Review: Collegium Juris

Vagn Greve, the former dean of the Faculty of Law at University of Copenhagen initially had the idea to build Collegium Juris in 2003 when he started fundraising for the project.

The collegium opened its doors in September 2012 where 50 young residents moved in. The building has been completely renovated, which means all interior is brand new and (almost still) shiny, however the exterior has been kept beautifully antique. The interior architecture and design is quite extraordinary and very modern which is a perfect contrast to the exterior of the dorm. Bamboo is for example a main material used several places in the common areas and the student rooms, all around you’ll find lots of bright and colourful furniture, and each common area is closed off by big glass doors with colourful writing.

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The collegium is situated in the heart of Nørrebro with Sankt Hans Torv in its backyard.

Suits and stilettoes…

… are not the everyday uniform. Collegium Juris is a place where controversial clichés about law students can be put to bed – and where there is enough room for the residents to represent whichever personality, interests and field of study they have ambitions to pursue.

The collegium houses a majority of law students – however, almost every one of them has quite different interests within the field which makes the dorm academically vigorous. It is however a board requirement that a minimum of 10 non-law students are represented within the dorm.

The Law students particularly benefit from constructive feedback from each other especially during exam periods. Non-law students on the other hand seem to benefit by always having someone to help out if there’s a need for legal advice – and isn’t there always a need for legal advice? So far the combination has worked out phenomenally.

“Parlez-you-Dansk”?

Cross-cultural understanding is a keyword for life at the collegium. No less than 40% of the residents are international and all Danish residents must have some kind of international background.

International residents either study for one or two semesters as part of a normal exchange program, are enrolled in 1 or 2-year LL.M.-programs or work as ph.d. students.

Particularly this part of the collegium is what makes for a dynamic and vibrant atmosphere. Each semester we say our farewells and welcome new nationalities. Even though the collegium is still brand new, it has already become a tradition to send our old residents home and welcome new residents, Danish as well as international, with a gathering for their floor – mostly including coffee and cake or dinner and drinks.

Collegium Juris is in many ways a vivacious collegium, but it is by far the international feeling between residents that especially creates the pulsating life. I mean who doesn’t love the combination of an Australian surfer dude serenading the hall on his guitar, a Japanese girl making homemade sushi from her mothers recipe for Sunday dinner, an Ethiopian who always brings back Ethiopian coffee from his trips back home, a
spontaneous Summer October Fest to celebrate our German residents, topped of with a Danish resident cooking a traditional dinner of ”stegt flæst med persillesovs”?

Beers and briefcases

It is no secret that you’ll find very ambitious people residing in Collegium Juris. However, this is a place where everyone works hard to play hard!

All the residents are very social and always up for a good time. The basement in the building doesn’t just work as our study library but also provides huge common rooms where it’s hard not to play beer pong and beer football. Each month the floors take turns as to host themed Friday Bars, which are always a great success, and the themes and preparations get better each time.

Most floors also gather for a common Sunday dinner which residents take turn in preparing. It’s the definition of family time for everyone. Often the kitchen afterwards becomes a cinema and you’ll find a room full of residents cuddling in fatboys with their dunas eating cookies and popcorn. It’s always a great way to end a busy week.

A Tour de Cuisine is also arranged once a year where each floor is in charge of serving a meal, drinks and preparing games, which normally evolves around a theme – it’s Tour de Chambre (which is of course also held each semester) taken to another level.

Rome wasn’t built in a day

The premises are brand new, most residents have no dormitory-experience, and the possibilities are indeed endless.

Where to begin and where to end is never the question here. It’s all about starting and never quite finishing because there is always room for improvement and new additions. The possibilities in being a part of and building the traditions of a new collegium are only limited by your own imagination. There is always room for new ideas – and one of these came to life in April 2014 when we had our first ever Annual Party. The collegium was gathered for a magical night of reminiscing on the becoming of Collegium Juris and the great collegium it has already developed to be.

In August 2014 we gathered two groups of residents who ran the DHL relay, and most recently we celebrated Collegium Juris’ second birthday.

In the years to come our current and future residents will form the traditions of the collegium. There is a certain fascination in taking part in the making of collegium history.

Just can’t get enough?

If you are interested in applying for a room at Collegium Juris or would like to know more please do not hesitate to visit the Collegium Juris website and/or ”like” our Collegium Juris Facebook page.