Externally funded Retreat for CBS BLC students and MSC teachers

In October, the language teachers of CBS’ Business, Language, and Culture programme, along with over 90 students, participated in a two-day ‘language retreat’ north of Copenhagen. This retreat brought together students from various language tracks (French, German, and Spanish) and different cohorts, including both bachelor’s and master’s programmes, fostering a sense of community among language students at CBS.

During the retreat, students participated in various joint workshops. They learned from alumni who shared how they apply the language skills and cultural knowledge acquired during their BSc and MSc studies in the BLC programme in their professional lives. This event provided a unique opportunity to strengthen and expand the community of language students, allowing for an immersive two-day experience focused on language practice and reflection on intercultural competences.

The retreat was made possible thanks to the extraordinary funding received from the Sprogløft initiative, supported by the Danish government and political parties in the Danish Parliament.

Thomas Kirkevang from European Energy speaks at the retreat about sustainability, language skills, and personal competencies – and encourages the students to dare be the ’black sheep’ (photo Cristina Riera).

As Thomas Kirkevang put it: “when you are in a different culture you are seen as the black sheep/the one who does not belong. You must not only get used to this but integrate that part of being an “outsider” in order to be successful. By letting go of this reality and accepting it as part of your person in the culture you are in, it becomes a competitive value again” (translation Carsten Humlebæk).

The Sprogløft funds have also been used to develop extracurricular intensive language courses aimed at enhancing students’ written, oral, and social skills in their respective languages. Additionally, the BLC programme has organized several professional-cultural events, where students have had the opportunity to interact with guests from outside the university, including representatives from NGOs, embassies, and the business world.

For further information, please contact María Emilia Casco Flores, mecf.msc@cbs.dk.