International student assistants build bridges to the student community in Kolding

Social cohesion and a positive start to student life. These are key priorities for Campus Kolding, a strategic partnership between the higher education institutions in Kolding and Kolding Municipality.

The partnership works to promote a great student experience and raise awareness of Kolding as an attractive city in which to study. This is achieved through activities that bring students together across institutions and disciplines and help them get off to a good start in student life in Kolding.

Student assistants play an important role in this work.

Broad representation in the student environment

Campus Kolding does not have one permanent student assistant but recruits several different students in connection with its activities. The approach is pragmatic and needs-based, but it is built on a clear understanding of the value of broad representation.

Kolding is home to both Danish and international students. For this reason, Campus Kolding actively seeks to employ student assistants from different educational institutions and with both Danish and international backgrounds, ensuring that its activities better reflect the student environment of which they are a part.

This means that students contribute more than practical assistance. They know the target group from the inside, have access to their own networks and can help make activities more visible and relevant to other students.

Ambassadors close to the target group

Many international students choose to settle in Kolding and become active in the city’s student and association life. This gives them a strong understanding of what motivates and engages other students to take part in the community.

“They build social connections with fellow students, which makes them excellent ambassadors for Campus Kolding and our activities,” says Iben Østergaard Fog, Development Consultant in the City and Joint Administration under Business, Education and Settlement at Kolding Municipality and part of Campus Kolding.

For Campus Kolding, this ambassadorial role is a major strength. As the student assistants are themselves part of the everyday environment that the activities are designed to support, they can help build bridges between the municipality, the educational institutions and the students.

They contribute target-group insight, networks and engagement, making it easier to create activities that are perceived as relevant and meaningful by both Danish and international students.

Flexible roles with room for individual skills

Tasks range from promotion and practical support at events to social media content creation, photography, video production, DJ work and other creative contributions.

This creates flexible roles in which student assistants have the opportunity to apply their own skills and strengths. At the same time, both international and Danish student assistants can support and learn from one another in the planning and delivery of activities. It is a collaboration that takes place naturally in practice, in both Danish and English.

“We have only had positive experiences with international students,” says Iben.

Campus Kolding’s experience demonstrates how international student assistants can help companies and organisations connect more closely with the audiences they want to reach while bringing valuable day-to-day insights into practice.