{"id":187300,"date":"2026-01-28T15:19:40","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T14:19:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/de-giver-kus-udvekslings-studerende-en-bloed-landing\/"},"modified":"2026-01-29T10:47:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T09:47:12","slug":"first-friends-first-phrases-soft-landing-at-the-university-of-copenhagen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/first-friends-first-phrases-soft-landing-at-the-university-of-copenhagen\/","title":{"rendered":"First friends, first phrases: Soft landing at the University of Copenhagen"},"content":{"rendered":"

12 students are seated in a small room up on the fifth floor of a South Campus building. Danish sentences are being practiced.<\/p>\n

\u00bbJeg vil gerne have en kaffe,\u00ab <\/em>says one, wanting a hot beverage.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00bbMin livret er lasagne<\/em>,\u00ab states another, about their favourite dish.<\/p>\n

\u00bbKan jeg hj\u00e6lpe den n\u00e6ste?<\/em>\u00ab offers a third, offering to help the next in line.<\/p>\n

They are from all over the world and have just arrived in Copenhagen to begin their exchange semester at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH).<\/p>\n

To help them settle into their new city, the Saxo Institute, in collaboration with the Centre for Internationalisation and Parallel Language Use (CIP), offers an introductory course for all new exchange students. It\u2019s called Copenhagen Past and Present with Danish Language<\/em> and combines a crash course in Copenhagen\u2019s history with a bit of Danish language instruction.<\/p>\n

Coffee and SIM cards<\/h3>\n

The day\u2019s programme is on the whiteboard. Students are to first revise material from the last lesson. After that, they will learn how to talk about what they like and don\u2019t like.<\/p>\n

\u00bbWhen the course was first set up in 2022, we had maybe 50 participants. Since then, its popularity has grown, and we now have more than 100, with up to 250 enrolled in the summer,\u00ab says Katja \u00c5rosin Laursen from CIP. She is responsible for the Danish course and teaches on one of the six Danish-language classes.<\/p>\n

\u00bbWe actually got the feedback that some students chose to come to the University of Copenhagen because they had heard good things about the course.\u00ab
\n
\nThe course runs for three weeks and takes place in both January and August. Over the course of 20 lectures, students get a crash course in Danish history, which concludes with a history exam. This exam is necessary, explains Katja \u00c5rosin Laursen. Without it students can’t receive ECTS credits for the course. And no ECTS means no funding.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m surprised at how well UCPH takes care of us exchange students.<\/p>\n

Jonathan Pioch, exchange student<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The nine Danish language lessons are not followed by an exam. But the students appreciate the language instruction nonetheless. It gives them the chance to ask all the questions that arise when arriving in a new country.<\/p>\n

Katja \u00c5rosin Laursen and the other Danish-language instructors teach the students how to introduce themselves in Danish and order a cup of coffee, but they are also happy to answer questions about getting a Danish SIM card or how to ride safely on busy Copenhagen bike lanes. Most importantly, the students get to know each other. According to Katja \u00c5rosin Laursen, this is just as important as learning the language.<\/p>\n

\u00bbIt\u2019s a social course that gives students a soft landing in Denmark. They can get help with all the questions that come up \u2014 and build a network in the city.\u00ab<\/p>\n

Struggling with the grammar<\/h3>\n

One of the course participants is psychology student Jonathan Pioch. He is originally from Kiel but he now studies in Berlin. He moved to Copenhagen the day before the course started.<\/p>\n

\u00bbI stumbled upon the course by chance, and I\u2019m glad I signed up. It’s exciting and the teachers are really skilled. I\u2019m surprised at how well UCPH takes care of us exchange students,\u00ab he says.
\n
\nFor Jonathan Pioch, Copenhagen is not entirely unfamiliar. He has visited the city many times, and he grew up in a setting that is influenced by Danish culture, as Kiel is home to a Danish minority. Jonathan Pioch was able to take Danish classes for a couple of years in primary school because of this.<\/p>\n

\u00bbI\u2019ve forgotten most of it now, but German isn\u2019t that different from Danish. That makes things a bit more accessible. It\u2019s mostly the pronunciation and the grammar that I struggle with,\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n

Apart from brushing up on his Danish, Jonathan Pioch has already made lots of new friends, and he has been exploring Copenhagen with them.<\/p>\n

\u00bbEveryone is really up for meeting after class and at weekends, so we can go out and explore the city together,\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n

Happy UCPH ambassadors<\/h3>\n

To bring the students together, they are also sent on two excursions. The first excursion is at the beginning of the course and goes to Roskilde. The trip includes an organ concert in the cathedral and a guided tour of the Viking Ship Museum. The University Post was given permission to go on the second excursion with them.<\/p>\n

A canal boat is a teaching space like no other.<\/p>\n

Benjamin Asmussen, senior researcher and PhD in maritime history<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

A little after lunchtime on a sunny Tuesday, the group gathers on the quay at Gammel Strand<\/em>. They have just visited the National Museum and are headed for a canal tour.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a crisp winter day, and Copenhagen is bathed in sunlight. About 80 eager students take their seats in the boat. Despite the cold, the windows are quickly flung open as soon as the boat sets off. The students stand on the seats with their heads out the windows.<\/p>\n

Senior researcher and PhD in maritime history Benjamin Asmussen is today\u2019s guide. As the boat glides through the canals, he points out the city\u2019s most important landmarks.<\/p>\n

\u00bbA canal boat is a teaching space like no other. The world passes by like an analogue PowerPoint, and the students can\u2019t go anywhere \u2014 so they have to listen to what I have to say,\u00ab says Benjamin Asmussen with a knowing smile to the University Post reporter.
\n
\nHe helped set up the course back in 2022. Today, he works at the National Museum, but still gets to take part as a guest lecturer on the course.<\/p>\n

READ ALSO:<\/strong> Bikes, bars, and big discoveries: An exchange student in Copenhagen<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00bbWe\u2019re really proud of this course and always get fantastic feedback. I hope it continues for many years to come,\u00ab he says, and adds:<\/p>\n

\u00bbOf course it costs UCPH a bit to finance the course, but we get to send hundreds of enthusiastic UCPH ambassadors out into the world each year in return. And we give the students a great start to student life in Copenhagen.\u00ab<\/p>\n

From all continents<\/h3>\n

Every now and then excited students are asked to sit down as the boat passes under a low bridge. But as soon as they are past, they\u2019re up out of their seats again \u2014 eager not to miss a single part of the view.<\/p>\n

\u00bbIt\u2019s fun to see how the social dynamics change. On the first excursion, no one knows each other and everyone is keen to talk to everyone. Today you can already feel the atmosphere is more relaxed,\u00ab says Sara Bazi.<\/p>\n

She is a student of history and helps out on the course. With her colleague Huria Hissabu, a pharmaceutical technology student at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), she takes care of all the logistics of the excursions. Later on, they also help plan the sessions in a larger semester-long course for exchange students.<\/p>\n

READ ALSO:<\/strong> Four months in Copenhagen: An exchange student reflects<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\u00bbWe\u2019re happy to help the students with practical stuff. They often ask how to get a bike, or how the exams and course registration work,\u00ab says Huria Hissabu.<\/p>\n

One of the lecturers pops his head in with Huria Hissabu and Sara Bazi. He wants to check on whether the sound is good here at the back of the boat.<\/p>\n

\u00bbIt seems like a good group this year. They certainly talk a lot. It\u2019s almost impossible to get a word in,\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n

The students are from all continents, and the groupings seem random. One group of the five has decided to brave the cold and sit at the bow of the boat to enjoy the full view, unimpeded by dirty windows. They come from Colombia, Japan, Germany and Australia. Their spirits are high even though they are huddling in the winter chill with their hats pulled tightly down over their ears.
\n
\n\u00bbI\u2019m really excited about the course. I think they\u2019ve gone to extraordinary lengths to make sure we feel welcome,\u00ab says the student from Germany. The others nod in agreement.<\/p>\n

\u00bbIt\u2019s also cool to learn a bit of Danish. The language is really difficult to pronounce \u2014 especially for me,\u00ab says the student from Japan.<\/p>\n

Overwhelmed by exchange<\/h3>\n

Back on the boat, Huria Hissabu and Sara Bazi are watching a few video clips they\u2019ve recorded for the course\u2019s Instagram account.<\/p>\n

\u00bbIt\u2019s always fun to see how we suddenly get loads of followers right before the course starts,\u00ab says Sara Bazi.<\/p>\n

The Instagram channel helps students get an idea of the course programme. It also features short video interviews with former exchange students.<\/p>\n

\u00bbWhen I look at the students from the outside, I really admire them. It\u2019s all so intense. They have to get to know a new city and a new country, while also trying to make new friends. It must be incredibly overwhelming,\u00ab says Sara Bazi.<\/p>\n

READ ALSO: <\/strong>Danish millions to strengthen academic ties with Africa<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Huria Hissabu nods. She herself went on exchange in the US, so she can easily relate to the students who are now eagerly chatting away with one another.<\/p>\n

\u00bbI think there\u2019s a big difference between being in the middle of it and seeing it from the outside. When you\u2019re in it, you focus on all the new and exciting stuff and forget just how hectic it actually is,\u00ab says Huria Hissabu.<\/p>\n

After two hours on the water, the boat returns to Gammel Strand<\/em>. The students applaud, stand up, and stamp their feet to keep warm before jumping back on to dry land.<\/p>\n

This article was first written in Danish and published on 28 January. It has been translated into English and post-edited by Mike Young.<\/em>
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","name":"c40a7dfa-ddda-4f4e-ad98-4f54865772aa","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":187238,"date":"2026-01-28 09:03:02","modified":"2026-01-28 14:19:30","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2560,"height":1709,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/c40a7dfaddda4f4ead984f54865772aa-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/c40a7dfaddda4f4ead984f54865772aa-480x320.jpg","medium-width":480,"medium-height":320,"medium_large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/c40a7dfaddda4f4ead984f54865772aa-768x513.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":513,"large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/c40a7dfaddda4f4ead984f54865772aa-1280x854.jpg","large-width":1280,"large-height":854,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/c40a7dfaddda4f4ead984f54865772aa-1536x1025.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/c40a7dfaddda4f4ead984f54865772aa-2048x1367.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1367,"featured-soft":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/c40a7dfaddda4f4ead984f54865772aa-290x194.jpg","featured-soft-width":290,"featured-soft-height":194,"featured-hard":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/c40a7dfaddda4f4ead984f54865772aa-290x180.jpg","featured-hard-width":290,"featured-hard-height":180,"narrow":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/c40a7dfaddda4f4ead984f54865772aa-700x467.jpg","narrow-width":700,"narrow-height":467,"extended":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/c40a7dfaddda4f4ead984f54865772aa-990x661.jpg","extended-width":990,"extended-height":661}},"style":"full","text_placement":"metadata-below","image_link_url":"","image_link_title":"","caption_prefix":"","enable_alternative_caption":true,"alternative_caption":"Katja \u00c5rosin Laursen at work teaching on the Danish-language class."},{"acf_fc_layout":"Standfirst","subject":"Welcoming","text":"For at sikre en god start for nyankomne udvekslingsstuderende tilbyder kurset 'Copenhagen Past and Present' b\u00e5de en hurtig gennemgang af de vigtigste danske historiske begivenheder og dansk sprogundervisning, s\u00e5 de studerende er beredte, n\u00e5r de skal bestille en kop kaffe. ","use_post_excerpt":true},{"acf_fc_layout":"Byline","is_author":true,"contributors":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>12 students are seated in a small room up on the fifth floor of a South Campus building. Danish sentences are being practiced.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u00bbJeg vil gerne have en kaffe,\u00ab <\/em>says one, wanting a hot beverage<em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00bb<em>Min livret er lasagne<\/em>,\u00ab states another, about their favourite dish.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bb<em>Kan jeg hj\u00e6lpe den n\u00e6ste?<\/em>\u00ab offers a third, offering to help the next in line.<\/p>\n<p>They are from all over the world and have just arrived in Copenhagen to begin their exchange semester at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH).<\/p>\n<p>To help them settle into their new city, the Saxo Institute, in collaboration with the Centre for Internationalisation and Parallel Language Use (CIP), offers an introductory course for all new exchange students. It\u2019s called <em>Copenhagen Past and Present with Danish Language<\/em> and combines a crash course in Copenhagen\u2019s history with a bit of Danish language instruction.<\/p>\n<h3>Coffee and SIM cards<\/h3>\n<p>The day\u2019s programme is on the whiteboard. Students are to first revise material from the last lesson. After that, they will learn how to talk about what they like and don\u2019t like.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbWhen the course was first set up in 2022, we had maybe 50 participants. Since then, its popularity has grown, and we now have more than 100, with up to 250 enrolled in the summer,\u00ab says Katja \u00c5rosin Laursen from CIP. She is responsible for the Danish course and teaches on one of the six Danish-language classes.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbWe actually got the feedback that some students chose to come to the University of Copenhagen because they had heard good things about the course.\u00ab<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Image","image":{"ID":187256,"id":187256,"title":"IMG_8004","filename":"img_8004-scaled.jpg","filesize":567982,"url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8004-scaled.jpg","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/de-giver-kus-udvekslings-studerende-en-bloed-landing\/img_8004\/","alt":"","author":"107","description":"","caption":"Kanalrundfart med historisk forel\u00e6sning er en del af velkomsten.","name":"img_8004","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":187238,"date":"2026-01-28 09:36:59","modified":"2026-01-28 14:08:10","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2560,"height":1708,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8004-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8004-480x320.jpg","medium-width":480,"medium-height":320,"medium_large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8004-768x513.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":513,"large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8004-1280x854.jpg","large-width":1280,"large-height":854,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8004-1536x1025.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8004-2048x1367.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1367,"featured-soft":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8004-290x194.jpg","featured-soft-width":290,"featured-soft-height":194,"featured-hard":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8004-290x180.jpg","featured-hard-width":290,"featured-hard-height":180,"narrow":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8004-700x467.jpg","narrow-width":700,"narrow-height":467,"extended":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8004-990x661.jpg","extended-width":990,"extended-height":661}},"style":"extended","text_placement":"metadata-below","image_link_url":"","image_link_title":"","caption_prefix":"","enable_alternative_caption":true,"alternative_caption":"Canal tour with a history lecture is part of the welcome."},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>The course runs for three weeks and takes place in both January and August. Over the course of 20 lectures, students get a crash course in Danish history, which concludes with a history exam. This exam is necessary, explains Katja \u00c5rosin Laursen. Without it students can’t receive ECTS credits for the course. And no ECTS means no funding.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>I\u2019m surprised at how well UCPH takes care of us exchange students.<\/p>\n<p class=\"quotee\">Jonathan Pioch, exchange student<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The nine Danish language lessons are not followed by an exam. But the students appreciate the language instruction nonetheless. It gives them the chance to ask all the questions that arise when arriving in a new country.<\/p>\n<p>Katja \u00c5rosin Laursen and the other Danish-language instructors teach the students how to introduce themselves in Danish and order a cup of coffee, but they are also happy to answer questions about getting a Danish SIM card or how to ride safely on busy Copenhagen bike lanes. Most importantly, the students get to know each other. According to Katja \u00c5rosin Laursen, this is just as important as learning the language.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbIt\u2019s a social course that gives students a soft landing in Denmark. They can get help with all the questions that come up \u2014 and build a network in the city.\u00ab<\/p>\n<h3>Struggling with the grammar<\/h3>\n<p>One of the course participants is psychology student Jonathan Pioch. He is originally from Kiel but he now studies in Berlin. He moved to Copenhagen the day before the course started.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbI stumbled upon the course by chance, and I\u2019m glad I signed up. It’s exciting and the teachers are really skilled. I\u2019m surprised at how well UCPH takes care of us exchange students,\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Image","image":{"ID":187242,"id":187242,"title":"191464d4-bdc0-4440-bf38-1f1a7162b293","filename":"191464d4bdc04440bf381f1a7162b293.jpg","filesize":608654,"url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/191464d4bdc04440bf381f1a7162b293.jpg","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/de-giver-kus-udvekslings-studerende-en-bloed-landing\/191464d4-bdc0-4440-bf38-1f1a7162b293\/","alt":"","author":"107","description":"","caption":"Gennem kurset har udvekslingsstuderende Jonathan Pioch allerede f\u00e5et nye venner.","name":"191464d4-bdc0-4440-bf38-1f1a7162b293","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":187238,"date":"2026-01-28 09:09:13","modified":"2026-01-28 09:11:38","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1957,"height":1306,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/191464d4bdc04440bf381f1a7162b293-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/191464d4bdc04440bf381f1a7162b293-480x320.jpg","medium-width":480,"medium-height":320,"medium_large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/191464d4bdc04440bf381f1a7162b293-768x513.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":513,"large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/191464d4bdc04440bf381f1a7162b293-1280x854.jpg","large-width":1280,"large-height":854,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/191464d4bdc04440bf381f1a7162b293-1536x1025.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/191464d4bdc04440bf381f1a7162b293.jpg","2048x2048-width":1957,"2048x2048-height":1306,"featured-soft":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/191464d4bdc04440bf381f1a7162b293-290x194.jpg","featured-soft-width":290,"featured-soft-height":194,"featured-hard":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/191464d4bdc04440bf381f1a7162b293-290x180.jpg","featured-hard-width":290,"featured-hard-height":180,"narrow":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/191464d4bdc04440bf381f1a7162b293-700x467.jpg","narrow-width":700,"narrow-height":467,"extended":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/191464d4bdc04440bf381f1a7162b293-990x661.jpg","extended-width":990,"extended-height":661}},"style":"extended","text_placement":"metadata-below","image_link_url":"","image_link_title":"","caption_prefix":"","enable_alternative_caption":true,"alternative_caption":"Exchange student Jonathan Pioch has already made new friends at the course. "},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>For Jonathan Pioch, Copenhagen is not entirely unfamiliar. He has visited the city many times, and he grew up in a setting that is influenced by Danish culture, as Kiel is home to a Danish minority. Jonathan Pioch was able to take Danish classes for a couple of years in primary school because of this.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbI\u2019ve forgotten most of it now, but German isn\u2019t that different from Danish. That makes things a bit more accessible. It\u2019s mostly the pronunciation and the grammar that I struggle with,\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n<p>Apart from brushing up on his Danish, Jonathan Pioch has already made lots of new friends, and he has been exploring Copenhagen with them.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbEveryone is really up for meeting after class and at weekends, so we can go out and explore the city together,\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n<h3>Happy UCPH ambassadors<\/h3>\n<p>To bring the students together, they are also sent on two excursions. The first excursion is at the beginning of the course and goes to Roskilde. The trip includes an organ concert in the cathedral and a guided tour of the Viking Ship Museum. The University Post was given permission to go on the second excursion with them.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>A canal boat is a teaching space like no other.<\/p>\n<p class=\"quotee\">Benjamin Asmussen, senior researcher and PhD in maritime history<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>A little after lunchtime on a sunny Tuesday, the group gathers on the quay at <em>Gammel Strand<\/em>. They have just visited the National Museum and are headed for a canal tour.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a crisp winter day, and Copenhagen is bathed in sunlight. About 80 eager students take their seats in the boat. Despite the cold, the windows are quickly flung open as soon as the boat sets off. The students stand on the seats with their heads out the windows.<\/p>\n<p>Senior researcher and PhD in maritime history Benjamin Asmussen is today\u2019s guide. As the boat glides through the canals, he points out the city\u2019s most important landmarks.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbA canal boat is a teaching space like no other. The world passes by like an analogue PowerPoint, and the students can\u2019t go anywhere \u2014 so they have to listen to what I have to say,\u00ab says Benjamin Asmussen with a knowing smile to the University Post reporter.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"MultiImage","images":[{"image":{"ID":187244,"id":187244,"title":"IMG_8015","filename":"img_8015-scaled.jpg","filesize":551539,"url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8015-scaled.jpg","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/de-giver-kus-udvekslings-studerende-en-bloed-landing\/img_8015\/","alt":"","author":"107","description":"","caption":"Seniorforsker og ph.d. i maritimhistorie Benjamin Asmussen var med til at oprette kurset i 2022. I dag er han med som g\u00e6steforel\u00e6ser. ","name":"img_8015","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":187238,"date":"2026-01-28 09:13:37","modified":"2026-01-28 09:51:18","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2560,"height":1708,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8015-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8015-480x320.jpg","medium-width":480,"medium-height":320,"medium_large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8015-768x513.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":513,"large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8015-1280x854.jpg","large-width":1280,"large-height":854,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8015-1536x1025.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8015-2048x1367.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1367,"featured-soft":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8015-290x194.jpg","featured-soft-width":290,"featured-soft-height":194,"featured-hard":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8015-290x180.jpg","featured-hard-width":290,"featured-hard-height":180,"narrow":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8015-700x467.jpg","narrow-width":700,"narrow-height":467,"extended":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8015-990x661.jpg","extended-width":990,"extended-height":661}},"caption_prefix":"","enable_alternative_caption":true,"alternative_caption":"Senior researcher and PhD in maritime history Benjamin Asmussen helped set up the course in 2022. Today, he takes part as a guest lecturer."},{"image":{"ID":187246,"id":187246,"title":"6bd955b4-d7af-4f21-b335-d90d6a5cfc86","filename":"6bd955b4d7af4f21b335d90d6a5cfc86-scaled.jpg","filesize":732647,"url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/6bd955b4d7af4f21b335d90d6a5cfc86-scaled.jpg","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/de-giver-kus-udvekslings-studerende-en-bloed-landing\/6bd955b4-d7af-4f21-b335-d90d6a5cfc86\/","alt":"","author":"107","description":"","caption":"De studerende st\u00e5r p\u00e5 s\u00e6derne med hovederne ud ad vinduerne, s\u00e5 de ikke misser udsigten.","name":"6bd955b4-d7af-4f21-b335-d90d6a5cfc86","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":187238,"date":"2026-01-28 09:25:20","modified":"2026-01-28 15:10:34","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2560,"height":1708,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/6bd955b4d7af4f21b335d90d6a5cfc86-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/6bd955b4d7af4f21b335d90d6a5cfc86-480x320.jpg","medium-width":480,"medium-height":320,"medium_large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/6bd955b4d7af4f21b335d90d6a5cfc86-768x513.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":513,"large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/6bd955b4d7af4f21b335d90d6a5cfc86-1280x854.jpg","large-width":1280,"large-height":854,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/6bd955b4d7af4f21b335d90d6a5cfc86-1536x1025.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/6bd955b4d7af4f21b335d90d6a5cfc86-2048x1367.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1367,"featured-soft":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/6bd955b4d7af4f21b335d90d6a5cfc86-290x194.jpg","featured-soft-width":290,"featured-soft-height":194,"featured-hard":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/6bd955b4d7af4f21b335d90d6a5cfc86-290x180.jpg","featured-hard-width":290,"featured-hard-height":180,"narrow":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/6bd955b4d7af4f21b335d90d6a5cfc86-700x467.jpg","narrow-width":700,"narrow-height":467,"extended":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/6bd955b4d7af4f21b335d90d6a5cfc86-990x661.jpg","extended-width":990,"extended-height":661}},"caption_prefix":"","enable_alternative_caption":true,"alternative_caption":"The students stand on the seats with their heads out the windows so they don\u2019t miss the view."},{"image":{"ID":187249,"id":187249,"title":"IMG_8011","filename":"img_8011-scaled.jpg","filesize":898454,"url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8011-scaled.jpg","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/de-giver-kus-udvekslings-studerende-en-bloed-landing\/img_8011\/","alt":"","author":"107","description":"","caption":"De studerende er meget begejstrede for kurset. Selvom dansk kan v\u00e6re sv\u00e6rt at l\u00e6re, synes flere, at det er nyttigt at kunne et par danske gloser.","name":"img_8011","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":187238,"date":"2026-01-28 09:28:19","modified":"2026-01-28 15:08:58","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2560,"height":1708,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8011-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8011-480x320.jpg","medium-width":480,"medium-height":320,"medium_large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8011-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8011-1280x854.jpg","large-width":1280,"large-height":854,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8011-1536x1025.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8011-2048x1367.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1367,"featured-soft":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8011-290x194.jpg","featured-soft-width":290,"featured-soft-height":194,"featured-hard":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8011-290x180.jpg","featured-hard-width":290,"featured-hard-height":180,"narrow":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8011-700x467.jpg","narrow-width":700,"narrow-height":467,"extended":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8011-990x661.jpg","extended-width":990,"extended-height":661}},"caption_prefix":"","enable_alternative_caption":true,"alternative_caption":"The students are really enthusiastic about the course. Even though Danish can be difficult to learn, several of them find it useful to know a few local phrases."}]},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>He helped set up the course back in 2022. Today, he works at the National Museum, but still gets to take part as a guest lecturer on the course.<\/p>\n<p><strong>READ ALSO:<\/strong> <em><a href=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/bikes-bars-and-big-discoveries-an-exchange-student-in-copenhagen\/\">Bikes, bars, and big discoveries: An exchange student in Copenhagen<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00bbWe\u2019re really proud of this course and always get fantastic feedback. I hope it continues for many years to come,\u00ab he says, and adds:<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbOf course it costs UCPH a bit to finance the course, but we get to send hundreds of enthusiastic UCPH ambassadors out into the world each year in return. And we give the students a great start to student life in Copenhagen.\u00ab<\/p>\n<h3>From all continents<\/h3>\n<p>Every now and then excited students are asked to sit down as the boat passes under a low bridge. But as soon as they are past, they\u2019re up out of their seats again \u2014 eager not to miss a single part of the view.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbIt\u2019s fun to see how the social dynamics change. On the first excursion, no one knows each other and everyone is keen to talk to everyone. Today you can already feel the atmosphere is more relaxed,\u00ab says Sara Bazi.<\/p>\n<p>She is a student of history and helps out on the course. With her colleague Huria Hissabu, a pharmaceutical technology student at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), she takes care of all the logistics of the excursions. Later on, they also help plan the sessions in a larger semester-long course for exchange students.<\/p>\n<p><strong>READ ALSO:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/four-months-in-copenhagen-an-exchange-student-reflects\/\"><em>Four months in Copenhagen: An exchange student reflects<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00bbWe\u2019re happy to help the students with practical stuff. They often ask how to get a bike, or how the exams and course registration work,\u00ab says Huria Hissabu.<\/p>\n<p>One of the lecturers pops his head in with Huria Hissabu and Sara Bazi. He wants to check on whether the sound is good here at the back of the boat.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbIt seems like a good group this year. They certainly talk a lot. It\u2019s almost impossible to get a word in,\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n<p>The students are from all continents, and the groupings seem random. One group of the five has decided to brave the cold and sit at the bow of the boat to enjoy the full view, unimpeded by dirty windows. They come from Colombia, Japan, Germany and Australia. Their spirits are high even though they are huddling in the winter chill with their hats pulled tightly down over their ears.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Image","image":{"ID":187251,"id":187251,"title":"IMG_8023","filename":"img_8023-scaled.jpg","filesize":771700,"url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8023-scaled.jpg","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/de-giver-kus-udvekslings-studerende-en-bloed-landing\/img_8023\/","alt":"","author":"107","description":"","caption":"Huria Hissabu (til venstre) og Sara Bazi (til h\u00f8jre) er studentermedhj\u00e6lpere p\u00e5 kurset og st\u00e5r for alt det praktiske.","name":"img_8023","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":187238,"date":"2026-01-28 09:31:38","modified":"2026-01-28 09:32:47","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2560,"height":1708,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8023-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8023-480x320.jpg","medium-width":480,"medium-height":320,"medium_large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8023-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8023-1280x854.jpg","large-width":1280,"large-height":854,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8023-1536x1025.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8023-2048x1367.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1367,"featured-soft":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8023-290x194.jpg","featured-soft-width":290,"featured-soft-height":194,"featured-hard":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8023-290x180.jpg","featured-hard-width":290,"featured-hard-height":180,"narrow":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8023-700x467.jpg","narrow-width":700,"narrow-height":467,"extended":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8023-990x661.jpg","extended-width":990,"extended-height":661}},"style":"extended","text_placement":"metadata-below","image_link_url":"","image_link_title":"","caption_prefix":"","enable_alternative_caption":true,"alternative_caption":"Huria Hissabu (left) and Sara Bazi (right) are student assistants on the course and take care of all the practicalities."},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>\u00bbI\u2019m really excited about the course. I think they\u2019ve gone to extraordinary lengths to make sure we feel welcome,\u00ab says the student from Germany. The others nod in agreement.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbIt\u2019s also cool to learn a bit of Danish. The language is really difficult to pronounce \u2014 especially for me,\u00ab says the student from Japan.<\/p>\n<h3>Overwhelmed by exchange<\/h3>\n<p>Back on the boat, Huria Hissabu and Sara Bazi are watching a few video clips they\u2019ve recorded for the course\u2019s Instagram account.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbIt\u2019s always fun to see how we suddenly get loads of followers right before the course starts,\u00ab says Sara Bazi.<\/p>\n<p>The Instagram channel helps students get an idea of the course programme. It also features short video interviews with former exchange students.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbWhen I look at the students from the outside, I really admire them. It\u2019s all so intense. They have to get to know a new city and a new country, while also trying to make new friends. It must be incredibly overwhelming,\u00ab says Sara Bazi.<\/p>\n<p><strong>READ ALSO: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/danish-millions-to-strengthen-academic-ties-with-africa\/\"><em>Danish millions to strengthen academic ties with Africa<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Huria Hissabu nods. She herself went on exchange in the US, so she can easily relate to the students who are now eagerly chatting away with one another.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbI think there\u2019s a big difference between being in the middle of it and seeing it from the outside. When you\u2019re in it, you focus on all the new and exciting stuff and forget just how hectic it actually is,\u00ab says Huria Hissabu.<\/p>\n<p>After two hours on the water, the boat returns to <em>Gammel Strand<\/em>. The students applaud, stand up, and stamp their feet to keep warm before jumping back on to dry land.<\/p>\n<p><em>This article was first written in Danish and published on 28 January. It has been translated into English and post-edited by Mike Young.<\/em><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Image","image":{"ID":187254,"id":187254,"title":"IMG_8013","filename":"img_8013-scaled.jpg","filesize":778988,"url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8013-scaled.jpg","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/de-giver-kus-udvekslings-studerende-en-bloed-landing\/img_8013\/","alt":"","author":"107","description":"","caption":"P\u00e5 trods af kulden er hum\u00f8ret h\u00f8jt gennem de to timers kanalrundfart.","name":"img_8013","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":187238,"date":"2026-01-28 09:33:48","modified":"2026-01-28 09:34:12","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2560,"height":1708,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8013-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8013-480x320.jpg","medium-width":480,"medium-height":320,"medium_large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8013-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8013-1280x854.jpg","large-width":1280,"large-height":854,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8013-1536x1025.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8013-2048x1367.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1367,"featured-soft":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8013-290x194.jpg","featured-soft-width":290,"featured-soft-height":194,"featured-hard":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8013-290x180.jpg","featured-hard-width":290,"featured-hard-height":180,"narrow":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8013-700x467.jpg","narrow-width":700,"narrow-height":467,"extended":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8013-990x661.jpg","extended-width":990,"extended-height":661}},"style":"extended","text_placement":"metadata-below","image_link_url":"","image_link_title":"","caption_prefix":"","enable_alternative_caption":true,"alternative_caption":"It is cold, but there was a good vibe throughout the two-hour canal tour."},{"acf_fc_layout":"ArticleEnd"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Newsletter","lang_select":"en","identifier":"Newsletter","headline":"Get an email with upcoming events and top University of Copenhagen stories","button_text":"Sign up here","class":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"OtherStories","headline":"","hand_picked_posts":false,"references":false,"category":false,"theme":false,"number_of_posts":"4","style":"default"}]},"taxonomyData":{"category":[{"term_id":3792,"name":"Student life","slug":"student-life","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3792,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":160,"filter":"raw"}],"post_tag":[],"post_format":[],"expression":[{"term_id":18,"name":"Feature Article","slug":"feature_article","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":18,"taxonomy":"expression","description":"","parent":0,"count":1200,"filter":"raw"}],"translation_priority":[{"term_id":5468,"name":"Optional","slug":"optional-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5468,"taxonomy":"translation_priority","description":"","parent":0,"count":674,"filter":"raw"}]},"featured_media_url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/img_8011-1280x854.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187300","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/107"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=187300"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187300\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":187331,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187300\/revisions\/187331"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/187250"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=187300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=187300"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=187300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}