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DTU Campus Village

"The Containers," "Container A-Z"
Picture of Building 101A by Thomas Bredøl
Location	Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
Coordinates	55°47'2"N 12°30'51"E
Owner	Technical University of Denmark
Type	student housing
Construction
Built	Aug 2001

DTU Campus Village

DTU Campus Village is an international student housing complex found on campus at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). The University, located in the municipality of Kongens Lyngby, Denmark, is a top-third ranking technical school in Europe, attracting more than 700 international students a year. Campus Village houses up to 224 students, most staying a duration of a semester or an academic year. The 'Village' comprises of many identical, red, boxlike constructions, each labeled with a letter of the alphabet. These are arranged in rows, and they are most often called the "Containers," by residents and non-residents alike. Within the village there exists an environment of collaborative learning and cultural learning, characteristic of Erasmus and other international student programs. Residents come from many different backgrounds and countries. The Village culture that develops among the students is unique, and it enhances cultural learning and promotes a collaborative community-living.

History and Origin

DTU Campus Village was constructed in the summer of 2001. The cluster of red container units were placed on a lot with the address 330 Elektrovej

Location

Among all accommodation types offered to international students staying one or two academic semesters, Campus Village is the most commonly chosen option. Students cite the convenience of the on-campus locations and the social opportunities as the main reasons.

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Students can buy monthly travel card for public transportation to go to downtown Lyngby or to Copenhagen. Cheap, used bikes are a popular alternative. Because the Copenhagen area has an extensive cycle-path system, students are advised to invest in a bike for around 700 DKR. Campus Village offers bicycle racks outside the Containers.

A picture of the historical plaque on campus

Exchange Programs and ERASMUS

Student residents staying in Campus Village can be participants of exchange or bilateral-agreement programs between DTU and their home university. Many of the European students receive scholarships through the ERASMUS program, short for the European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students. Established in 1987 as a major part of the Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013 of the European Union, it is a higher education initiative that encourages and supports study abroad. When a student completes courses at one of the 2199 participating institutions from 31 countries, the student is guaranteed to receive equivalent credit for the period abroad upon return to the home university. ERASMUS students do not pay extra tuition fees to the hosting university, and they are eligible for living expenses grants. ERASMUS also helps arrange accomodation leasing, sub-leasing, and swaps, between students from different countries. Students are also able to exchange tips based on past experiences abroad.
The different types of study abroad programs, ERASMUS or not, generally last a semester to two semesters (fall, spring, or both). Campus Village residents study engineering or science, as DTU is a technical university. Many choose Denmark as their study abroad destination because they hope to learn English.
Students come from many countries and all continents to study engineering and science, as well as to learn cultures and languages different from their own.

The Buddy Programme

Foreign exchange students at DTU have the option to have a Danish Buddy through the university's student association, in order to get better acquainted with the campus, campus life, and Danish culture. The Polyteknisk Forening (student association, or PF) sponsors the Buddy Programme, which is led by student coordinators. Buddies are Danish students who volunteer to help international students adapt to studyig and living in Denmark. In exchange for their guidance and friendship, Buddies gain more insight in the life of exchange students, as well as the culture of foreign students. The Buddy Programme offers organized group events for Buddies and international students, including cultural dinners, a trip to Malmoe, Sweden, a Danish Christmas or Easter Dinner, and ice skatingThe Buddies are encouraged to meet weekly to talk with their students. The meetings sometimes take place during International Night at the Cellar Bar on campus, making it an environment for social and cultural exchange on Tuedays.

International Dinners

Another justification for these cultural get-togethers is that international students studying in Denmark are generally not offered aid to cover the cost of living expenses like meals, accommodation, transport, books, or materials. Because they find that food items, like most everything else, are more expensive compared to in their home countries, group meals are suggested to save money on groceries.

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" 2 Student/Social Life Describe host city: Students equally interact with the local and student community

Nightlife take/s place mostly within the university/student environment

Travel take/s place mostly outside the university/student environment

Activities take/s place both within and outside of the university/student environment "

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http://www.dtu.dk/subsites/mmc-master/Career/Speech_recognition.aspx

Title: The flexible study programme is a big advantage at DTU, according to PdD student Ling Feng

" - How did you originally became aware of Denmark and DTU as a potential study option?

"During the fourth year of my Bachelor program Beijing Polytechnic University started its official co-operation with DTU so a lot of information about DTU became available. At that time we furthermore didn’t have to pay tuition fee so if you considered going abroad DTU was a natural choice. With some economical support from my family it was suddenly a possibility for me to go to Denmark."

- What about finding accommodation and other practicalities?

"Getting a place to live was not difficult. Before I arrived I got information on how to apply for accommodation and I got a room at the Campus Village. Getting an attractive place to live is however much more difficult. I stayed at the Campus Village the first 6 months because in the beginning there is not enough time to look for alternatives and you have to adjust to both a new environment and to the teaching. This year many more international students will arrive and there are probably going to be some shortage of accommodation." "

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