Pupil and student mobility
Denmark participates in a number of mobility programmes at ECEC level, primary and lower secondary level, and upper secondary level.
Nordplus Junior
Nordplus Junior is a sub-programme within the Nordic Council of Ministers’ mobility and network programme Nordplus, which focuses on lifelong learning, education, mobility, and languages. Nordplus Junior is aimed at preschools, primary and lower secondary schools, and general and vocational upper secondary schools.
Only education institutions or organisations can apply for Nordplus. In addition, only applicants from the Nordic Countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden), the Baltic Countries (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) and the autonomous regions of Åland, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland are eligible for grants.
Educational institutions and organisations can apply for funding through the Nordplus Junior programme to conduct activities for pupils/students in the following areas:
-
Mobility activities, including among others preparatory visits to make concrete plans for a project, study visits, and class exchanges;
-
Project activities, including among others dissemination of project results and development and improvement of educational methods.
The Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science is responsible for providing information and guidance for applicants from Denmark.
Nordic educational community at upper secondary school level
Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden have an agreement about mobility between the countries’ upper secondary schools.
The agreement aims to boost the free movement between the Nordic countries by giving students access to upper secondary education on equal terms with a country’s own nationals. The agreement also obliges countries to recognise education obtained through a study period in another Nordic country.
Thus, a student can apply for upper secondary education in a Nordic country on the basis of his/her primary and lower secondary education from another Nordic country on an equal basis with the country’s own applicants.
The OPU scheme
The OPU scheme is a Danish mobility programme for students who attend a vocational education and training programme and have completed the basic course.
The scheme provides students with financial grants and enables them to complete all of or parts of their practical training abroad. The practical training can take place in all parts of the world.
The individual student applies for the grant. Within a 12-month period, a student can obtain a maximum of DKK 32,000 (EUR 4,290) in grants.
The OPU scheme is financed by The Employers’ Reimbursement Fund.
The Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science is responsible for informing students, employers, and vocational colleges about the scheme as well as coordinating the use of the scheme.
The DK-USA programme
The DK-USA programme is a partnership between Denmark and the US in the area of vocational education and training. The partnership gives Danish students, teachers, and school heads at vocational colleges the opportunity to receive grants for study visits in the US.
The purpose of the programme is to support transatlantic cooperation within vocational education and training and internationalisation as well as to exchange knowledge that can benefit further development of vocational education and training programmes.
The programme provides grants for two types of activities for Danish students attending a vocational education and training programme:
-
Study visits at community colleges in the US;
-
Practical training visits in American businesses.
The Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science administers the DK-USA programme.
Teacher mobility
Nordplus Junior
The Nordplus Junior programme also provides grants for teacher mobility.
Educational institutions and organisations can apply for funding through the Nordplus Junior programme to conduct activities for teachers in the following areas:
-
Mobility activities, including among others teacher exchanges and exchanges of educational/academic staff;
-
Project activities, including among others project partnerships on quality assurance and improvement of educational methods.
The Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science is responsible for providing information and guidance for applicants from Denmark.
The DK-USA programme
The DK-USA programme also provides grants for teacher mobility.
The programme provides grants for visits to the US for teachers, school heads, and board members associated with vocational colleges. This includes grants for, among others, the following activities:
-
Guest teacher visits and job shadowing at American community colleges;
-
Visits for the purpose of finding practical training places in American businesses or initiating cooperation in general;
-
Visits for the purpose of participating in community conferences;
-
Visits for the purpose of exchanging experiences with school management.
The Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science administers the programme.
References
Bibliography
LifeinDenmark.dk (Borger.dk), 2024: Grants for training abroad (Tilskud ved oplæring i udlandet). [Accessed 4 September 2024]
Ministry of Children and Education (Børne- og Undervisningsministeriet), 2023: Nordic education programmes (Nordiske uddannelsesprogrammer). [Accessed 4 September 2024]
Ministry of Higher Education and Science (Uddannelses- og Forskningsministeriet), 2024: The OPU scheme (OPU-ordningen). [Accessed 4 September 2024]
Ministry of Higher Education and Science (Uddannelses- og Forskningsministeriet), 2024: The DK-USA programme (DK-USA-programmet). [Accessed 4 September 2024]
Nordic Co-operation, 2024: Nordic education agreements and programmes. [Accessed 4 September 2024]
Nordplus, 2024: Activities. [Accessed 4 September 2024]
Nordplus, 2024: Nordplus Junior. [Accessed 4 September 2024]