In 2018, DIS launched the DIS Refugee Program. This new program is in cooperation with the Foreningen Nydansker which specializes in bringing highly skilled refugees into the Danish labor market, as this group usually struggles the most in finding relevant work in Denmark.
DIS welcomed two refugees: Tom, into our Academic Affairs Team, and Reem, into our Student Affairs Team. They started on April 1 and have now finished their three-month internships. The goal was to help provide work experience and insight into Danish workplace culture, improve language skills, and assist them in strategizing their own personal future career steps.
“It has been a very positive and rewarding experience for all of us at DIS to have refugee interns working with us. It has been a privilege to help such talented and motivated people get a better sense of what a Danish workplace is all about and how they might succeed in the Danish labor market. We have contributed and helped our refugee interns, but we have certainly learned a lot from them and benefitted from their skills and new ideas as well. It has been a good reminder about how much any workplace can benefit from having employees with diverse backgrounds and experiences.”
-Malene Torp, Executive Director
Tom and Reem quickly and easily fit into their teams and work culture, and at the same time shared their own history and experiences. They helped support ongoing administrative projects here at DIS and took on projects of their own. Tom, a graduate of Aalborg University with a Master’s in Development and International Relations, said he enjoyed working with people across different departments and still feeling like one team. And Reem, with a degree in Business Administration from back home, said she had never felt as accepted or appreciated in Denmark as she was by her colleagues.
Thank you to Tom and Reem for strengthening our team. We can only encourage others to hire highly skilled refugees to their workplace!
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