Dear students.
\nThere is only one university!
\nThere is only one university!
\nWhy is the Rector speaking English?
\nAnd why on earth is he bragging about his university.
\nAs if it was the only one.
\nAs if it was a football club.
\nYou are missing the point.
\nThe point is that for the first time, the international students have joined the Danish students in this ceremony.
\nThe point is that you are all part of the same university \u2013 not the one and only.
\nSo today, I warmly welcome the international students in this crowd.
\nWhy are you here?
\nBecause of our great university? I like to think so.
\nBut there is also a hype about Denmark and Copenhagen which works our way.
\nIt is transmitted, not by fancy branding campaigns but by the art of television.
\nForget about Hollywood and Bollywood \u2013 this is Copen-wood!
\nForget about \u201cHouse of Cards\u201d and \u201cevil\u201d Frank Underwood.
\nIn \u201cBorgen\u201d, the Danish TV series, a woman becomes Prime Minister, not by deception but by decency.
\nAnd in \u201cThe Killing\u201d Sarah Lund always wears that emblematic wollen sweater and always finds out who did it.
\nBut there is a snake in paradise.
\nListen to the label which has been placed on \u201cThe Killing\u201d and \u201cBorgen\u201d:
\nThey are called \u201cNordic Noir\u201d.
\nIt describes the dark atmosphere of the dysfunctional welfare state.
\nJust like Sarah Lund more people are single, lonely, alienated.
\nYes, sometimes cool Copenhagen is not a compliment.
\nAnd sometimes Danes have a reputation of being cold.
\nSo today I would like to ask you \u2013 our native Danish students \u2013 for help.
\nPlease help create a welcoming atmosphere.
\nPlease make our international students feel at home.
\nWhile I have been speaking, you may have wondered:
\nWho are the people dressed in funny clothes?
\nWell, they are also responsible for creating a good, international study environment.
\nIt is the university management.
\nAnd it is custom for students to cheer when I call the dean of your faculty.
\nBut I will begin with the two Prorectors.
\nFrom the left:
\nProrector for Research and Innovation, Thomas Bj\u00f8rnholm
\nProrector for Education, Lykke Friis
\nDean at the Faculty of Theology, Kirsten Busch Nielsen
\nDean at the Faculty of Law, Jacob Graff Nielsen
\nDean at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Troels \u00d8stergaard S\u00f8rensen
\nDean at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Ulla Wewer
\nDean at the Faculty of Humanities, Ulf Hedetoft
\nDean at the Faculty of Science, John Renner Hansen
\nAnd University Director J\u00f8rgen Honor\u00e9.<\/p>\n
Now I\u2019ll switch to Danish – for a while.
\n\u00c5rgang 2014 tr\u00e6der ind p\u00e5 universitetet i det store erindrings-\u00e5r.
\n100-\u00e5ret for f\u00f8rste verdenskrigs udbrud.
\n75-\u00e5ret for anden verdenskrig.
\n25-\u00e5ret for murens fald.
\nNogle af jer er f\u00f8dt efter murens fald – i en boble af ubekymrethed.
\nArbejdsl\u00f8sheden var sendt p\u00e5 museum.
\nFreden var evig \u2013 med undtagelse af Balkan.
\nOg den eneste konflikt jeres generation kendte, var n\u00e5r Bamse blev sur p\u00e5 Kylling.
\nI denne sommer virkede Danmark stadig som et ferieparadis.
\nDen st\u00f8rste bekymring var brandm\u00e6nd under sv\u00f8mmeturen
\n\u2013 og siden kom rullep\u00f8lsen.
\nMen samtidig stod verden i brand.
\nNyhedsopl\u00e6serne m\u00e5tte v\u00e6nne sig til s\u00e6re navne \u2013 fra det fjerne Vestafrika til det n\u00e6re \u00f8sten og helt ind i Europa.
\nEbola.
\nBoko Haram.
\nISIS.
\nGaza.
\nKatusja-raketter.
\nBUK-missiler.
\nSlavajansk.
\nDonetsk.
\nMH 17.
\nJa, krigen er igen kommet til Europa.
\nOg netop i dette erindrings-\u00e5r kan vi se tilbage p\u00e5 historien \u2013 og m\u00e5ske l\u00e6re noget.
\nHvordan kan vi forhindre et nyt 1914, 1933 eller 1939 i Europa?
\nChristopher Clark hedder den historiker fra Cambridge, som har beg\u00e5et \u00e5rets bestseller om f\u00f8rste verdenskrig, som br\u00f8d ud for 100 \u00e5r siden.
\nHovedbudskabet ligger i titlen: \u201dS\u00f8vng\u00e6ngerne\u201d.
\nAlts\u00e5 at statsm\u00e6nd gik i krig som i s\u00f8vne.
\nDet er med denne historiske baggage, at I nu starter p\u00e5 universitetet.
\nMit h\u00e5b er derfor, at jeres uddannelse vil \u00e5bne jeres \u00f8jne
\n– s\u00e5 jeres generation ikke bliver s\u00f8vng\u00e6ngere som i 1914.
\nJa, man kan ligefrem kalde universitetet for en \u201d\u00e5ndelig Red Bull\u201d, der virker opkvikkende hele livet.
\nMen det kr\u00e6ver ogs\u00e5, at I – \u00e5rgang 14 – har modet til at betjene jer af jeres egen fornuft.
\nS\u00e5 velkommen til hver og \u00e9n af jer.
\nI har knoklet for at komme ind p\u00e5 universitetet.
\nI \u00e5r har vi gjort n\u00e5le\u00f8jet endnu mindre.
\nFor vi har erkendt, at der er en forbindelse mellem optagets st\u00f8rrelse, uddannelsernes kvalitet og jobmuligheder.
\nOg hvad var s\u00e5 d\u00e9t med fornuften?
\nHvilke r\u00e5d vil vi give jer med p\u00e5 vejen?
\nFor det f\u00f8rste skal I v\u00e6re selvst\u00e6ndige.
\nI slutningen af juni var der trafikprop p\u00e5 motorvejen mod Roskilde.
\nDet var s\u00e5m\u00e6nd service-mindede for\u00e6ldre, der k\u00f8rte poderne til festival.
\nNogle for\u00e6ldre stod endda stand-by som \u00f8l-hentere med jydekrog og trailer.
\nMen curling-studerende vil m\u00e6rke modstand.
\nUniversitetet er ikke et 4.G.
\nAt studere er h\u00e5rdt arbejde.
\nS\u00e6rligt i starten kan man let blive forvirret over alt det nye – alt det sv\u00e6re.
\nMen n\u00e5r man f\u00f8rst kn\u00e6kker koden og danner sig en selvst\u00e6ndig og kritisk tilgang til stoffet, kan man m\u00e6rke suset fra videnskaben.
\nKU satser p\u00e5 at styrke kvaliteten af jeres uddannelse \u2013 med nye undervisningsformer og flere timer.
\nMen det er ogs\u00e5 jeres ansvar at skabe et godt studiemilj\u00f8.
\nDerfor: Bliv h\u00e6ngene p\u00e5 campus med l\u00e6segruppen.
\nKom til foredrag og debatarrangementer uden for skema.
\nLav jeres egen fredagsbar p\u00e5 en mandag \u2013 med udsk\u00e6nkning af \u00e5ndelige Red Bulls \u2013 gerne p\u00e5 engelsk, s\u00e5 jeres internationale studiekammerater kan v\u00e6re med.
\nFor det andet skal I fordybe jer.
\n\u201dFacebookstuderende\u201d l\u00f8d anklagen fra en forsker f\u00f8r sommerferien.
\nEnkelte studerende i auditoriet har for travlt med statusopdateringer og \u201dlikes\u201d.
\nMan taler ligefrem om \u201dGeneration dum\u201d.
\nGenerationen som oph\u00f8jer det digitale liv p\u00e5 Facebook til selve livet.
\nGenerationen som n\u00e6rmest har opgivet at l\u00e6se b\u00f8ger og har ualmindelig lidt almen viden.
\nTag bare \u00bbJeanette\u00ab fra Paradise Hotel, der for rullende kamera g\u00e6ttede p\u00e5, at Anden Verdenskrig begyndte i 1880.
\nEller at hver femte af nutidens unge tror, at Otto von Bismarck var Nazi-Tysklands rigsbefuldm\u00e6gtigede i Danmark.
\nNej, dette er ikke et forsvar for telefoner med drejeskive og VHS videomaskiner med b\u00e5ndsalat.
\nDe sociale medier har selvf\u00f8lgelig stor betydning, men vi skal bruge dem klogt.
\nEllers ender vi et elektronisk v\u00e5benkapl\u00f8b.
\nTruslen er ikke \u201cWeapons of Mass Destruction\u201d,
\nmen \u201cWeapons of Mass Distraction\u201d.
\nFor det tredje skal I v\u00e6re m\u00e5lrettede.
\nFordybelse er vejen til universitetets kerne.
\nMen jeg vil ogs\u00e5 gerne opfordre jer til at stille \u00e6ggeuret
\nog tage jeres uddannelse p\u00e5 normeret tid.
\nDet handler ikke om at v\u00e6re smart i en fart \u2013 den attitude ligger langt fra universitetet.
\nOg det ville ogs\u00e5 v\u00e6re \u00e6rgerligt, hvis I \u2013 i hastighedens navn \u2013
\ndropper at studere i udlandet eller at lave et projekt sammen med en virksomhed.
\nHusk p\u00e5, at I skal v\u00e6re kulturelle kam\u00e6leoner.
\nI skal kunne skifte sprog og falde naturligt ind i andre kulturer
\n\u2013 det g\u00e6lder b\u00e5de nationale kulturer og virksomhedskulturer.
\nMen sagen er ogs\u00e5 den, at Folketinget har vedtaget den s\u00e5kaldte fremdriftsreform.
\nDet betyder, at vi p\u00e5 universitetet skal v\u00e6re mere strikse, hvis I bliver forsinkede.
\nJa, i dag kan man faktisk kun v\u00e6re evighedsstuderende, hvis man melder sig ind i universitetets alumneforening, hvor I kan m\u00f8de b\u00e5de nuv\u00e6rende og tidligere studerende.
\nHusk at hilse p\u00e5 foreningens formand, Prorektor Thomas Bj\u00f8rnholm, der byder p\u00e5 gratis kage og gratis medlemskab i hj\u00f8rnet af pladsen.
\nDear students
\nThis ceremony is very much about traditions and rituals.
\nIt is custom that the new students give rector a symbolic handshake.
\nThe handshake means that you promise to obey the University laws from 1479.
\nThe laws are mostly about all the power entrusted to the professors
\nand how misbehaving students will be thrown in prison.
\nDon\u2019t worry – we have not kept that tradition \u2026
\nLykke Friis, who is Prorector for Education, will lend me a hand at the door
\nas we shake hands with all of you.
\nToday, I would like to add something to the symbolic handshake.
\nI hope we can shake hands on the merits of university education.
\nThat it will train your mind to think critically and form your own opinions.
\nThat it will give you the determination instrumental, not only to finish your degree on time, but also to reach your goals in life.
\nAnd that you will all work together to foster an all-inclusive study environment at this \u2013 our \u2013 university….Thank you.<\/p>\n
universitypost@adm.ku.dk<\/p>\n
Like us on Facebook <\/a> for features, guides and tips on upcoming events. Follow us on Twitter<\/a> for links to other Copenhagen academia news stories. Sign up for the University Post weekly newsletter here<\/a>, and then follow the University Post on Instagram here. <\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Speech by Rector Ralf Hemmingsen of the University of Copenhagen at the Matriculation Ceremony 2014<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":8248,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8245","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","expression-news_article"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n