Internationalization has grown explosively during recent years in trade, investments, communications and traffic. This integrated global market facilitates close financial, cultural and political relations. It has also brought about an awareness of differences and barriers.
The growth in international co-operation has made it possible and necessary to provide young people enrolled in education with knowledge of the surrounding world, and to prepare the future labour force for increased internationalization of trade and industry.
5 star vocational education
Louise Fenger, aged 24, and Jan Nissen, aged 20, are both students at a Danish vocational college doing part of their practical training at the 5 star hotel Grosvenor House in London. »The professional challenges are in many ways different here compared with Denmark. This gives us extra professional know-how, as well as having the unique opportunity to develop our linguistic skills.«
Jan is considering supplementing his experiences in England with a work placement in Germany.
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Language teaching has been intensified and so have disciplines concerning international markets and international civics. Study tours or study visits are often part of vocational education and training. An increasing number of vocational colleges offer teaching of languages and civics in co-ordinated projects with foreign institutions, for example through the network of EU programmes. In addition, Danish vocational colleges currently engage in EU exchange programmes.
Further to this many colleges are engaged in courses for managers and students from many parts of the world.
Through a national Danish programme vocational college students are entitled to special financial support for entire or partial practical training in work placements abroad. Apprenticeships abroad are arranged by enterprises through stationing or by vocational colleges. Finding work placements abroad is promoted and co-ordinated by a project secretariat under the authority of the Ministry of Education.
The efforts to increase internationalization continue the trends that have characterized development in Denmark for the last hundred years. Great importance is attached to the individual and his/her role in society - at vocational colleges as well as in society as a whole.