For the first time ever, Danish students can now do a double degree from both China and Denmark. This is done in collaboration between all eight Danish universities and the Chinese Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (GUCAS), who have established Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research (SDC).

A Danish-Chinese master’s Degree in English done in China. This will be reality in 2012 when Sino-Danish Center welcomes the first students to the new programmes in Beijing. A new collaboration between all Danish universities and the Chinese Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (GUCAS) makes it possible for Danish students to do a master’s degree programme in China, which is quality ensured in Denmark and has teachers from both Denmark and China. The goal is to have 150 Danish students and a corresponding number of Chinese students at Sino-Danish Center in China.

In the areas Water & Environment, Neuroscience, Public Management & Social Development, and Innovation Management new master’s degree programmes will already be established in 2012, which both Danish and Chinese students can apply to. Areas like Renewable Energy and Nanoscience are expected to follow in 2013 where the center will move into its own modern and eco friendly building near Beijing. Besides the master’s degree programmes, it will also be possible to do a Ph.D. at the center, and the first research collaborations have already been established.

Master’s degree programmes in one of the strongest areas of growth in the world

The secretariat at Sino-Danish Center are looking forward to offering Danish students modern international education at Master and Ph.D. level and predicts that a double degree from both a famous Danish university and a prestigious Chinese university like GUCAS can get current bachelor degree students to consider one of the new master’s degree programmes.

“The SDC programmes are interesting because we’re talking about complete master’s degrees in one of the strongest areas of growth in the world. The programmes will unite and generate knowledge from strong research environments in both Denmark and China,” Danish SDC director Hans Gregersen explains. “The programmes are accredited according to Danish standards, which will ensure a high quality. Also, the strength of the interdisciplinary research environments behind the programmes will guarantee a solid and challenging content.”

Cooperation with Danish companies

Sino-Danish Center is working on establishing cooperation with several major Danish companies, which will make it possible for students to do an internship during their education. This will give Danish students the chance to keep close contact to the Danish environments despite the fact that they choose to do their master’s degrees far away from home. The secretariat is convinced that the students may be concerned about moving away from family and friends for two years. Hans Gregersen says,” Because SDC offers a completely unique opportunity, which will give a both national and international anchorage due to the double degree; I think the students will be prepared to travel far in order get a foothold in the Danish-Chinese market. It seems that this is where a lot of the future jobs will be. Besides, China isn’t as far away as people think and there are lot of ways to communicate with friends and family on a daily basis.”

The secretariat is current located at Aarhus University and is working hard on rendering the opportunities in research and education at SDC visible. The establishment of the programmes has set in and there has been held several symposiums with scientists from both countries within the past months.