An introduction to Denmark
Denmark is a part of Scandinavia situated in the north of Europe. We share a border with Germany to the south, but otherwise we are completely surrounded by the sea.
With a population of 5.5 million and an area of 43,094 km2, Denmark is a small country, but what we lack in size and numbers we make up for in culture and history.
The capitol is Copenhagen, a city rich in cultural history, and well worth a visit before or after the camp. Other cities of interest are Århus, the second largest city in Denmark and Odense, the birthplace of world famous writer H. C. Andersen.
Denmark is located in the Central European Timezon (GMT+1) so remember to set your watches! Danes are considered to be very punctual, something some foreigners have a trouble getting used to…
The spoken language in Denmark is Danish, but most people speak a very good English. Some Danes can also speak a decent amount of German, French or Spanish.
The Danish currency
Denmark is a part of EU, but not part of the euro-project, so our currency is the Danish kroner. You can find exchanging bureaus in the airport in Copenhagen and a Forex in Aalborg where we will be living. Also, you’ll find ATMs practically everywhere.
Denmark is considered a rather expensive country to live in – especially if you are from Southern- or Eastern Europe. One euro is approximately equal to 7.5 kr. Listed below are the prices for some things you may buy during your stay in Denmark:
1 Beer in a pub: 20-50 DKK, in a supermarket: 3-10 DKK
1 bottle of Coca-Cola (1.5l) in a supermarket: 20 DKK
1 McDonalds Big Mac menu: 60 DKK
1 Bus ticket: 20 DKK
“Du danske sommer jeg elsker dig, skønt du så ofte har sveget mig”
The Danish summer weather is a fickle thing, and it can go from nice warm sunshine to rain in a matter of minutes. So be prepared! Always have a raincoat or similar on your person.
During the summer the average temperature for august is 20°C and on bright summer days the temperature usually reaches 25°C or more.
(The heading is an excerpt from a Danish folk song and means, ‘Oh Danish summer I love you so, though you so often have betrayed me’.)
Aalborg - Home city of ISSC 11
Back in 900 AD Aalborg was just a big marketplace. 100 years later some of the merchants started to build small houses. The king demanded a small church and a coin shop to be build and from there it all escalated.
Today Aalborg is the 4. biggest city in Denmark with a population of 120.000, and yes that is a big city in Denmark.
Aalborg is situated on the southern side of the Limfjord - the river that more or less actually separates Jutland into two parts. On the other side of the Limfjord - where the airport is situated - you find Nørresundby, and if you are a local there’s a bit of friendly rivalry between these two parts of the city. Anyway, the view from the bridge is quite stunning and worth the walk.
Some main attractions in Aalborg is the City Centre, Aalborghus Castle, Tower of Aalborg, Kunsten (North Jutland Museum of Art), Utzon Centre, Aalborg Zoo, Jomfru Ane Gade (legendary bar street), Nordkraft (cultural centre), Aalborg Monestary, Karolinelund (amusement park), Lindholm Høje (Viking museum) and many more… We are looking forward to showing you the city!
Aalborg University
ISSC will be held at AAU, which is short for Aalborg University.
At AAU they dare to be different! A characteristic feature of AAU is the courage to follow new paths within research as well as education. This can be seen in the problem based learning, which is used at AAU and is internationally recognized as the `The Aalborg Model´.
Aalborg University was inaugurated in 1974 and today close to 14,000 students are enrolled at Aalborg University, ranging from students at preparatory courses though doctoral-level candidates. Of these, 12.5% are international students, coming from different countries around the world.