2. International employees’ Danish-language skills

In general, it is expected that tenure-track assistant professors, associate professors and professors are able to contribute to teaching in Danish after 3-6 years, including grading and supervising students – at a level of skills that corresponds to the teaching they are to undertake.

The relevant manager must communicate the expectations for employees set out in 2.1 in job adverts and at job interviews and during the first years of employment, and look into their need for support in order to meet the expectation.

International tenure-track assistant professors, associate professors, professors, managers as well as permanent technical and administrative staff are to be offered paid, targeted Danish-language courses, preferably on campus. This offer must be clearly articulated during the job interview. It is necessary that management allows for devoting the necessary time during working hours for taking Danish-language courses. This may, for a period of time, replace other duties, for example teaching.

In relevant cases, international staff in fixed-term positions must be encouraged to learn Danish with regard to improving their career opportunities in Denmark and enhancing their integration at the workplace and in Danish society. Thus, the department/faculty should also offer Danish language courses to fixed-term staff members and PhD students.