Student Handbook 2021

STUDENTERSAMFUNDET’S

Student Handbook 2021

Dear new student!

This year is something special. Even though autumn rapidly approaches, spring is bubbling around campus. New exciting life is blooming everywhere, and new and intriguing initiatives are appearing everywhere. As a new student, you are placed in the eye of the storm of everything we have missed this past year, and you really have something to look forward to.

The student handbook is your guide with introduction and guidance for your new study life, and with a handy map in the last pages, so you don’t need to be cooped up inside when passing the portal to your new study life. Maybe, you already know the city or life as a student, but as a student in the AAU community, doors open to new communities, possibilities and expectations in the great surroundings that is Aalborg.

I bid you a great, warm welcome.

Dianna Korshøj Chief editor, The Student Handbook 2021

Editor

Editorial staff

Dianna Korshøj redaktor@agenda.aau.dk

Daniella Weichselgartner Emma Blæsbjerg Frølich Kirstine Marie Nielsen Oliver Rothwell Pedersen Vera Dvorakova

Layout Mads Trudslev Christensen

Advertising sales and distribution Erhvervsgruppen salg@s-et.aau.dk

Print Vester Kopi

1 , you can When you see this icon (‘n find it on the map in the last pages.

The Student Handbook is created in collaboration with the editorial team at Agenda

Aalborg University

Greetings from Rector, Per Michael Johansen

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University life - a part of you

10-13

PBL: Sovling problems in real life

14-17

Campus in green transition

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Welcome to student politics

20-21

Understand the different layers of the univeristy

22-25

Influence your education

26-27

Useful numbers

28-29

AAU apps

32-33

Welcome to Studentersamfundet

34-37

The international experience

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When difference become the strength

40-42

International student’s survival guide

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Advice from the future

Aalborg

60-66 Student Welcome to

Life as a

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4-37

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46-47 Greetings from the Mayor, Thomas Kastrup-Larsen 48-50 New to Aalborg?

52-63 Cool communities

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Welcome to

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Welcome to Aalborg University I am happy and proud to welcome you at Aalborg University. We will do our very best so that you may have a pleasant study time.

I myself studied at Aalborg University and it was some of the best years of my life. It is my hope that you too will look back at your years here as some of the best of your life.

In your hand is the Student Handbook and it can be a big help in the beginning. Be curious about it and the many other things you encounter at the university. That is, seen from where I’m sitting, a good way to quickly get comfortable at the university and to get the most out of your time here as a student.

Seen from our perspective we have a big hope that you will find your place as a student at AAU. Our learning model, which we call Problem Based Learning (PBL) will quickly make you a part of your study group. Through your study group you will get to know your fellow students, so that you can help each other make the everyday work more manageable and structured. The study group can not only support you with your studies but also be there to make you feel at home at the university and - if you have moved here - in your new city.

The everyday work in the study groups takes place in close contact with a guidance counselor that will give you professional guidance but also guide you to get the most out of the work. For AAU it is a goal to offer you and your fellow students an education of high educational quality and at the same time give you the necessary tools to work with others as a well functioning team. This happens while you are working on projects in collaboration with companies or organizations outside the university.

It is our experience that solving problems ‘real’ companies or organizations are dealing with is much more motivating and inspiring for both students as well as scientists.

With the Student Handbook you can take a shortcut to an active and rewarding study life at Aalborg University. The Student Handbook is written by students for student. In it they will share their experiences with you so you quickly can learn how the university is organized and works professionally and socially. I therefore strongly recommend that you use the Student Handbook to quickly get a good start at AAU. I wish you all the best study time at Aalborg University

Per Michael Johansen Rector

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University life The university years are the years many are fond of and remember with joy. They are years with friendships, flaws, smiles, busyness, experiences and lots more. It is where you create the memories you look back upon and laugh when the hairs are turning grey. Unfortunately this does not appear along with your acceptance letter, so the question is: What do you want to remember?

University life is something quite special; You are still young and studying but responsibility and the labour market are knocking on your door already.

It is a time when you can immerse yourself in your study, party with your study buddies and take more shifts at your job. The university can do a lot of things, but creating more hours in a day is not one of them. It is an artform to achieve it all and it is an artform you can only learn from one person… Yourself. It is a mixture of mystique and inclination that creates the extra hours in the day and it is up to you as a student to decide what they should be spent on.

Ignore the inner pressure that tells you what you should be doing as a student.

Instead use the time to create the experiences that YOU want to remember when these years have turned to memory.

Aalborg University provides in collaboration with the 8

student associations a broad selection of activities for us students to expand our horizon both technically and socially - the sky’s the limit, when it comes to the experiences and what you can be a part of!

The university uses a lot of resources to make sure the students have useful facilities at their disposal, for studying, events, lectures and even parties. As students, we can book common rooms and auditoriums for study relevant events, so the possibility to make an amazing study environment is always within our grasp.

Even though many opportunities are open to us, it does not mean that they just occur to us - it depends on choosing them and making an effort for them. The majority of the amazing events that are being held are run by volunteers, which in return of the effort they put into this, can bring documented experience to show to a future employer. Even though the study-relevant experience can entice the future employer, it is hardly what you notice when the volunteers work like bees to make the events reach the next level.

You can often hear chatting, laughing and debating when the different groups are working together, because the community is much more than just work. Communities and friendships are being built along with your own competences.

In the community you meet new people, learn from each other and create the study environment you want to have or the one that lies within your interest. It is amazing to participate in the events, but the greatest of it all is when you become a part of the synergy in the communities.

Without the communities, the study environment would be nothing more than nice surroundings.

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- a part of you That is why everybody plays a part in making Aalborg Universitet a great place to study.

When you choose to become a part of a student association or student group, it is important to remember that even though we as students can do many things, it is not possible to achieve it all.

Despite this, we can choose to participate with a mix of inclination and passion. We have MANY opportunities to make the study environment greater for ourselves and each other or become a part of an amazing community. Where ever your interests may lie, there is a place for you: Friday bar, debate clubs, politics, coordination, media, podcasts, SoMe, economy, PR, sit on a board and much much more.

The seeds of success have now been sowed and the only thing that gets them to grow is your own involvement. You do not need to be the world champion right from the start, not even when you are done. Most groups value the interest and they coordinate this with competence to make you grow while working. It is the place where

you can prepare yourself for the labour market by using working groups, teamwork and deadlines. There is no one demanding that you are perfect from the beginning and you are not getting fired for making mistakes. No one is perfect and if you just keep your share of the agreement, are reliable and trustworthy, they will welcome you with open arms.

So what are you waiting for? Talk to the other students, make contact with your study’s student society (if it has one), write to one of the groups on Facebook, or join Studentersamfundet directly through the QR-Code. As a volunteer at Studentersamfundet, you have the benefit of being invited to an annual party for the volunteers, where you can meet all the other volunteers in the other groups at the university. But be careful! Once you are in, the feeling of being part of something as great as this will keep you in place harder than gravitation on earth and it will be even harder to say goodbye to the university, when in a few years, you are standing with your diploma in your hands.

Become a volunteer in Studentersamfundet 9

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PBL: Solving prob If you are new at AAU, there is a good chance that Problem Based Learning (PBL) is on your schedule this semester or the next. This is a class that gives you 5 ECTS-points and the exam is often placed along your first project exam. But PBL is far more than just one class that needs to be done. Actually this class is a very small part of what PBL really is. PPL is in fact a part of Aalborg University’s DNA and it will be an important part of your technical profile. But what is it specifically then? And how are you as a student meant to

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do it in group and project work?

What is PBL?

PBL is an approach to obtain knowledge and use it to discover and/or solve problems. This means that you in many or all of your semesters are meant to write projects, likely in groups. The number of projects over the time you are studying and whether group work is optional or mandatory is determined by what you are studying.

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blems in real life Therefore project and group work are essential parts of the PBL approach. PBL is not exactly a professionalism or knowledge. On the contrary, it is experiences that slowly become a part of the way you are solving problems. It will teach you to recognize problems, to find relevant methods and theories and arrange a process that helps you solve the problem. PBL can be perceived as the frame of your academic work.

A good project or PBL-progress begins with wondering, a why and how: How do newspaper journalists cope with the fact that politicians lie?

How can we make this product better for the people who are using it?

The problems depend on what you are working with. When you have found a group and a subject to work with and the first puzzle, you will start to study the area of the subject. The more you know of the subject, the more precise questions you can ask. When you have the main question, the work to find a theory to help you solve it begins.

Now your semester courses and your supervisors will help you with suggestions to useful theories, which you have to choose to use on your problem. There is a great possibility that your main question will be changed along the way

and this is only natural. You are gaining knowledge and are now able to see the problem from other angles.

With the PBL approach you will also learn to look at the world with an analysing view, that helps you identify problems. You will collect an arsenal of knowledge, theories and methods that your group can use to find solutions to your problem.

Before your time is up at AAU, you have been through a lot of projects, conflicts, theories, groups and successes. You will get to immerse yourself, spar and discuss subjects with your fellow students. You will learn how you best fulfill your place in a group and see the huge advantages there are in group work.

Immersion

By using PBL you have the opportunity to immerse yourself in subjects and choose different angles that catch your interest or puzzle. No matter how great a student you are and how much passion you have for your field, there will always be many problems and theories you can’t understand to the fullest. Writing and working on projects lets you work with the subject and your interest and maybe it will lead to a new aspect in your interest. Furthermore the project and group work make it possible to use theories that excites you in a practical way. You will actively use the theories and thereby understand them and the world around you even better.

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Having a sparring partner in the group

Now you might think that immersion is good but the group work might interfere with it. And while it is true that the group work can be frustrating at times, there are disagreements about where the project should end, Lucas is not taking his share of the workload or Louise is too dominant, but it can also be positive. The theoretical disagreements and arguments open up for a better understanding of the theories, methods and angles the project contains. It provides a place to further develop the ideas you have and investigate all sides of the idea. Each of you has a set of eyes and can see the problem differently and this may lead to stronger arguments and new approaches to the problem or the theory. This is the time the group work is the most fun and you and your group learns the most. At this stage it requires a lot of work, time and eagerness to give and take criticism.

Especially to give and receive constructive criticism can take some time to learn but it is crucial for efficient group work. When you are a part of a group it is important that you acknowledge your group members’ knowledge and competences, which can be used in your project. To receive criticism from people you don’t know can be very unpleasant. That is why it is important to remember that your contribution to the project is helping to move it in the right direction or lead to discussions that will lead to theoretical breakthroughs in the project and to you as academics. On the other side, it is also important that you are giving your group constructive criticism even though you think they have more knowledge than you. Remember you have ano-

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ther perspective and perhaps a new set of eyes to look at what they say or write and that you also hold valuable knowledge and competences.

Your contribution and opinions are important for the development of the group and the result of the project.

You will, through group work, learn to participate in theoretical discussions. You will be trained in constructive communication with your collaborators. Furthermore it is important to remember that the material you are working with at the university is really complex and that everybody has a hard time understanding it at some point.

When you reach that point, you have your group members to help you understand the theories and the methods. A well functioning group can contribute to more knowledge and new approaches. A good group is therefore more than just the equivalent of the group’s knowledge, professionalism and competences.

To plan a process

Before you and your group start working, it is important that you adjust your expectations with each other. What do you want to achieve, how much work are you willing to put into the project and so on? There will most likely still be conflicts in the group, but this can remove some of them. It may sound unnecessary to adjust your expectations, but it has many advantages and furthermore it gives you a shared starting point in the group.

A project demands a lot of organizing and planning. You only have a certain amount of pages and a deadline to keep. That is why delimitation and precision of the project is a very big part of

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the work. This can be seen as a restriction, but it can also be a strength. It forces you to limit and carefully pick the theory and case. Through this, you and your group can make a better question with a higher precision in both question and answer.

Planning your time, picking your material and delegating assignments are also huge parts of the project and it can benefit you on the labour market.

Most importantly

Remember to have fun during the project. It can be hard, frustrating and educational at times, but it can also be fun and give you friends for life, if you create a great group work. Give each other space and time to have fun and feel good along the way and remember that the fun times are just as important as the professional. It is those that keep you going and those you will think back upon.

PBL makes you more attractive on the labor market.

Graduates from Aalborg University are more attractive in general to the labour market because we learn to cooperate with others, are capable of gathering knowledge methodologically and by ourselves, with a specific problem in mind that needs to be solved. The fact that we learn to choose relevant theories and methods and plan a process is likewise an attribute. Therefore we can, as graduates, offer an employer an employee that is prepared for what the job may bring.

This is how PBL becomes an important part of your university life and your professional profile.

PBL - ALL INCLUSIVE Do you want to learn about other students’ experiences, both good and bad? On Agenda’s webpage you can read about experiences from other students and get a taste of the PBL work.

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Campus In

green Transition

Sustainability and the green transition have taken a leading place on the international as well as the national agenda. Now, we are seeing both local and national initiatives to make everything more sustainable and eco-friendly - a responsibility we also try to assume at campus.

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AAU in front

Aalborg Universitet and many other institutions in Denmark already have their hands deeply buried in climate adjustments and the green transition. A movement has begun that will accommodate the impacts that the university has made on the climate so far. Changing light bulbs, greener kitchens and other simple initiatives the small things count on a larger scale. Furthermore many studies have transitioned to digital examination to stop the unnecessary use of paper, transport and electronics to name a few.

Vild med Vilje

AAU is a part of the concept “Vild med Vilje”.

This concept is meant to shape and create more biodiversity at campus and to show humility and love for Mother Earth. The grass can grow wild, flowers are blooming and nature is developing in the vicinity. Wild nature is beautiful nature. A “Vild med Vilje”-area recreates nature’s own biodiversity and reciprocity, as Darwin wrote in his study on the earthworm’s mutual relations with its surroundings: Earthworms produce topsoil when they devour organic material. Topsoil makes the earth fertile, so more plants and animals can live there. In time they will become organic material and then the circuit is closed.

In the late summer of 2019, common gardens with fireplaces and multiple outdoor rooms were established and these create a green study environment with natural surroundings. It also has other positive effects like reducing stress, increasing comfort and increasing the general wellbeing.

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The struggle of the volunteers There are different organizations that work with sustainable initiatives to accommodate a greener campus.

A committee of Studentersamfundet has the sole purpose to fight for the implementation of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in the courses. Furthermore they are obligated to inform students and employees at campus about the SDGs, sustainability and how we can start a local effort.

Contact them on: sdg.udvalg@studentersamfundet.aau.dk

Groundbreaking projects

As a new initiative, Aalborg University launched Megaprojects, where students take part in solution-oriented projects across specialisations, years and faculties. Through the megaprojects the SDG are turned into practical problems, which are studied in the near vicinity, often in collaboration with local corporations. An example of a working process like this, can be found in last year’s megaproject with the title “Simplifying sustainable living”. There were study groups from Sociology and Economics and Business Administration that joined the megaproject and threw themselves upon the challenge “Garbage sorting in study apartments”. This interdisciplinary collaboration has the purpose of solving the problem by sharing different skills, knowledge and sparring. In the end the project will be sent to Aalborg Kommune, where they can benefit from the students’ creativity and innovative thinking to generate ideas and solutions for real problems.

If you want to be a part of this go to: www.megaprojekter.aau.dk

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An individual shared responsibility

We are standing in front of a shared responsibility to take part in the collective climate awareness we all must face. That is why sustainability and green transition are all about taking responsibility.

We have to be able to look critically at ourselves and our actions. We need the courage to think creatively and rethink traditional functions, both institutional and individually. Sustainability needs to be thought into every social, cultural and political project, as we already see it done at Aalborg University and we are proud of that.

Initiatives and movements like these create a common starting point so that we at the university can work together as one. That is how we are lifting Aalborg University to a continuously greener, eco-friendlier and more innovative place.

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Greetings from the studen

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nt-political spokesperson At AAU students’ thoughs and experiences mean something. Teachers try every day to improve your education, the deans improves faculties and the rector is doing the big thinking about what future the university will create. As a student, we are all there alongside them - If you want.

You, as a student, have a unique perspective, because you know better than anyone what it is like so study at AAU right now. Student politics are about looking at your education as more than just an audience member. Basically it’s about responsibility and taking action. If we don’t share our perspective, we cannot expect change. When you are appointed a counselor who doesn’t know the topic you write about in your semester project and, hence, cannot guide you properly, or when your project group has to work, but all seating around campus is occupied - That is when you need to take action by speaking up.

As a student at AAU, you will get acquainted with problem based learning (PBL), and you will notice that ‘problems’ have a wide range of interpretations. It may be simple and tangible as when the prices in the cantena is too expensive, but it may as well be abstract and complex dilemmas, as when it’s about how your line of study prepares you to solve systematic challenges around the world.

In Studentersamfundet we take both minor and major issues seriously, and with you, we would like to solve those problems. Studentersamfundet is how we as students organize across lines of studies all around AAU - because we believe that problems are best solved together.

When I began my study, people asked me what I wanted to do, when I one day joined ‘the real world’, but in time I learned that the world inside the walls of AAU are much like what is out there, and you have a say in both worlds. Student politics are not about some ideology but to make life better - both regarding education, accommodations, study life and future possibilities.

I hope that you will join us when we, on the small scale, improve AAU with perspectives that, on a much larger scale, make the world a better place.

If you want to see the wonderfull world of student politics, I hereby invite you to the Studenterforum on the first Monday of every month. Find the event on the Facebook page of Studentersamfundet.

Emilie Gry Almstrup

Student-political spokesperson Studentersamfundet

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Understanding the differen As you might have noticed, the university is HUGE. You have probably wondered how big it actually is and how it all works and who takes care of what. On the next pages, we will try to give you some insight into how your home for the next couple of years works.

First of all, the university is a big organisation - and still growing. As a new student you join us in welcoming both the new PBL institute (Institute for Advanced Studies in PBL) and the new SSH faculty (Social Science & Humanities) along with us.

RECTOR AND THE BOARD FACULTY DEPARTMENT

STUDENT BOARDS THE VOLUNTEERS 20

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nt layers of the university The university is like an onion; it has many layers and each layer manages different things. It can for example be deciding what should be taught and researched as well as deciding the future path for the university.

In the daily route around campus we meet the volunteers. It is them who, in collaboration with the university, Studentersamfundet and other collaborators, are responsible for presentations, parties, workshops and other things that make the study life more lively.

The decision making closest to the students are the student boards. They are deciding what will be taught at each study and are thereby making sure you get the highest quality of education.

Every student board is placed under a department that is responsible for the settings of the education. It is these people that make sure we have the right classrooms at our disposal and we are being taught by skilled scientists that know what they are talking about.

Every department is placed under a faculty (except two departments, that are placed both in Humanities and common science) which has overall responsibility for the specific subject area. At the faculty, they work on budgets, strategies and visions, all of which are designed to develop the faculty’s subject area.

At the top of the university is the rector and the board. Here the major decisions about the future of the university are made. This includes making the total budgets and strategies.

Did you know?

As a student you have the opportunity to be elected to the different councils and boards that are a part of managing the four layers - or as we call it: the university’s managing organs. In each of the eligible organs there are students elected and in the study boards we are as many students as professors, so here you really have a say!

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Influence your education! g n i e Ib m y a is?” h ” W ht th g st tau u j y

the t ’ don his?” y ” Wh like t this t i h c a te do r could bette

”I uch m y ssor!” e of r stud my p n a th

Do some of these phrases resonate with you yet? You may have been part of a student council in high school and could spend months working on something you were not allowed changing anyway. So, we understand if you are now thinking ”can I actually change something about this education? What’s the use? ” We will spend the next few minutes of your life trying to convince you that influence is actually something you can get here at the university.

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Where to get influence?

Well, you can actually get it almost anywhere! As a student you can actually be elected into almost all of the university bodies. We can and have influenced politicians to change the law because we, as students, join in unison.

What was the various bodies?

We have 4 elective bodies at the university: Study Board, institute council, academic council (which is the faculties body) and the university board. Here, as a student, we have a voice when deciding which subjects to teach, which researchers should teach, even when hiring a principal. In order to influence all this, you must be chosen at the university election (don’t worry, it’s not as overwhelming as it sounds) in November.

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Uni-election? Must you be a politician to participate?

No, student politics is for everyone! We are not mini politicians but students like everyone else, and everyone can be active in student politics if they have an opinion and a desire to say it aloud.

What difference is this actually making?

We can actually change quite a lot as students. It can be anything from little things on the individual field of study to big changes in national legislation. Recently students convinced the university to provide printers available for an exam, so they didn’t all have to bring them themselves - indeed, that happened! On the larger scale, students teamed up with students from other universities, and got the legal requirement extended for the master’s programs. This means that it is now possibly to take a sabbatical after your bachelor’s degree and still be sure to get accepted to your master’s program.

How do I get started?

You can always contact Studentersamfund’s political spokesman at politik@studentersamfundet.dk. Otherwise you can use the flowchart to find out what to do.

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-- -AALBORG UNIVERSITY

Do you have a stands on being a student?

Yes

No

Do you want to change the teaching on your study?

No

Do you want influence withing a certain field?

Yes

Study Board Yes

Yes

No

Department council

What about the physical settings of your study?

No

Do you want influence on the big strategies?

Turn the page

No

Faculty council

Yes

University board No You just want to see if student politics is something for you?

yes

local study association

student forum 25

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USEFUL FACILITY SUPPORT (9940) 3333

To activate your student card and much more, you can contact Facility Support by phone or directly at your local Facility Support teams office.

IT SUPPORT

Support@its.aau.dk (9940) 2020

Fredrik Bajers Vej 7A, 6a Room A1-101 Monday to thursday 8.00-15.30, friday 8.00-15.00.

Selma Lagerlöfs Vej 300, Room 0.1.91 8.00-9.00 and 12.00-13.00

praesten@adm.aau.dk (9940) 9096

ibu@adm.aau.dk

Religious or not, this is the Are you dreaming of place that has more room becoming an entrethan it sounds like. Here preneur? AAU Startyou can have a chat about up Program offers everything, nothing is too a program for stubig or small. dents with a study Aalborg Universitet related entrepreneur Kroghstræde 3, 7a dream. Here you can indgang C, room 4246 get help and support 9220 Aalborg Øst to test ideas, economy, business develStudenterhuset Gl. Torv 10, 7b opment, mentor and room 221 plenty other things. se the u

ber to u

ins.

y chapla

niversit

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6b

NEED TO TALK? Remem

On their website you can find useful guides to keep you up to date with printing and copying, mail, WIFI, software and much more.

STARTUP PROGRAM

TEAM EAST fsto@adm.aau.dk

9000 Aalborg

AALBORG UNIVERSITET

NUMBERS TEAM CITY fstc@adm.aau.dk Rendsburggade 14, Room 3.155 kl. 12.00-13.00

TEAM WEST fstv@adm.aau.dk Fibigerstræde 4, 5 Room 35 Monday to thursday 8.00-15.30, friday 8.00-15.00

4a

Strandvejen 12-14, 4B Room A200 Office hours: 12.00-13.00

STUDY GUIDANCE

studievejledning@aau.dk (9940) 9440 It is always a possibility to get general guidance at the study guidance’s website.

On the website you can book a personal meeting. After the year has begun your study´s local study guidance is the best place to go with more specific requests.

Fibigerstræde 10, 8 room 2.04 9220 Aalborg East

STUDENTERSAMFUNDET v/Aalborg Universitet

info@studentersamfundet.aau.dk

(9940) 8013 (9940) 8014 (9940) 8019

The place that breathes life in the time of study. Participate in events, join communities or contribute to an amazing student environment as one of the many volunteers.

Read more on the website and follow the page on Facebook - then your student time will get a spark of life.

Fibigerstræde 15

AGENDA redaktor@agenda.aau.dk

Keep up with stories and news both from AAU and the society or get some light entertainment straight to your phone. The magazine is for and by the students. Find it at the magazine holder or online and keep yourself updated on the Facebook page.

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9220 Aalborg East

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AAU apps AAU Start provides a variety of information for you as a new student. You will get a list of things you have to do before you start, FAQ, information from your commencement of study, a program for the starting period and contact information of your Study Secretary and more.

AAU Start AAU Student is the easy way to obtain a general overview of your student life.

You log into the App using your AAUmail address and through the app, you get access to your class schedule, courses, cantine menu, study techniques and much more.

AAU Student

If you have a passion for design and app development, you can join our facebook group “AAU App Panel”. Through this group you can have a say in the future of apps on AAU.

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All apps from AAU can be downloaded from App Store and Google Play. You can find additional information about the apps on www.en.its.aau.dk/app

AAU-1-DAY is the guest WIFI with switching passwords. By logging in with your AAU-mail address, you gain access to this day’s password along with the next three days’ passwords.

AAU-1-DAY

By using AAU Building Support you can easily report flaws in buildings and inventory on AAU.

AAU Building Support

AAU Map is the guide around campus.

Type in the classroom number and get a guide straight to the classroom.

AAU Map Remember, as a student... you have free access to Office 365 and many other options. Find it all here 29

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LIFE AS A STUDENT

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Greetings from Studentersamfun det Dear new fellow student

First of all, I would like to wish you a huge congratulations with your new seat amongst us. It is an awesome place you are about to enroll in, and you are facing some wonderful years to, one day, reminisce with smiles and great memories.

My name is Christoffer, and I am organizational chairman at Studentersamfundet. We are a student association by students and for students, and it is us who manages most of the activities you will encounter during the first few days at AAU. We also host several different activities you and your new fellow students can enjoy - Both if you need to unwind and if you need a helping hand. Furthermore, we have local student associations and bars which adds to a great student environment, and besides a range of social and professional activities, we also make sure that all students are heard through our student politics.

I remember many of the questions I had, when I started at AAU, and all of the emotions surrounding them. It can seem overwhelming, and there is a lot of information to collect in the beginning, and not enough space in the brain to remember it all. That is why it is so important that you and your fellow students unwind once in a while, and remember to enjoy the start-up-period, where you really get to know one another. If and when questions appear, then ask your tutors. They know and have experienced a lot, and are there just to help you get the greatest start possible.

If you, during your time with us, question what the future brings, or perhaps feel a bit lonely, I have some advice which helped me a lot: volunteer!

This was how I joined Studentersamfundet to begin with, and something I have enjoyed ever since.

By volunteering you gain friends across professions and get to try different work-experiences, which is priceless in figuring out what you really enjoy. With the volunteer community you will find great company, get to know yourself and gain a peace of mind about the future.

This student handbook offers insight to your student life, which our awesome volunteers have arranged to make sure that you don’t have to remember everything. With this book, we hope you can let go a bit, and enjoy this new beginning fully with your new found student life.

Finally, on behalf of Studentersamfundet, I want to wish you an amazing time here at Aalborg University. May it be a time you will remerniss with the greatest smile of all.

Christoffer Holgaard

Organizational chairman at Studentersamfundet

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The international

experience My name is Camilo Perdomo Luengas and I am a 10th semester master’s student of techno-anthropology. We study how to bridge different types of social and technical knowledge among social groups involved in the development, implementation or evaluation of any technology.

I studied my bachelor in sociology at a Colombian university with a strong focus on academic research. Before coming to Denmark, I have already worked on some research projects related to education and public health, but my interests and passion have always been on the social side of technological development.

For me, the task of finding a master’s that satisfies me and provides me more professional opportunities was not an easy choice. Coming to the other side of the Atlantic means my decision needed to be based on evidence that I was making the right choice. I had the luck of finding a Colombian professor at Aalborg University in Copenhagen who put me in contact with another Colombian who was studying techno-anthropology as well. This person was kind enough to answer my questions about the academic curriculum, the classes and the daily life in Denmark.

I think it was crucial in my decision process to establish direct contact with another student because it gave me honest, contextual and deeper answers than just reading the information on the website.

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I started the master’s after the summer in 2018 and one of the first challenges for me was to be integrated into the group dynamic of people who have already been studying together for 3 years.

This was challenging for two reasons. First, the people already knew each other, so I needed to understand the inner dynamics of the group. Fortunately, my classmates are great people, they were curious about my background, my life and how I ended up at Aalborg University.

Sooner than expected I was sitting at a table playing board games and drinking beer. I am aware that social integration is a process mostly based on unique circumstances but keeping my mind open helped me to integrate a little bit more quickly to the group.

The second challenge of arriving into a well-formed group is the work dynamic and PBL. I had to take an introductory course about PBL that was not tailored for my master’s but more for engineering students who I think can benefit a lot from this methodology of work. It was a good experience, but I did not learn as much as I was expecting.

Given my education and work experience, I already have a mindset to design and work on research projects. Usually in Colombia for students of Social Sciences and Humanities, the academic work is done between yourself and a professor who depending on the class gives you a research topic, or according to the the- ories discussed during the class gives you a problem that you need to solve by using the authors and discussions from the class.

Therefore, the education process is mostly a solo job where the students had the opportunity to shape their vision of their study program. For example, I once took a course about the history of science and technology because I was interested in this topic, but other classmates were more interested in urban and rural social dynamics.

Obviously, the first contrast when I started the first semester project in tech-

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no-anthropology was the workgroup. I could not understand back then how you divide a research among 6 people. I was used to having full control of the literature review, the methods, the discussions and the writing process. Now I did not have a clue about what to do. My strategy was asking what they wanted me to do and proceed.

This turned out to be a good approach because my group colleges thought I was a communicative person and open. I learned that I need to trust them. All in all, we all were in the same boat.

The second and probably the most difficult challenge for me was the use of time. Since you work in a group you must meet them regularly. In my case it was every day from 9.15 to 16.00. I think it was fine given the number of expected hours you must invest in researching but at some point, it felt restrictive. In Colombia, the people that study a master’s are usually young professionals, so

the amount of time people spent at the University is limited to the weekends or evenings.

Since most of the work is done alone or in very small groups you have the freedom of working from home, the library or working at different times. Being new in Denmark meant I was eager to spend countless hours visiting the libraries and coffees in the city to work from there. However, the compromise of working in the same place allowed us to spend time together, that usually was fun and somehow, we created a bond that remains to this day.

The last difference I find from my experience at Aalborg University and probably as a student in Denmark is their approach to the “real world”. Currently, I am working on my thesis that is related to the development of an autonomous passenger ferry by an organisation called Center for Logistik og Samarbejde (CLS). I have been

Denmark

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working in the Fjordbus project since my 8th semester project. I did the internship with them and now I am working on research that hopefully may contribute to the design or implementation of this technology in Aalborg in the future.

In the Colombian context when a student is conducting his or her own research, the student must stick to specific theories and methods. This creates enormous gaps between the interests of the organisations or social groups and the student’s limitations for research. Ii is common to find that a student approaches the organisation or social group just to take a small sample of their reality, return to the University and deliver a research that may not be within the scope of needs of the analysed social group or organisation.

In my experience, I have been allowed to negotiate what the organisation requires and what the semester requires by finding the theories, discussions and methods that adjust to the needs of the program and the organisation. This combination bridges the academic knowledge to the organisation’s interests which benefits my overall educational experience by making me more flexible to understand how techno-anthropology can contribute to a project and myself as an international student.

In conclusion, my overall experience as a master’s student at Aalborg University has been great. I think I have not only learned about my career, but I have also learned about cooperation, work and trust that I think are some pillars of the Danish culture.

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When difference become the strength There I was. Sitting in unmatching socks from Nike and Kappa and discolored sneakers in a state that could look like they had just been through the lifetime of a marathon runner. With a bad excuse for a tote bag and a homemade bowl cut. The first day. University life has begun. Right there by the long tables at Gammeltorv. Nervous.

That is several years ago now. Allow me to introduce you to the monologue that went through my head this particular morning:

the jester and earlier times halal hippies envious.

The color equilibrist Anne Marie Helger would without a doubt be impressed. But what is it that triggered my nervousness? It was the thought of being different. It is well known that it can be beneficial to pounder at other peoples’ thoughts when your own are a mess.

“Why the hell did you decide to wear that patched up cotton heirloom of a trenchcoat?

They are sitting there in their nice slim fit jeans and form fitted blazers like the icing on a very aesthetic cake. Just the right proportion of upper arms and a well arranged smile that combined it all into perfection. What were you thinking?!”

So I did. They look sharp, like they are ready for anything, but somewhere deep down there must be a nervousness too. The thought of standing out. As the day went on I encountered bipolar disorder. I met the turner syndrome. Different variations of body types. I also encountered the black and white dress up as well as the more colorful dressed. The difference made the group that was heading out to hear the rector’s welcome speech and by hearing this, the study life officially began.

Sitting there in the study life’s rendezvous point with a solid mounted bowl cut on the head. With clothes that would make both

As the months passed by, and the starting nervousness was on the retreat, it also became clear that the difference was the one forming us

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Illustration Søren Malthe

all. The body and clothing related manifestation of my self-declared unique ego was one of the pillars which my social life was built upon. By this it was shown that difference was a strength.

And back to that morning at Gammeltorv 20 . It was with equal parts of fear and optimism I looked along the tables. Optimistic by the thought that we are here for the same re-

ason - no matter what education we come from or where in this wide world we are from. Every person at the table was shaped with the same interest in education and each interest is wrapped in a different clothing, haircut and body type.

We were formed by the difference. The difference that was so incredibly important. And to put it a bit more on the edge: The difference will first become a strength, when you give it attention.

So heed my words: Focus on yourself and embrace the differences. I did it. I got my bachelor degree. Even with non-matching socks from Nike and Kappa.

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International stude Hey there, fellow international student,

You did it! After the stress of your high school exams, of getting the documents you had to send, after all the money you had to spend on plane tickets and all the sleepless nights spent thinking about ending up homeless, you’re finally here. In Aalborg. But your journey is far from over, because this is where the real international students struggle starts!

New school, new me!

You’re now in a foreign city in a country whose unwritten rules you must navigate every single minute. Found your campus building? Cool, now good luck looking for the classroom your current lecture is in. Is it the one on the first, or the third floor? Are you sure you’re in the right building? And when you enter the room, so confident that this is the one, you are unable to recognise a single classmate, not even mentioning the teacher! After class, you want to print something out. If you’re lucky enough, you can find a printer. But don’t you dare think that you’ll get it to work the way you want to at the first try. No, it’ll take you at least three more trips to the library, a meeting with the librarian and probably sacrificing your soul to Satan to be able to print that form your mom desperately needs you to provide for her tax deduction.

This is very much what every new student experiences. Getting lost in the city, at their own campus, catching the wrong bus and ending up on the other side of the East campus, ... And you, as an international student, will have it ten times worse.

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ents’ survival guide Achievement unlocked: becoming an international student

During your first weeks here, you’re slowly getting jealous of your Danish classmates. They don’t need to fill out a ton of documents to stay in the country or pay for their expenses from their own pockets. Meanwhile here you are, desperately running from one office to another in a Kafkaesque never-ending circle, while still not quite sure what it is that the yellow card is for. Taxes, maybe? When you finally have some time to buy your groceries, you either cry at the store because you can’t figure out what button to press on the scales for ‘carrots’ or you can’t stop thinking what the cashiers ask you every time you pay (because it sure doesn’t sound like ‘kvittering med’!). And don’t you even dare call your doctor – you’ll save yourself an embarrassing small talk with the automated voice telling you to press #2 for English.

As soon as you thought that you might have figured it all out, the homesickness and existential dread come in. The days get shorter, the nights longer, and your savings are shrinking fast, because the prices are insane, and you can’t even get that horrible job cleaning puke from toilets. Of course, you could deliver newspapers late at night, but you really don’t want your sleep cycle to reverse even more. And as if that wasn’t enough, the horrible Danes won’t talk to you, but will instead stick to their little Danish crowd, unless they’re blackout drunk!

How do I survive this?

Are you scared yet? You needn’t be. Yes, being a foreign student in Denmark isn’t easy, but you knew that already – that’s why you chose this path, you troublemaker. So, what is it that you should do to make the first few months here a little easier? Let me tell you, one foreigner to another.

Flip the page and find out!

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1.

2.

3.

4.

Join clubs and student associations There’s usually a student association specifically for your programme and they’ll be delighted for you to become a part of the team! If you’re interested in a certain field and would love to get some experience, visit the International House North Denmark and volunteer for an organisation or two. You’ll get plenty of friends and who knows, maybe it’ll lead you to your dream job (once you figure out what it is).

Socialize I cannot stress this enough: make use of all the welcome events your tutors prepared for you. Or simply go to one of the hundreds of events happening in the city, whether it is a party on Jomfru Ane gade, a concert at Studenterhuset or your local Friday bar hangout. Man up and talk to people and you won’t end up alone in the winter.

Learn basic Danish Although you might never pronounce it right, Danes love it when you try (so that they can make fun of you). Even a simple “jeg kan ikke snakke dansk, for helvede” can get you far in your interactions with Danes.

It may sound cheesy but stay open-minded Don’t just hang out with the people from your home country – you’ve been doing that your entire life. Get yourself some international friends who you can share and bond over your struggles with. The more friends you find, the more fun your summer travels will be, visiting each other!

And finally, have fun! There will be moments you’ll want to pack your stuff, leave the country and shiver every time you remember the phrase ‘rød grød med fløde’ for the rest of your life. But on the other hand, if you just try to enjoy the ride, fail and try again, I promise it’ll be unforgettable.

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Advice from the future Lectures. Theory. Abstract knowledge. Exams – graduating and being thrown out into the job market with no practical experience. This is what many students fear.

But if you become active yourself, you will leave university with a lot more than a head full of theories and facts.

Get inspired by the stories of three AAU students and graduates who talk about what they have learned from study jobs, internships, volunteer work and the concept of problem based learning (PBL) at AAU. And career counsellor Lotte Burholt Pedersen has some valuable tips on how to secure a project collaboration or a study job.

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Welcom Welcom to Aalb to aalb

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me me borg borg

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AALBORG UNIVERSITY

I BID YOU ALL A VERY WARM WELCOME …to the city, this education and to some of the best years of your lives!

I am happy and also proud to bid all of you welcome to Aalborg.

I am happy because you have chosen Aalborg to be the city that makes the framework for your education and proud because Aalborg is a city that holds infinite opportunities.

We are working hard to make Aalborg a city with a lot of educational opportunities and the city has gone through an amazing development and more and more student apartments are being built - and of course, they are located on some of our best addresses.

The recent past has been so very different from anything else we have ever been through. Our cultural life used to burst with experiences and activities all over the district. Unfortunately, this has been on pause for too long. That is why I will do what I can to make the city burst with activities again. This applies to Nordkraft, Musikkens hus and Gigantium, just to name a few highlights. We are also working hard to bring back the many events which characterize Aalborg, so that the waterfront, once again, becomes the lively meeting point of the city. Fortunately we are surrounded by the most beautiful nature, which just await being explored: The Fjord, beaches, forests and the parks.

We have created the setting for your life’s adventure and we hope that you are ready to play your part, so that your time here will become both unforgettable and full of laughter and learning. I hope you will have some wonderful years in Aalborg.

Once again, a warm welcome to Aalborg.

Thomas Kastrup-Larsen Mayor

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New to AALBORG? Welcome to Aalborg; a city with a lot of sides.

Aalborg may seem huge and unfathomable, but don’t worry - you are not alone!

To engage in a new study, to move to another city - maybe even a bigger one than the one you are from, can be an enormous change. How do you settle down in a new setting in a new city, where you don’t know anyone? Read along here, while we guide you to a great start at your new study in your new city. A city of students, where new people come every year and where associations, gatherings and communities are just around the corner.

A new city is actually not so bad. Look at it as a fresh sheet of paper, where you can create your new identity away from all the childhood friends, nicknames and rumours. You have been given an amazing opportunity to seek out new interests and hobbies - use it!

I myself moved to Aalborg when I started studying here. I quickly saw that life as a student is what you make of it. I joined some social communities at the university, I started in a climbing club, I learned that you can paint croquis at Hu-

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set 28 every tuesday, I got a study job and then I started meeting with a wine club from my studies. And now I have moved into a shared house, which is something that gives me the opportunities to meet new people. The key word is taking the leap of faith!

Most studies have a vast amount of social events in the beginning of the orientation period to help new students get new acquaintances.

It can be overwhelming, because of everything that is happening in a very short time and therefore it is important to breathe and be open minded. Sometimes it can be tough, but as time goes

AALBORG UNIVERSITY

by and the university life normalizes, you will forget most of the worries you had.

Take to the city

There are a lot of facilities to use as a newcomer to help you settle in in a city like Aalborg and one of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to take the time to get to know the city.

Listen to a podcast or an audio book and go out and explore Aalborg Vestby, walk from Reberbansgade to Dannebrogsgade, look at windows in Vejgaard, and take your bike through Kildeparken 16 , Karolinelund 17 and Østre Anlæg 18 .

Look at beautiful houses in Hasseris, run along the waterfront in Nørresundby or take a dive in Vestre Fjordpark 19 It is all about finding the spots around the city that give you the possibility for relaxation and peace, places where you can be yourself. At the same time it is also a great idea to find the places in the city, where you can meet new people or get new and exciting knowledge. Take your time to settle in and be inspired by your surroundings.

The communities at the university

At Aalborg University we are working hard on creating the foundation of a great study environment. Social well-being is important for having a great studytime. That is why the university is buzzing with different social societies of interest. You can apply to become a voluntary bartender at the study-bars Basisbaren 10 , BajersBar 11 , Barbaren 12 , Mærkbar 13 , Aalbar 14 and DE-klubben 15 - there is room for everyone.

On top of that there are also a lot of other communities: the student newspaper Agen-

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da, where I am a writer, SDG-assortment, that works on making campus more eco-friendly, or you can start a party committee in your year.

If you are more interested in politics, you can join one of the youth political parties. There is a broad selection of these, because youth political parties have relations to the major parties. Communities like these can both be educational and social and a great place to make friends because you from the start have similar political views which offers a great way to start a conversation. This gives some nice deep conversations and a high-five to your CV and you will gain the opportunity to run for city council! If you think that they are a little young in youth politics, then you should look towards student politics at AAU. Here you can be a part of the decision making of many parts of AAU, from the decoration of study environments to the settings of education.

The waters of the Limfjord

Limfjorden is a big and beautiful fjord which is the heart of the city. Through time it has brought many mariners to Aalborg and as you may have noticed a couple of cruise liners or ten. Limfjorden is not only beautiful to walk along, but holds many opportunities for those who got their sea legs. Join the university’s rowing club 34 or the cajak club 35 in Vestbyen. There are the winter swimmer clubs Lillebjørn 36 and Isbjørnen 37 and you can sail around at the fjord in a GoBoat 38 . If you are more of a scout, then find your talents and become a scout leader at FDF Aalborg Søkreds 39 , where you will learn to sail ketch-rigged danish seine cutter, Jens Krogh.

Meaningful sparetime

Aalborg is full of volunteer organisations and there is almost a fight to get a spot - it’s the best starting point for new friendships. For the socially vulnerable there are warm shelters, secondhand shops and cafés that need a helping hand by volunteers. Doctors without borders, Mødrehjælpen, the Youth Red Cross, Nordjysk Fødevareoverskud, Aalborg FRI-TID or UngEnergi.

Headspace 21 is likewise a voluntary organisation, where you, on top of making friends, can help young people with their problems, big and small. Furthermore it is worth mentioning ‘Ventilen’ 22 , which is a place to prevent loneliness for young people. It is a great place to come and be a volunteer for conversations, activities or just be there for people who need it. If you are more interested in music, you should go to either Cafe 1000fryd 23 , Skråen 24 or Studenterhuset 25 and ask if they need someone behind the bar.

Aalborg is Paris of the North, a place that contributes with many different facilities and there is a lot going on if you seek it out. With these words, I found some words in the bible that fits perfectly: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).

Welcome!

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Fitness for only 98 kr. monthly!

No registration fee • Non-binding • Unlimited workout

We help you off to a good start with your workout no matter if the goal is bigger muscles, less fat, or just a better form. Sign up at our webpage or contact us.

See you at UniFitness! …more than 25 machines

Pssst… included is

Personal program planning • Team training • Swimming at Gigantium • Cheap massage 51

Cool

Co m m u n i t i es

United Nation s Youth Organis ation Denmark , Aa lborg (UNYA)

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UNYA is a student organisation which focuses on the promotion of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). What it means in practice is that they organise interesting events, such as debates about current global issues or cleanups of Aalborg. Everyone is welcome to join as a volunteer and help organise these events. Or, if your ambitions are bigger, you can become a part of the leadership!

AALBORG UNIVERSITY

Amnesty International, like Greenpeace, is a local branch of a global NGO. Its members and volunteers are involved in the social life in Aalborg, whether it’s various events, demonstrations, marches or campaigns. Their website also mentions a volunteer group for internationals, so everyone is welcome to join.

Amnesty International

The Aalborg branch of this activist organisation deals with the issues of climate change, sustainability and animal rights. You can find them organising various cool events all over the city, such as climate marches, vegan brunches and demonstrations.

Toastmasters international Aalborg

Greenpeace Aalborg

Do you have stage fright? Are you nervous about oral exams? Do you want to improve your public speaking skills? Well then you should check out Toastmasters in Aalborg! This organisation welcomes students with interest in public speaking and leadership and helps them grow.

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If you want to have fun but social issues, climate change or personal development aren’t for you, don’t you worry. You can join I-Life, a volunteer-run organisation which arranges different trips around Denmark, movie nights and much more. You’re sure to make some fun friends there!

AIESEC

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I-Life Aalborg

If you’re more business-oriented or passionate about leadership, AIESEC is the place to be.

AIESEC is known for sending people on great internships all around the world, but you can also get involved on the local level in Aalborg and get valuable experience through volunteering.

Organiz

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Elsk Aalborg

Elsk Aalborg is an organisation which offers free Danish classes, but also various events which help internationals to learn about Denmark and its culture. You can participate in the baking of Danish cookies, learn how to repair a bike and have some hygge with other foreigners while you’re at it.

The most affordable gym in Aalborg is UniFitness - a fitness place for Aalborg University’s students and staff at the East Campus. There are plenty of activities helping you relax or get your heartbeat up. From swimming, massage and yoga, to Fitness-Boxing and karate, everyone will find something they like here.

DGI-Huset

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UniFitness

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DGI-Huset is an alternative to UniFitness. A similarly affordable membership and a convenient location in Nordkraft in central Aalborg make DGI-Huset a popular place for many students. You can attend yoga, zumba or HIIT classes, use the well-equipped gym equipment or simply book a time slot to play badminton with your friends

zations

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Agenda - The magazine for the students

Be a part of the creation of the news flow at the university. Your interest and skill are providing the foundation and it is only your interest and your potential for development that sets the limits for what you can do. Translation? Articles? Jokes? Photos? Sound?

Grammar? - How will you affect the media flow?

Nearly every month your Studentersamfundet sticker will give you the chance of drinking a whole beer tap in Jomfru Ane Gade.

Meet new people or bring your study group when Studentersamfundet invites members to an hour and a half of FREE beer.

The bars

The Friday bars are always fun and playful. You can become a part of the bartender-community if you volunteer as a bartender in one of the bars. This is perfect for the one that likes to party and be where things happen. Find your local bar on Facebook: BasisBaren, Bajers Bar, Barbaren, Mærkbar, Aalbar, DE-klubben or you can explore your study area.

If you want to get your hands dirty and work, this is where it happens. Along with other imaginative students YOU can create amazing student events with the entire Studentersamfund backing you up.

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Free beer

The event Assortment

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S tudent politics

Do you want to be a part of assuring the quality of your education? Become a part of a community where employees and students are equal and together put education in the focus.

No matter your political or personal belief, as a student at AAU you have the opportunity to influence what we as students expect from Studentersamfundet. Show up at Studenterforum the first monday in every month and let your voice be heard.

UniRun

S tudent forum

Join a team and run 5 or 10 kilometers with many other students at the end of september. Get your heart rate up, have some more to talk about and fight for the amazing prices!

There are so many more cool communities than this in your study time, so the only thing to do is to take the first step in finding them!

And the rest...

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Pilegaard Antikvariat O g Mønthandel

Local bookshop for the one that can get lost in books. The price is fair and you might find the one book needed for your reading list or that one book you didn’t know you needed. Start your search in the narrow corridors in the scent of old books, while you search for hidden treasure.

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Do you have the urge to play games or throw an alternative pre-party? Roll the dice or shuffle the cards because here you can play the game you like with a good drink or a snack in nice company.

Brætspilscaféen

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Nature

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Even though you have moved to a big city, there are still natural beautiful spaces to be found. Walk along the boat harbor, take a picnic to Lundby Krat, take a dip in the docks or have a barbeque in Østre Anlæg. Explore the area and find your own little space of freedom.

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S tudenterhuset

The place that (almost) has it all. Here you can throw yourself on a couch and play a game with your friends, order a cheap cup of coffee with your family in the café, experience an amazing concert or study for your next exam in the reading hall.

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As a student at AAU you can participate in both courses as well as lectures at Folkeuniversitet for free (you have to pay for food yourself). Learn new things or be entertained all the while you are saving thousands of Kroners as a student.

Folkeuniversitetet

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borg

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Café min Olivia

This café offers everything from burger, salad, and beef, to dessert tapas and milkshakes. The café has a chic modern interior and have both indoor and outdoor seating. Above that, they offer a student discount of 25 % with a student card every day.

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Restaurant SMAEK

Looking for gourmet food at student prices? Here you can choose two courses for the price of 200 kr.

They also have a lot of delicious drinks and beer and offers both indoor and outside in cosy surroundings.

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Café Spiret

This café serves one of Aalborg’s best brunch!

Here you can pick and mix your brunch by selecting the dishes you want. The ingredients are super delicious and they offer lemonade and water for free with your food.

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Penny Lane

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Want to expirience danish ‘hygge’? Penny Lane offers a cozy feel and homely atmosphere. It is a café with its own bakery and pastry shop and its own specialties and café with an exciting menu, so it suits most occasions.

AALBORG UNIVERSITY

Heidis Bier Bar

Do you want a night full of afterskiing atmosphere? Then Heidi’s is the place for you. The bar gives you an authentic feeling being in Austria after a long day on the ski slopes. The special thing about Heidi’s is the opportunity to drink your way to becoming ‘The Princess or King of The Piste’ – here you get a card where you move down the slope drink after drink and end up with a cool medal.

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Den Nordjyske Ambassade

With the nickname DNA, this bar is one of Aalborg’s best beer bars. The bar aims to please the North-Jutland hearts with cheap beer and lovely staff. Additionally, you can play pool, darts, or table soccer. There is a large selection of local products directly from the best breweries in Northern Jutland.

The Drunken flamingo

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Are you in the mood for an evening in the tropical heat? Then go to The Drunken Flamingo! A feeling of the southern sun, surfboards, tropical beats, and delicious drinks. Here you can drink your way to ‘king or queen of the jungle’, hvor you fill out a card with delicious tropical drinks that guide you directly into the feeling of summer.

Last, but not least, we have Guldhornene – The Golden Horns. This bar offers a homely and down-toearth feeling when they open in the best way with cold beer and the sound of old Danish hits. Here you are able to drink your way to knight, where you drink 10 large draft beers. As a prize, you receive a crown and your name will be engraved into a piece of metal that is hung up and a place in the bar.

Guldhornene

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Food and drinks

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AALBORG UNIVERSITY

Facebook and Instagram

Mig og Aalborg, Studieliv, aaumemes_, Aalborg Universitet, Studentersamfundet, Agenda - de studerendes blad på AAU, and Studentersamfundets frivillige, are just a few of the cool Facebook groups and sites that you as a student benefits from by following.

Jodel (app) -

Do you use Jodel? Be a part of making the channel @AAU even greater than it is, so we all can benefit from the anonymous community, where you can have fun, share information and smalltalk with likeminded people.

LinkedIn

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Channel “@AA U”

If you don’t already have an account at LinkedIn it is about time you got one. Your network creates job opportunities so connect with your fellow students and get a good start when you are applying for jobs. If you aren’t familiar with LinkedIn, keep your eyes open for the next event here at AAU - you can learn more about what YOU can offer as an AAU student.

Online

AALBORG UNIVERSITY

S tudiz (app) If you are in search of a good student discount, then you should download the app Studiz. Here you can search and find different types of discount both online and local. This might help you make your money last longer.

Are you in need of a place to stay or do you need a roommate, then this is the site for you. Here are bulletins of rooms and different guides of what is worth remembering when you are leaving a place. There are many groups on facebook similar to this one, so your new roommate is just a click away.

Findroommat e

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Campus 1 City 2 West 3 East

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Facility Support 4 Team City 5 Team West 6 Team East

Student Stuff 7 Student Chaplains 8 Study Guidance 9 Studentersamfundet

Student Bars 10 Basisbaren 11 BajersBar 12 Barbaren 13 Mærkbar 14 Aalbar 15 DE-klubben

Outdoor Areas 16 Kildeparken 17 Karolinelund 18 Østre Anlæg 19 Fjordpark 20 Gammeltorv

Volunte Networ 21 Heads 22 Venti

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Music and Entertainment 23 1000fryd 24 Skråen 25 Studenterhuset 26 Brætspilscaféen 27 Huset

Cafes and Restaurants 28 Café min Olivia 29 Restaurant SMAEK 30 Café Spiret 31 Penny Lane

Fitness 32 UniFitness 33 DGI-Huset

Water Activities 34 University’s Rowing Club 35 Cajak Club 36 Lillebjørn 37 Isbjørnen 38 GoBoat 39 FDF Aalborg Søkreds

Others 40 Folkeuniversitetet 41 Pilegaard Antikvariat og Mønthandel 42 Jomfru Anegade

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We are smarter together Thanks for choosing Aalborg as your place to study