Management: KU is now UCPH in English

KU has been lost in translation for quite some time now, and some of the top brains at the University of Copenhagen have been exercising on the subject for years: How to abbreviate the University of Copenhagen – Københavns Universitet, and thereby translate the Danish ‘KU’, pronounced ‘koh – ooh’, into English.

Many alternatives have seen the light before being buried again in the big ocean of discarded acronyms. How about just using KU? This has the advantage of being recognisable by Danes. U of C? This has the advantage of being an easily pronouncable ‘You – of – See’, and recognisable, typical university abbreviation.

The university management team, Rector, Prorector, the Director and the Faculty deans, have decided on the following reasonable English translation: UCPH.

Mostly for internal communication

UCPH. As in ‘You – See – Pee – Aytsh’. Read it, taste it, savour it.

Twice as long as KU the only re-occurring letter is the inevitable U. CPH is already a semi official shortcut for Copenhagen, that was originally used as the international abbreviation of the city’s airport.

On KUnet, the University’s intranet, the department of communications explains that the term will mostly be used within university circles and premises.

UCPH, how to use

Neither the Danish nor the English abbreviation will be used to promote the University’s brand externally as such, they say. And for those who wonder whether ku.dk and KUnet will undergo name changes as a result of this: Only time will tell.

The University of Copenhagen’s or should we say ‘UCPH’s’ KUnet, gives an example of how the new translation of KU works that is good for morale just before the holidays.

»From 12 December, UCPH employees can book the University’s new holiday home in the Perugia region Italy.«

anna.m.gaonkar@adm.ku.dk

Stay in the know about news and events happening in Copenhagen by signing up for the University Post’s weekly newsletter.