From China to Denmark…with love 🫰

In May 2025, our team at Aalborg University had the pleasure of welcoming a study visit from Chinese students of the IM 2023 cohort—our first post-pandemic cohort, fully based at the SDC building, and therefore very special to us.

The program followed a format similar to last year: two weeks in Denmark packed with seminars, company visits, and cultural experiences. This time, many students managed to visit all of Denmark’s major cities—Aalborg, Aarhus, Copenhagen, and Odense—gaining a more holistic perspective on life, innovation, and business in Denmark. One of the highlights of the visit was an excursion to North Jutland, where students explored WWII bunkers in Frederikshavn, enjoyed a cultural tour in the picturesque town of Skagen, experienced the natural wonder of Grenen at the tip of Denmark where the North and Baltic Seas meet and visited the scenic lighthouse at Råbjerg Knude.

We believe the program struck a great balance between learning about innovation and gaining cultural insights into Danish ways of living and doing business. The hosts during company and organization visits were incredibly generous with their time and open about both their successes and challenges of operating in the Danish and global markets.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who helped make this visit a success:

• AAU Innovate and Student Startups for sharing valuable insights into the Danish startup scene and showing us around the impressive labs and startup garages.

• Port of Aalborg for an inspiring presentation and insights into the port’s operations and its latest R&D initiatives.

• XPeng for welcoming us to their stunning experience center in central Copenhagen and for an engaging conversation about business, technology, and the journey of a Chinese company establishing itself in Denmark and Europe.

• Chinese Embassy in Denmark (Business and Commercial Section) for the roundtable discussion, insightful perspectives, and willingness to answer many thoughtful student questions.

• DTU Skylab for a dynamic tour and introduction to the many startup initiatives and programs running under their roof.

• Danish Chinese Business Forum (DCBF) for an eye-opening retrospective on the 75th anniversary of Danish-Chinese diplomatic relations, featuring engaging data and photos that sparked great discussion.

  
  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  
  

Special thanks to our great student assistants at AAU, who handled the program preparations and logistics with great care, and the dedicated AAU teachers who not only inspired students in the classroom but also welcomed them into their homes for barbeques and games.

The study visit to Denmark is an essential part of the SDC learning experience. It strengthens the bridge between Danish and Chinese cultures and helps prepare students for international careers. We are deeply thankful to UCAS for supporting the visiting students with scholarships and making this enriching experience possible.

Student voices

My two-week trip to Denmark was filled with valuable experiences. First, meeting the international classmates, we discussed job-hunting and PhD applications in Denmark and China. Our exchanges revealed significant differences in employment and academic systems, yet also highlighted shared struggles like career pressures and future uncertainties, strengthening our bond.​ Second, visits to Danish university innovation labs, companies, and the Chinese Embassy were enlightening. Exposure to advanced technologies, industry insights, and embassy guidance helped me pinpoint skills to develop. Last, immersing in Danish culture transformed my views on life and happiness. Observing locals' emphasis on work-life balance and their embrace of "hygge"—finding comfort and connection in simple pleasures—prompted me to reevaluate what truly matters and redefine my happiness criteria. In summary, I'm deeply grateful for this brief exchange opportunity. It has been an invaluable and worthwhile experience. I sincerely hope to have the chance to live and study in Denmark for a longer period in the future.❤️— CAI Binyu (Anne)

This study tour to Denmark was my longest flight journey and the most impressive one. As a student of SDC, the study tour experience in Denmark was crucial for us to absorb and understand teaching knowledge again through Danish practices: within two weeks, we visited cities such as Aalborg, Aarhus, Copenhagen, and Skagen, and paid visits to Danish universities, Danish and Chinese enterprises, the Chinese Embassy in Denmark and Denmark-China Business Forum, etc. We witnessed Denmark's emphasis on innovation, scientific education system, and the support from all sectors of society for entrepreneurs; we saw Denmark's beautiful urban and rural environments, deep-rooted environmental protection concepts, and investment in new energy. We observed the daily hygge life of Danish residents and their warmth and friendliness towards us. There is a Chinese proverb: "It is better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books." In this study tour experience, we not only deeply felt Denmark's social environment and local customs, but also had a more comprehensive understanding of the profound friendship and cooperation prospects between China and Denmark. — GU Shirong (Nathan)