DTU

Winter study start offered engineering games, guided tours, and committed tutors

Last week, the new students in DTU's BEng programmes started their studies. The introduction day was full of games, tours, and tutors who gave a solid academic and social introduction to the study.

Two new students are building a skyscraber using paper and tape. Photo: Mikal Schlosser.

Monday 30 January 2023

Linnea Lundberg

The mood was good among the new students, the tutors (or vectors as they are called at DTU) and Coordinators of the Undergraduate Study Start on the introduction day, and the new students had high expectations. Søren Saltoft Christensen is, for example, new to the study programme Manufacturing and Management, and even though he is a trained photographer and has worked in that field for more than a decade, he is looking forward to getting back to the study bench:

"It seems there are plenty of opportunities to be social, and it's great to be part of a young, spontaneous study environment. I am looking forward to getting to know new people and learning a lot of new things on the academic front," says Søren.

Adraa Lefeldt had her first day at DTU's new digital study programme in Mechanical Engineering, and she is looking forward to a study programme that includes more practical work after, among other things, having studied physics at the University of Copenhagen:

"I have missed some more practical physics, and it was exciting to see the opportunities you have as a Mechanical Engineering student here on the intro day. If you have an idea for a project, you can create it with a 3D printer, which offers great opportunities to get better and better," explains Adraa.

36-year-old Søren is new to the study programme Manufacturing and Management. Photo: Mikal Schlosser.
27-year-old Adraa is looking forward to a study with more practical work . Photo: Mikal Schlosser.

A new study, a new network

Ready to welcome the new students were, among others, Luanna Bergh Jensen and Karen Sonne Westergaard Pedersen, who both have particular reasons for signing up as vectors. Luanna started her education in 2020 while Covid-19 swept the country, putting an end to many social activities. That is has motivated her to give the new students the start to their studies that she did not experience:

"I want to give them a better experience than my own, and at the same time, I craved the social element. Our student association Polyteknisk Forening is particularly known for providing the new students and vectors with an excellent social network in connection with the start of their studies," Luanna explains.

For Karen, it is about giving the new students a great study start and about showing that you can gain a university degree, even if you are diagnosed with autism and ADHD:

"It is important to me that the new students know help is available in the form of social-pedagogical support if they have a diagnosis and would like to study at DTU. That's why I share my story with them," says Karen.

Ready to welcome the new students were, among others, Luanna Bergh Jensen and Karen Sonne Westergaard Pedersen. Photo: Mikal Schlosser.
The new students played a lot of different games - one of them included a leek. Photo: Mikal Schlosser.

DTU President: "You are all very special"

In the afternoon, there were welcome speeches from Senior Vice President and Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Student Affairs Lars D. Christoffersen, President Anders Bjarklev, and President of Polyteknisk Forening Natasha Hougaard in the seminar room on Ballerup Campus. The room was packed, and the new students sat side by side with vectors in neon yellow hoodies, so it was clear who was there to help.

The students studying Arctic Civil Engineering were also present. After three semesters in Greenland, they started their fourth semester, which was their first in Denmark. Lars D. Christoffersen began with welcoming the new students before giving the floor to President Anders Bjarklev, who prepared the students for their new studies:

"You are going to start something completely new, and there are a lot of exciting opportunities ahead of you. So welcome to you. You are all very special, and you should be proud and happy about that. And remember it when the slightly grayer and slightly harder everyday life arrives. There is a reason why you are here. Because in not too long, you will be engineers and can go out and make this world a better place."

President of Polyteknisk Forening, Natasha Hougaard, also had an important message for the new students when she gave the last and closing speech of the day:

"Polyteknisk Forening is here to make your time at DTU absolutely fantastic, and also we are here to enable you to influence your studies. You are now heading towards what will probably be the most challenging, exciting, and hard years of your life, but remember to enjoy them."

Senior Vice President and Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Student Affairs Lars D. Christoffersen began his speech with welcoming the new students . Photo: Mikal Schlosser.
President Anders Bjarklev prepared the students for their new studies. Photo: Mikal Schlosser.
President of Polyteknisk Forening, Natasha Hougaard, had an important message for the new students . Photo: Mikal Schlosser.

Contact

Lars D. Christoffersen

Lars D. Christoffersen Senior Vice President and Dean of Studies and Student Affairs Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs Phone: +45 45251009