that works for equality for disabled students in the educational system and on the job market. At DSP we want all disabled persons to have the same opportunities to get an education and a job as nondisabled persons have.

Sanne Mie Nielsen og Vivi Kløcker

We work with the problems that people with disabilities face at educational institutions and when trying to find a job. We work to make the problems visible to others, but also to solve them.

DSP is a national and independent organisation, but our offices are located on Campus South of the University of Copenhagen.

Counseling: Contact us if you need advice and counseling. DSP advices its members on topics as: • Choice of education • How to apply for a special conditions type of exam • Government aid, disability aid, revaluation and early retirement • Flex-jobs and other schemes for people with disabilities and job market opportunities If we are not able to help you, we’ll refer you to someone who can. We work with student and career counsellors, SPS (organisation that works to ensure the welfare of disabled students) counsellors along with several knowledge centres and disability organisations. We’re open for counse72 Get help

EN AT TALE MED NÅR LIVET GØR ONDT Studenterpræsterne står til rådighed med eksistentielle samtaler for alle studerende.

Hos os kan du tale om det svære og tunge, så du ikke skal bære det alene.

Alle kan få en samtale uanset tro, religion eller livsindstilling. Vi taler om det du vil og vi har udvidet tavshedspligt.

Stress, skam, sorg, tungsind, kærestesorg, mening og meningsløshed – for at nævne noget af det. ling on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 am to 2 pm. Always make an appointment if you decide to come by our offices.

Become a member It only costs 150 DKK per year to be a member of DSP. It gives you acces to counseling, our newsletter, which is send out four times a year with discussions and articles, along with being able to influence to organisation’s work. DSP supports the organisation Rækværk, a national network for disabled students. Become a member by sending a mail to hsk@hum.ku.dk Volunteer at DSP DSP is solely run by volunteers, meaning we’re always looking for new volunteers who want to help and get something to put on their resumé.

Contact us if you want to help or have a brilliant idea for an event.

Want to know more about DSP? Write an email to the organisation at hsk@hum.ku.dk or call us on +45 51 95 81 00.

On our website www.hsknet.dk, you can find links to relevant sites, former newsletters, information on events and articles about disabilities.

STUDENTERPRÆSTERNE PÅ KØBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET studenterpraesterne.ku.dk

En kvalificeret pause Foredrag, eksistenssamtaler, rum til ro, mindful morgen, og højskolesangaftner

Vores aktiviteter tager livtag med eksistentielle spørgsmål eller er blot et afbræk i en presset studietilværelse Get help 73 STUDENTERPRÆSTERNE PÅ KØBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET

Find os på Facebook og Instagram @studenterpraesterneku

The Queer Union of the University of Copenhagen QUKU - The Danish abbreviation for The Queer Union of the University of Copenhagen. QUKU is a union for LGBTQ+ students at the university that arranges monthly events, which are open to all. Hopefully, we will have a sister-union solely for trans+ students next semester.

As of fall 2019, the University of Copenhagen has had its own Queer Union, a community for LGBTQ+ students at the university, created and lead by the students themselves. QUKU currently exists in the form of a Facebook-group for queer-students at the university as well as monthly events at Campus South that are open to all, no matter gender or sexual orientation. These events consist

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of everything from social game and quiz nights to lectures by the university’s professors on everything LGBTQ+.

Right now, our council is working on cooperating with the LGBTQ+ association for the UCPH staff, as well as trying to establish a trans+ group, where trans and non-binary persons can meet up, talk

and create a safe community.

QUKU is created by queer students for queer students, as many of us experienced starting at university and looking for a LGBTQ+ community, but not really being able to find one. We are aware of the fact that LGBTQ+ students move to Copenhagen from cities and areas without a queer environment and view the university and the capital as an opportunity to find their identities. We wish to create a safe and supporting space for this at the university, as well as an opportunity to find new friends and acquaintances with similar - or completely different - experiences as oneself. We also see QUKU as a fantastic resource for putting queer history and queer identity on the agenda and hope to be able to arrange more lectures on queer topics next semester, in order to inform and

educate ourselves, as well as allies looking for a greater understanding of the community.

We in the council of QUKU, also view the group as a good opportunity to highlight the students’ rights and wellbeing in with collaboration with both HUMrådet (The faculty council at the Faculty of Humanities), who in the summer of 2019 chose to walk with their own banner at Pride, independent from the rest of the university, as well as the Student Union that also supports us financially, thereby making it possible for us to host the events we organise. We’re working on doing more to represent our community, while simultaneously making our union bigger. Hopefully, we can eventually influence the tone and the discussion about LGBTQ+ students at the university in a more positive direction.

For more information about QUKU, you can check out our social media: @queerunionku on Instagram @ Q U KU o n Fac e b o o k fo r o u r of f i c i a l Facebook-page @QUKU - Queer Union Københavns Uni for our queer online-community.

If you have any further questions or wish to contact us directly, do so by e-mail on queerunionku@gmail.com.

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KU

Velkommen

i din idrætsforening

Vores mere end 4500 årlige medlemmer spænder vidt i både alder, fag og nationaliteter. Dine engagerede trænere sætter rammerne, og du er med til at fylde dem. Vi arbejder non-profit med fokus på at skabe stærke idræts- og bevægelsestilbud til dig til den bedst mulige pris.

76 Get help

www.kustudenteridraet.dk • kontakt@kustudenteridraet.dk facebook.com/kustudenteridraet • instagram.com/kustudenteridraet

Studenteridræt

KU Studenteridræt er idrætsforeningen for alle på KU. Her tanker du energi, venskaber og inspiration. Du kan møde alle de andre fra universitetet; dem fra dit studie, dem fra et andet campus, dem fra kandidaten og dem, der er blevet færdige.

Studying Parents

Studying Parents (Studerende Forældre) is a union for students that work to create a better balance between studying and parenting, especially for students of higher education. We try to create a more inclusive study environment, where studying parents can participate in social activities within the opening hours of daycares and schools, and thereby have the opportunity to be part of different social communities. We work to create opportunities for networks where studying parents can talk to each other.

Studying Parents work to secure easy access to knowledge about their rights and opportunities for all studying parents. For example, information on maternity/paternity leave, opportunities for financial aid and their right to re-plan their study process. We also work to make sure that our educational programmes have room for parents in the best possible way.

Studying Parents became a union in October 2019, meaning we are still a new organisation with plenty of room for new ideas. You’re more than welcome to participate in our work to create great conditions for students with children. We include all types of parenthood and have an understanding for the fact that you as a parent also have many other time-consuming tasks to take care of.

We hope to be able to host lectures, debates and workshops, in order to prepare studying parents to get the most out of their time as students. Right now we have a lot ideas: help to create Thursday bars (instead of Friday bars) for parents, parent groups and many other social activities. We also have a Facebook group where parents can discuss big and small issues with each other. After the society has been closed down due to COVID-19, we’ve gathered stories from students and talked to the Board of the University of Copenhagen and the Parliament about student issues.

Our general assembly will be held on the 12th of October 2020, where we could use more members on the board and also will decide the future for the union.

If you wish to know more about the union Studying Parents (Studerende Forældre), you’re welcome to contact us on studerendeforaeldre@gmail.com, find us on our Facebook-page or read more on our website www.studerendeforældre.dk.

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YOUNG RIGHTS Good advice can be expensive - just not ours YOUNG RIGHTS offers legal advice to students and young people in the ages 16 to 30.

We’re a group of law students from UCPH and CBS (Copenhagen Business School), who believe that it should be possible to get legal advice, even though you’re out of money.

As a soon-to-be student at the University of Copenhagen, you’re probably just about to move to the city. You’re probably also about to get used to living on a student aid (SU) budget while you study. Whether it is difficult to find a place to live or what seems to be an unsolvable problem arises, you don’t have to put up with everything. What should you do if you lose your jacket on a night out and the club you went to won’t reimburse you for it? What if you’ve been given the wrong advice from your student counsellor or if you friend has broken your camera? As a student, it can be a bit difficult to figure out your rights, when it comes to your landlord, exams, the student aid office or just on a night out.

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Who is YOUNG RIGHTS? YOUNG RIGHTS is legal advice from law students at UCPH and CBS that offer you free legal counsel.

Several problems can occur in your life as a student or just a young person, and we can help you when it comes to tenant rights, users’ rights, replacement rights and much more. You can go to YOUNG RIGHTS if you feel that you’ve been unjustly treated or just don’t know what to do.

In general, we focus on the topics that concern young people and students, and we will gladly help you!

You can find us in the offices of the Student Union at Købmagergade 52 - right above Studenterhuset. Read more about the legal advice on www. ungret.dk, Facebook and Instagram. You’re always welcome to contact us on kontakt@ungret.dk All questions matter at YOUNG RIGHTS Get help 79

CHAPTER 5

The encyclopaedia Here we attempt to translate some of the typical university-lingo, which you’ll probably face in the time to come, we guide you through study start events and who to follow on social media.

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The Encyclopedia of UCPH We know that it can seem overwhelming to start somewhere completely new and maybe even moving to a new city as well.

We think that you should look through these final pages, where we’ve gathered some useful links and advice.

We hope they can help you!

SU (State Educational Grant and Loan Scheme) When applying for SU, you must use the self-service system on the website su.dk. SU is prepaid and you’ll have it on your bank account on the final bank day of the month. You must take into account that it takes about a week to process an application for SU. As a SU-recipient you must become acquainted with the SU regulations. On www.su.dk you can find information on the general SU regulations, including rates, tax-free amounts, disability aid, deadlines, student loans, and more. www.su.dk THE SU OFFICE AT UCPH As a student at the University of Copenhagen, your SU is administered by the SU office of the university. On the SU office’s website www.su.ku.dk, you can find more information about SU concerning your educational programme at the University of Copenhagen. If you have questions about your

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SU or about SU in general, which you can’t find an answer to on the websites, you can contact the SU-office. su.ku.dk MINSU.dk In the self-service system you can, besides from applying for SU, apply for a student loan, get direct access to your SU-data and alter your SUcircumstances. When using “minSU”, you can follow your application online. When an answer to your application has been given, you’ll receive an aid notification message in your ‘E-boks’. Always read this message and save it. To use the selfservice system “minSU” on su.dk, you must have a NemID, digital signature or a pin-code - if you don’t have any of these, you can order one on the website. su.dk

UNIVERSITY POST At the University of Copenhagen, we have University Post, which is a platform with news on research, teaching and life at the university. You can read it online and find it in physical form at all campus areas of the university. University Post is editorially independent from the Board of the University of Copenhagen. uniavisen.dk/en/

UNIVERSITY LINGO: ACADEMIC QUARTER (of an hour) The academic quarter (of an hour) is a term often used at universities concerning the first 15 minutes of a class. This means that, if the class starts at 9 a.m., it really starts at 9.15. However, this is an old and traditional term. It can be a good idea to check whether your educational programme and professor make use of the academic quarter (of an hour).

ALUMNI When graduating from the University of Copenhagen, you became an alumnus (male) or alumna (female), which means that you are a former student at the university.

BACHELOR’S PROGRAMME An education with a duration of three years, which you get accepted into through ‘Den Koordinerede Tilmelding’. In formal terms, a bachelor’s programme is a full educational programme, which is eligible for you to leave university. However, not many companies hire newly graduated bachelor’s students, so many use their bachelor’s to get accepted into their Master’s Programmes.

CAMPUS Campus is a collective term for a university area.

The University of Copenhagen is divided into four campus areas: Campus North, Campus City, Campus South and Campus Frederiksberg.

Campus North consists of a big part of the Faculty of Science along with the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. At Campus City you’ll find the Faculty of Social Sciences along with parts of the Faculty of Science and Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. Besides that, you’ll find the Botanical Garden and the Natural History Museum of Denmark, as a part of Campus City. Campus South consists of three different faculties: the Faculty of Theology, the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Humanities. The final campus area, Campus Frederiksberg, consists of the remaining parts of the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences.

COURSE CATALOGUE On www.kurser.ku.dk you’ll find your online course catalogue with descriptions of each course on UCPH and a long list of practical information about your education. kurser.ku.dk COURSE LITERATURE Before the start of classes, you’ll receive a syllabus for each course. You are solely responsible for buying or borrowing your books. You’ll be able to find course literature online, in antiquarian bookstores and in the Academic Books shops that sell the literature required to your particular syllabi to affordable prices. You can find Academic Books shops in the different campus areas of UCPH. Other than that, many Facebook groups exist where former students sell their old study books - just find the right one for your educational programme. academicbooks.dk ECTS The “size” of your courses is measured in ECTS points. The work of one study year is typically equivalent to 60 ECTS points (30 ECTS each semester). You can value the size of a course by looking at its ECTS points.

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EXAMS At university you’ll have many different types of exams. There are e.g. written home papers, reports, active class participation, oral exams, etc.

For every course, there will be an exam that determines how to pass the course.

FACULTY A faculty is one of the main departments of a university, divided in relation to the general educational programmes. There are six faculties at UCPH: The Faculty of Humanities, The Faculty of Law, The Faculty of Science, The Faculty of Political Science, the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences and the Faculty of Theology. The head of a faculty is called a Dean, who is advised by an Academic Council, where students make up a third of the people on the council ID-CARD/STUDENT CARD All students at the University of Copenhagen get an ID-card, that works as an ID, student card, and key card. You’ll receive a letter through the mail that contains a guide on how to get your IDcard. You must remember to have it with you when being at the university, and it is especially important to have it with you when going to an exam.

The ID-card can also give you discounts in shops, museums and other places that carry a student discount.

INSTITUTE The institutes are educational departments at the faculties. Smaller educational programmes are gathered in institutes, whereas larger educational programmes can range across several institutes.

INTRANET When you’ve been accepted into UCPH, you’ll be able to get access to the university’s intranet via a link at the top menu on www.ku.dk. Before then, you must remember to activate your per-

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sonal UCPH-username. In your acceptance-letter, there’s a guide on how to activate your UCPHusername and start using the intranet or try asking one of your mentors (tutorer). ku.dk INTERNSHIP Experience is essential when looking for a job after finishing your education. Even though studying will give insight into subject areas and ways to work, not everything can be learned through books and group work. If you accomplish to combine your studies with real practical experience, you improve your chances of getting a job after finishing your studies. The student counsellors at your faculty can help you get started on applying for internships. erhverv.ku.dk KUmail All students at UCPH get an individual student email. Access to your e-mail is found through the university’s intranet, KUnet. The university uses this e-mail to send you messages and the e-mail can also be connected to other platforms and functions at UCPH. Your e-mail is automatically generated and made for you when you get accepted into UCPH. KUNET The university’s intranet, where you have access to your mail, self service, your Programme Curriculum, regulations and university news. kunet.dk LECTURE At university, a big part of your learning will take place through so-called lectures. Many lectures take place in large rooms or auditoriums and is often more similar to a “speech” than the traditional class structure, as known from high school.

MASTER’S PROGRAMME 2 year degree after a finished Bachelor‘s Programme. Most Bachelor’s Programmes have a Master’s Årogramme that academically follow each other. However, there are some Master’s Programmes without connected Bachelor’s Programmes, but where people from many different Bachelor’s Programmes can apply to get in. After finishing your Master’s Programme, you are considered to have completed a “full” university education.

MATRICULATION The matriculation is a traditional event at the University of Copenhagen. The principal and the university welcomes you in the old Grand Hall of the main building of the university on Frue Plads.

MENTOR (Tutor) A mentor - or a ‘rus-vejleder’ - is a student whose job it is to make the new students feel welcome at university. The mentors plan the ‘rustur’ (cabin trip) and other study start events and can answer some of the questions you might have as a student.

PROGRAMME CURRICULUM The Programme Curriculum is the most important document when planning your studies, so make sure to read it thoroughly! In the Programme Curriculum you’ll be able to see the essential study elements of your educational programme, what it takes to pass them and what rights you

have at university. You can find your Programme Curriculum on the website allocated for your educational programme.

REQUIREMENT FOR STUDY ACTIVITY The requirement for study activity is a requirement for you to pass a certain amount of courses each study year. At UCPH, you are required to pass courses equivalent to 45 ECTS points each study year (two semesters)..

RUS (Freshman) A ‘rus’ is an old term for a new student at university.

At most educational programmes at UCPH there’ll be ‘rus’ counsellors or mentors that make sure that the new students get a great start at university.

SCP (VIP) An abbreviation for the university’s Scientific Personnel (Videnskabelige Personale), meaning all of our researchers and professors.

STUDY ABROAD If you want to go on exchange when studying, it’ll be a good idea to talk to your student counsellor.

They’ll give you thorough guidance along with different lists with overviews of our partner universities. They’ll tell you about your options and guide you through the process. Remember, it is a good idea to start preparing for going on exchange at least a year before you want to leave.

STUDY LEAVE If you at some point in your studies wish to take a break, you can go on study leave. You can apply for study leave after finishing and passing at least one year of your Bachelor’s Programme, according to your specific Programme Curriculum. You won’t be able to get SU when being on study leave and it will be cut off automatically. Under special circumstances, the university can suspend the rule about not granting study leave during the first

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study year. Talk to your student counsellor, if you wish to go on study leave.

TAP An abbreviation for the Technical-Administrative Personnel at the university, meaning all of the personnel that is not researchers or professors, but the people that makes the wheels at UCPH go around.

THE BOARD OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN As the university’s superior institutional body, it is the Board’s job to take care of the university’s interest as an institution for research and education. The Student Union have two representatives on the Board THE PRINCIPAL The principal is the boss at the university. Henrik C. Wegner has been the principal of the University of Copenhagen since 2017.

THE STUDY PROGRESS REFORM The Study Progress Reform is a widely discussed reform that became effective on the 1st of September 2015. The reform means that we students, have to finish our university education a lot faster. It comes with rules for how many courses you should pass every semester. It means that you have to pass 45 ECTS points every study year (two consecutive semesters) and if you don’t, it can have consequences for your SU and your further time at university. If you apply for a new educational programme after already being enrolled into another Bachelor’s or Master’s Programme, you are obligated to apply for getting your grades transferred from your already passed courses, from your old educational programme to the new. If you are in doubt about the regulations, it is essential that you talk to your student counsellor. They can also advice you on what to do, if you

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don’t live up to the regulations FORCED TRANSFER OF GRADES (MERIT TRANSFER) If you have passed exams at another university or another educational programme at UCPH, you must apply to get your passed ECTS points transferred to your current educational programme.

Normally it is your Study Board that makes the decision on whether or not you’re allowed to get your merits transferred.

UNIVERSITY ELECTION In November there’ll be elections for the Study Boards, Academic Councils and the Board of the University of Copenhagen. It is important that all students remember to vote in order to support the student democracy. The Student Union run in these elections, so keep an eye out and look forward to an exciting election.

WHERE SHOULD I LIVE? HOUSING ASSOCIATION A housing association is an association that administer accommodation. Many non-privately owned accommodations are administered in housing associations, that typically administer and rent out common accommodations and accommodation for seniors or youths. Examples of this can be KAB, FSB, 3B, Lejerbo, AAB and many more.

HOUSING AID If you rent an apartment, you might be eligible for housing aid. The only requirement is that you have your own kitchen. Other than that, the amount of housing aid you can receive is dependent on the size of the apartment and the size of the rent payment. You can read more and apply on www.borger.dk. www.borger.dk/bolig-og-flytning/ Boligstoette-oversigt

CIU The housing-political institution Centralindstillingsudvalget allocate housing for students in Copenhagen. You can sign up on their study start list, if you are in dire need of housing in Copenhagen.

RESIDENCE HALLS At a residence hall or a dormitory, you live with other students, and you’ll get the opportunity to take part in many different social activities. The rent can be somewhat cheap and at most residence halls, items such as laundering, internet and access to communal areas are included in the rent. It is the CIU that allocates students to the most residence halls and youth housing in Copenhagen.

You can find the application form on www.findbolig.nu. The waiting time depends on where you apply to live, but you’ll most likely have to wait for three to six months to get into one of the big residence halls and longer for the smaller ones. If you move to Copenhagen from Fyn or Jutland, you might be able to get housing faster. You can find the rules on the website for Copenhagen Commune (Københavns Kommune).

If you are an exchange student studying in Copenhagen, you can get help from DIS. kk.dk findbolig.nu kk.dk/ungdomsboliger kkik.dk

RENTAL HOUSING Rental housing is usually administered by common housing associations or are privately owned. As a tenant on the private housing market, you must always acquire a signed lease with rules that dictate rent inflation, maintenance, deposition and notice information. Remember to get a viewing of the apartment or room before signing a lease.

An apartment should not cost more than a certain price per square meter - the price is calculated according to the age of the apartment. There are also very strict rules for what a landlord is able to do when it comes to rent inflation.

You must also remember that it is the landlord that is responsible for maintenance and you shouldn’t accept leaking faucets, cracked walls, water damages or the like. If you are dissatisfied with your rent, deposit or something else, you can go to the Tenant’s Board in your area or the Tenant Organisation.

THE TENANT ORGANISATION (Lejernes Landsorganisation) The Tenant Organisation in Copenhagen offers tenants advice and guidance on their housing situation and can provide legal assistance, if need be.

You must be a member of the Tenant Organisation to get this kind of help. On www.llo.dk you can read more about what to notice the first time you move into a rental apartment and find the rules concerning rent, deposit, maintenance and much more. llo.dk

HOW SHOULD I SPEND MY FREETIME? BLUS BLUS is a LGBTQ+ organisation for students in Copenhagen. BLUS plans and executes a list of social and academic activities, e.g. in the Student

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weights to badminton and much, much more. Most of the activities cost under 1000 DKK for 8 months of exercise. Their former name was USG, which is why you can find them on the website: usg.dk PEDALARMEN Pedalarmen is a student-driven bike-garage at Campus City, in building 16. Here you can borrow tools and get help from volunteers in order to fix your bike - for free.

House or Huset in Magstræde. BLUS cooperates with other LGBTQ+ organisations, such as Pride and Sabaah. If you are interested in attending a BLUS event or wish to become a member of BLUS, write an e-mail to info@blus.dk.

ERASMUS Erasmus is one of the best solutions if you wish to study abroad in Europe. It is a collaboration deal between a lot universities in Europe, which makes sure that you can take your SU with you and get an Erasmus grant for your stay abroad. international.ku.dk THE STUDENT BAR (Friday bar/Fredagsbar) Most educational programmes at UCPH are connected to a local student bar, which is run by volunteering students. This is the perfect place for you to get to know your fellow students, and if you feel like you want to contribute, you can volunteer in the bar as well. They’re are usually open every day, serving coffee, cold drinks and snacks during the week and hosts ‘Friday bars’ on Fridays.

STUDENT ATHLETICS UCPH Student Athletics (KSI - KU Studenteridræt) is an athletics association where you can sign up for more than 50 types of exercise all year round.

They offer everything from kayaking, climbing, different types of of dance, ball games, yoga, lifting

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RADIO The University Radio is run by volunteers and broadcast on 95,5 MHz. You can also listen online. universitetsradioen.dk THE STUDENT ASSOCIATION (Studenterforeningen) The Student Association was founded in 1920 by alumni from Regensen (a famous residence hall in Copenhagen). It is an intellectual and literary debate forum for students at the University of Copenhagen. Today, the Student Association focuses on parties, entertainment and events across all academic fields. studenterforeningen.dk THE STUDENT HOUSE (Studenterhuset) The Student House is the cultural and social centre of the study environment in Copenhagen.

You’ll find the Student House in the middle of Copenhagen on Købmagergade 52. During the day, the café serves cheap coffee, cake and beer, and at night you can attend academic events, experience live music or party in the House. On the 1st and 2nd floor, there’s space for you to dive into your studies at one of the allocated study spots and here you also have the opportunity to borrow one of the House’s many rooms with wi-fi. studenterhuset.com

MUSLIM STUDENT ASSOCIATION MSA at Campus South (abbreviation for ‘Muslim Student Association’) is a student association run by volunteer students that work to create a nuanced awareness about islamic religion and culture by creating a platform where experts can point out relevant matters. This is done in order to contribute to and facilitate a space for bridge-building between cultures, which is the other essential element to MSA at Campus South. Finally, it is a student association for students that wish to connect, network and have an open dialogue with each other.

SMiK (The Student Congregation of Copenhagen) AND THE STUDENT MINISTERS The Student Congregation of Copenhagen (SMiK = Studentermenigheden i København) is a crosseducational forum with debates and discussions, and with room for everyone. As a student, you can participate in e.g. student groups, lectures, debates, Friday lunches, concerts, nature walks and the annual study trip. SMiK is a part of the Church of Denmark and the student ministers are available for personal conversations with complete confidentiality. smikbh.dk studenterpraesterne.ku.dk STUDENT JOBS Many students choose to try out their academic qualifications and competencies in a student job.

Companies and organisations can post relevant job listings and internships in UCPH’s job-bank, directly to the students at UCPH. As a student you can find relevant student jobs, internships and project positions at www.jobbank.ku.dk. You can also upload your resumé to the job-bank, create a job-agent, look through the many company presentations and much more. You can also look for student jobs through many other job-portals. jobbank.ku.dk

QUKU As of fall 2019, the University of Copenhagen has its very own Queer Union, a community for LGBTQ+ students at the university, formed and run by students themselves. Right now, QUKU is a community in the form a Facebook group reserved for queer students at the university, whereas monthly events are open to all, no matter your gender or sexual orientation.These events can be in the form of everything from social game or quiz nights to lectures on everything LGBTQ+ from different professors both from the university and outside of the university. .

HOW CAN I IMPROVE THE UNIVERSITY? ACADEMIC COUNCILS Academic Councils are an advising institutional bodies to the Dean at every faculty. Both students and professors are parts of the Academic Councils.

There’s an election for the different Academic Councils once a year and the Student Union represents students on every faculty.

LOCAL COUNCILS The Student Union consists of six faculty councils and over 50 local councils. It is your specific local council that takes care of improving your educational programme and study environment. The local councils represent the Student Union on a smaller level and it is the local council that decides who should run for the different Study Boards.

THE STUDENT UNION The Student Union is our shared interest organisation as students at the University of Copenhagen.

We’ve been that since 1912. The Student Union is an umbrella organisation for local councils and faculty councils. In the local councils, we work on

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Copenhagen Commune (Københavns Kommune). kk.dk Frederiksberg Kommunes Pladsanvisning: frederiksberg.dk

improving educations and study environments. In the faculty councils, we meet across of our individual educational programmes and work on improving the faculties. We are the people who’ve made the book you’re reading right now.

Follow us on: facebook.com/studenterraadet instagram.com/studenterraadetku srku.dk STUDY BOARDS The assembly of professor- and student representatives, who’s responsible for planning and evaluating your educational programme. The Study Board creates the Programme Curriculum and it is the Study Board that grants exceptions from the Programme Curriculum, in special cases. Half of the members of the Study Board have been elected by students, meaning that it is important that you are aware of the annual university election in November.

WHERE CAN I GET HELP? CHILDREN If you are a parent while studying, you can apply for extra SU or parent aid. There are certain kindergartens where the children of students get a spot before others. It is a good idea to contact

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SPECIAL AUTHORIZATIONS If you ,for some reason, need to deviate from your Programme Curriculum, you must apply for a special authorization from your Study Board. It is always a good idea to talk to your student counsellor first, as they can advice you on which type of special authorization you must apply for and the most regulations on the specific area.

EXAM ANXIETY Many students get anxiety when taking an exam.

You can get help to handle your exam anxiety at Studenterrådgivningen or talk to your student counsellor. srg.dk WORKERS’ UNIONS A workers’ union advises, helps and negotiates salary for their members. A workers’ union is an interest organisation that actively tries to influence conditions on the job market and educations, benefiting their members. Some unions also offer memberships for students. A membership in a workers’ union can provide you with insight and knowledge about your future work life along with giving you access to advice, courses and guidance in relation to student jobs and internships.

Most unions also offer discounts on other services for their members, such as cheap insurance.

DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS If you are disabled or in any way have special needs, you can always talk to your student counsellor.

You can apply for disability aid, as an extra supplement to your SU and Specialpædogisk støtte (SPS) in the form of technical equipment, study support hours, ergonomical equipment or the

like. You can read more on www.studier.ku.dk/ kandidat/funktionsnedsat. The University of Copenhagen also has an association for students with disabilities and special needs: Handicappede Studerende og Kandidater (Disabled Students and Postgraduates), read more on: hsknet.dk studier.ku.dk/kandidat/funktionsnedsat LEGAL ADVICE You can get free legal advice, no matter your income. Contact your commune for more information. Check out UngRet (Young Rights), which is a group of law students that offer free legal counsel for UCPH students. Read more on: ungret.dk GRANTS You can apply for grants as a supplement to your SU or for specific project, e.g. study exchange.

You can find a lot of them in University Post or the Grants Handbook (Legathåndbogen), which you can find at the library. UCPH also controls some grants.

NORDPLUS The Scandinavian equivalent to Erasmus in Scandinavia and the Baltics, meaning an increased amount of opportunities for studying abroad.

Nordplus gives grants and administer the different spots available in Nordic and Baltic countries. The application deadline falls once a year. nordplusonline.org THERAPY An hour with a therapist can be expensive. If you need to talk to a therapist, contact to your GP and see if they can refer you to a therapist and guide you on your possibilities of some sort of government-funded supplement. If you wish to go to a private therapist, remember that most therapists offer up to 20% student discount. You can also

contact Studenterrådgivningen or Psykologisk SamtaleCenter, that offer free psychological guidance. srg.dk www.psykologisksamtalecenter.dk THE STUDENT AMBASSADOR At UCPH, we have a student ambassador that can help you, if you have an issue with something at the university. You can ask about anything that concerns the university and you. The student ambassador practices complete confidentiality. studenterambassadoer.ku.dk EDUCATIONAL UNIONS Besides from workers’ unions for alumni, there are two smaller educational unions for students. FADL organises medical students working at hospitals.

Studenterundervisernes Landsforbund (SUL) organises teaching assistants, assistant student counsellors and student assistants. fadl.dk sul.nu STUDENTERRÅDGIVNINGEN Studerenterrådgivningen is available for all students at the University of Copenhagen.

Studenterrådgivningen offers free social, psychological and psychiatric advice for students enrolled at higher education. The staff consists of social workers, therapists and psychiatrists. All employees practice complete confidentiality. You can contact them anonymously.

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srg.dk STUDENT DISCOUNTS Many places gladly offer a student discount. This goes for public transport, but also for many hair dressers, bike shops, creative shops, bookstores, clothing stores and so on. Read more on: studiz.dk STUDENT COUNSELLING The student counsellors at the university are your way to get all of your many questions about your education answered. The student counsellors can help you with Programme Curriculums, exam regulations, special authorizations, studying abroad, individual education plans, personal and social problems in your study environment, elective courses, changing educational programmes, study leave, career inspiration and contact to companies. studievejledning.ku.dk

HOW DO I STUDY BY MYSELF? THE BLACK DIAMOND The Royal Library is located in The Black Diamond.

It is known as the place with some of the most beautiful study spots in historical surroundings with a somewhat Hogwarts-like interior. Besides from the massive collection of literature, there’s a café, in the summer there are chairs and tables outside and there are several reading halls and spaces for group work. You can get guidance on your information research and get access to the many types of media that the library carries. Students who are registered as loaners at The Royal Library, can eat for affordable prices in the staff food hall after 1 p.m. Other than this, you’ll often find exciting events and exhibitions in The Black Diamond.

KUBIS The collective definition for the many libraries that make up Københavns Universitets

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Biblioteksservice, KUBIS (The Library Service at the University of Copenhagen). Institute and faculty libraries are parts of the Royal Library, also called The Library of the University of Copenhagen.

KUBIS is a gigantic collection of knowledge, available to you as a student at the University of Copenhagen. All KUBIS-libraries have members of staff that are experts in information research.

You’ll find an overview of the libraries on: kubis.ku.dk kb.dk/da/dia STUDY GROUP A good study group is almost indispensable at university. In the study group, you’ll discuss the syllabus, plan your papers and it is here where you’ll have the possibility for great discussions and academic sparring.

READING HALLS Going to a reading hall is a good idea if you find it difficult to study at home or if you need information from the library that you can’t take with you.

You’ll find reading halls at most KUBIS-libraries. kb.dk/da/kub REX REX is the name of the database of the KUBISlibraries. All books, journals and services are gathered here and this is where you can reserve, or-

der or download all of the knowledge you need.

You can get materials from all libraries and get it delivered to the KUBIS-library of your liking. rex.kb.dk

WHO SHOULD I FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA? UCPH SPRING FESTIVAL (KU’S FORÅRSFESTIVAL) An annual festival for all students and employees at the University of Copenhagen. facebook.com/kufestival/ UCPH INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION (KU INTERNATIONAL UDDANNELSE) International Uddannelse & SU helps and guides students at the University of Copenhagen, who wish to study abroad as a part of their studies at the University of Copenhagen. facebook.com/kuudrejse/?ref=br_rs KUSTUDIELIV At KUstudieliv you follow a new student every week who instagrams about their education and student life at UCPH. instagram.com/kustudieliv/ THE UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN (KØBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET) The official page for the University of Copenhagen. facebook.com/universitet/ THE STUDENT HOUSE (STUDENTERHUSET) The Student House is, as the name implies, the students’ house. Here you’ll meet students from all educational programmes and faculties. The House is run by volunteers along with a small part of paid staff. Here you’ll find debates, concerts, and other events and activities. As a student at

UCPH, you are automatically a member of The Student House and will get discounts on drinks, snacks and entrance fees. studenterhuset.com/ THE STUDENT UNION (STUDENTERRÅDET) The Student Union at the University of Copenhagen is an interest organisation that has spent the last 100 years trying to improve the educational programmes at UCPH. The organisation consists of a lot of volunteering students, for example the people you see in your local council. Their common ground is fighting for a better university, both when it comes to content and the social environment. facebook.com/studenterraadet/ UNIVERSITY POST University Post is the critically acclaimed and critical newspaper of UCPH, published for students and employees - and for everyone else who wants to read along. The paper is published online in both Danish and English, and is published in print six times a year. uniavisen.dk/ UNIVERSITY RADIO At the University Radio, students and other people experiment with making radio and developing their communicative skills - a stable stepping stone for the new generation of media employees. facebook.com/Uniradioen/ UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL A recurrent tournament for the different educational programmes at UCPH. Follow University Football here: facebook.com/universitetsfodbold/

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The students’ very own house The Student House (Studenterhuset) in Købmagergade is the centre of the study environment at the University of Copenhagen.

Activities in the house are run by nice, volunteering students whose passion is to make Copenhagen into the best possible city for students.

All students at UCPH are automatically members and get a discount in the café.

When entering the Student House in the centre of Copenhagen, right next to the Round Tower, you enter a house that is constantly buzzing with life.

On weekdays we open at 9 a.m., serving hot organic coffee and crispy croissants at affordable prices. Study groups meet up here and students use the allocated study spots on the first floor to immerse into their studying. In the weekend, we’re open from 10 a.m. till late - often with parties on the schedule. The house has a cosy backgarden that is open all year round and is often used for concerts, events and for hanging out in the sun

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UN. Read about them on our website. Here we’ll mention two specific opportunities: in the organisation Student Refugees, you can become a mentor for a refugee who is about to start their studies and in the organisation Natur Lager, you can be a part of saving Danish nature through brewing beer.

The University of Copenhagen and the Student Union at UCPH co-host the UCPH Spring Festival every year. It is the largest event for all of UCPH with a lot of concerts and activities - and it’s free for all students and employees.

Your house - your ideas The Student House is a student-driven nonprofit organisation connected to the University of Copenhagen.

The activities are planned and executed by volunteer students. Most of our café personnel consists of volunteers and the profits from the café are used for events and activities that make Copenhagen an even better city for studying.

with a cup of coffee or a beer.

There are activities in the café of the Student House every day. Come by with your friends or meet some new people, when we host quiz night, swing dance, debates or Community Kitchen.

There are also debates, meetings and projects going on in the rooms upstairs. We lend out our rooms for study relevant activities and arrange many of our own events.

You can volunteer in our café, plan events or become engaged in the activities concerning sustainability and the developments goals of the

In the Student House you, along with students from other courses and countries, can influence the study environment in Copenhagen. Here you’ll find that there are plenty of volunteer activities and always room for new ideas. If you want to volunteer with more than 200 students from 40 different countries, read more on https://studen-

terhuset.com/en/bliv-frivillig/.

Around study start we get a lot of volunteers, so hurry up while there’s still spots left.

Everbody is welcome Everybody is welcome in the Student House. We are proud of our wide and embracive selection of activities and if you, for example, have a walking disability, you can get acces to a special entrance and lift with your student card.

About the Student House • KØBMAGERGADE 52, 1150 COPENHAGEN K • OPENING HOURS: MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 9-24.

THURSDAG 9-01. FRIDAY 09-03. SATURDAY 1002. SUNDAY 10-22.

• FIND US ON WWW.STUDENTERHUSET.COM, FACEBOOK.COM/STUDENTERHUSETKBH AND ON INSTAGRAM @STUDENTERHUSETCPH.

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HELT LOST? Academic Books er din studieboghandel på campus.

Vi samarbejder med din underviser og ved, hvilke bøger du skal bruge, så du altid får dine bøger til studiepris.

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2020

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For more than 100 years The Student Union has worked to create a better university – socially, academically and politically @studenterraadetku

facebook.dk/studenterraadet

Købmagergade 52, 3rd floor, 1150 Copenhagen K Tel. +45 6196 8300 E-mail: srku@srku.dk www.srku.dk