Coming SDC students prepare for going to China
More than 40 new SDC students from the 2016 cohort will get their final preparations ahead of going to China underway when they attend the annual seminar in Middelfart, Denmark
Every year the SDC office in Denmark invites all of the new students to Middelfart to take part in a two-day seminar with the purpose of preparing them for their imminent departure for China.
"It takes a lot of effort"
During the 24 hour gathering the students and SDC staff will have the opportunity to get to know each other at meals and in between presentations. Among the presenters are a group of students from the 2015 cohort who will share their own first hand experiences with studying at SDC in China. Assistant Professor from Aalborg University, Ane Bislev, will elaborate on some of the cultural differences between Danes, Westeners and Chinese that might create interesting situations within and outside of the classrooms.
Deputy Director at SDC, Morten Laugesen, believes that the seminar in Middelfart is of great value to the students, and wants the SDC office to help prepare them for the challenge they are about to take on as well as possible.
"We host this seminar every year, because experience has taught us that going to China to study is a radical change, and taking the time to help prepare the students is well spent. Preparation is not just about practical matters, it is at least as much about making it clear that it takes a lot of effort on the students' part to make sure they get the best possible education and experience at SDC," says Morten Laugesen.
After the seminar is over on Thursday the 11th of August, the students will have exactly two weeks before they meet again in Beijing on the 25th for a ten-day intro program..
Meeting the other students
Mie Kristine Just Pedersen, who will be studying Neuroscience & Neuroimaging at SDC for the next two years, has already put a lot of effort into preparing for her upcoming challenge, by talking to professors and former students from the Neuroscience & Neuroimaging programme. However, she still feels it is very important to attend the seminar and can't wait to do so.
"I am looking so much forward meeting the other students who have made this crazy decision like myself. I can't wait to meet them and find out what kind of people they are, and afterwards it will give me a great sense of security to know some people when I arrive in Beijing," says Mie, who will spend the final couple of weeks in Denmark relaxing and seeing friends and family.