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Copenhagen International School Nordhavn

Ever since we began laying plans for a new school in Nordhavn, we have dreamed of creating the best possible framework for teaching science, health, information technology and athletics. The generous grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation will help us to fulfil our dream. Walter Plotkin, Director - Copenhagen International School

Project data

Grant amount
100.1 000 000
Project website

Contact

Maj Leth-Espensen, Project Officer: Education and Outreach, Novo Nordisk Foundation, [email protected]

Internationalizing and Promoting Science and Health

Copenhagen International School is an international school in the Nordhavn district of Copenhagen aimed at children of international employees working in Denmark and Danes returning from abroad.

The School, which opened a new campus in 2017, was founded in 1963, and previously its activities had been based at campuses in Hellerup and the Østerbro district of Copenhagen.

The establishment of the new campus in Nordhavn has enabled the School to merge all its activities under one roof and accommodate the increasing demand for places. The School has a capacity of about 1200 students attending nursery school and grades 0–12. The education at the Nordhavn campus especially focuses on innovation within science and health based on the most modern facilities for athletics, nutrition and science and technology.

The Foundation’s aim in co-funding the establishment of the new School is to help make Denmark an attractive location for international employees, including supporting the internationalization of the research environment in Greater Copenhagen. The Foundation also wants to support an environment in which students can learn science and other subjects in innovative and advanced facilities. This will help stimulate and develop interest in science, which will strengthen research in Denmark in the long term.

The Foundation’s DKK 100.1 million grant was awarded to co-fund several aspects focusing on science and health, including furnishing innovative and advanced learning facilities.

The Foundation has also awarded a grant of DKK 15 million to the School for providing scholarships to the children of international researchers employed at public research institutions in Denmark. The purpose of this 5-year grant is to minimize the obstacles for recruiting researchers to work in Denmark.

Copenhagen International School will distribute the scholarships. The internationally recruited researchers must be employed at a public research institution in Denmark and be carrying out research within the natural or health sciences, technological sciences or art history for their children to be eligible for a scholarship. This applies to researchers moving to Denmark in the future and those who moved to the country within the past 3 years. Applicants must also fulfil the normal requirements for admission.

The Copenhagen International School Property Fund built the new campus and rents the facilities to Copenhagen International School. Construction started in 2014 and the School opened in 2017. The A.P. Møller Foundation (A.P. Møller og Hustru Chastine Mc-Kinney Møllers Fond til almene Formaal), Villum Fonden, Hempel Fonden, Augustinus Fonden, Norden A/S and the D/S Orient Fond also contributed to establishing the School.