Language does not have to be a barrier to hire international student assistants

International House Odense works to make it easy and attractive for international students and professionals to move to Odense. This is achieved through guidance, activities and collaboration with both educational institutions and businesses.

For smaller companies in Odense, International House Odense also provides support with HR-related matters concerning international recruitment. For this reason, the organisation sees considerable value in ensuring that international perspectives are not only reflected in its external activities but are also an integral part of everyday life within the organisation.

Target audience insight as a key competence

International House Odense employs a Portuguese student assistant who works with marketing and contributes valuable insights into the needs of other international residents.

There is no requirement for these tasks to be carried out by international students, nor is there a formal strategy focused specifically on hiring international employees. However, according to Julie Fink, Project Manager at International House Odense, there are clear benefits to involving international students in the organisation’s work.

“We focus on the skills required for the specific role. However, in practice, having international students on board creates clear added value,” she says.

According to Julie, international student assistants bring valuable insight into the target audience, help increase participation in activities and act as ambassadors within their own networks. At the same time, they contribute perspectives that would be more difficult to achieve through a workforce consisting solely of Danish employees.

Language differences require practical consideration

At Odense Municipality, Danish is the working language. This normally means that applicants are expected to speak Danish in order to be considered for employment. In this case, however, International House Odense has made an exception because the student assistant’s international background is particularly relevant to the role she performs.

That said, language differences are not without challenges.

Although the student assistant does not speak Danish, the municipality has tasks, systems and written materials that are often in Danish. This requires practical consideration in day-to-day work. For example, the student assistant uses digital translation tools and AI to navigate Danish-language materials.

Inclusion in everyday working life

Today, both Danish and English are spoken in the office. This makes collaboration across language backgrounds possible, but it also requires awareness, particularly in informal situations.

When colleagues speak Danish around the lunch table, by the coffee machine or in everyday office conversations, international employees may feel excluded if others are not mindful of including them. Inclusion is therefore not only about tasks and meetings but also about the small interactions that take place throughout the working day.

International House Odense’s experience demonstrates that language differences do not have to be a decisive barrier. A Danish-speaking workplace can successfully include an international student assistant when the role is a good fit and communication is supported in practice.