I must stop reading the free Danish papers. In yesterdays 24timer (when are they going to get a proper website? Later this month apparently) there was a big splash article advising Danish students not to include semesters abroad as part of their university education as these were not valued by Danish employers and resulting grades viewed with suspicion. I find it difficult to believe that in a country which is so export-oriented that this can be a true reflection of the majority view of employers. The article contained a classic quote from the employer's side which I've often heard expressed but which I am amazed anybody would willingly be quoted on to the effect that Danes believe they are the world's best and therefore there is no need to go abroad. This is also mixed in with the Danish concept of Jantelov whereby nobody is supposed to think they are better than anybody else. So no student should think that they have any advantage through the fact of having been abroad.
This is beginning to feel like tabloid journalism. I must start buying my own newspaper!
Update May 25: The Danish National Agency which administers educational projects for the government, the EU, the Nordic Council of Ministers and so on, has put out a press release (Danish) on May 9th to the effect that these reports are a completely wrong interpretation of the results of the research which was undertaken and that in fact the opposite was true. So foreign experience is valued by Danish employers after all. Tabloid journalism indeed.
Keywords: janteloven, semesters abroad
