Community is key for study start 2023
New students beginning their journey at CBS with Introduction Week activities. Photo: Maja Golebiowska
This year, showing both new and returning students the concept of ‘community’ at CBS is a top priority. There is room for everyone, and you can find others that share the same interests as you. Those are the key messages from the Student Communications team. This is highlighted by two campaigns, during the introduction week and at the Bachelor Kick Off.
News | 23. Aug 2023
From 21 August and onwards, students will once again be flooding the halls of CBS. For some, it is their first year and their laughter might be high-pitched with nerves and anticipation. Others are returning to school after a long break and must get back into the usual grind. Whichever is the case, they will be met by campaign banners displaying how all of them are a vital part of CBS and together form the essence of the university.
Creating a sense of community and ensuring that CBS can be whatever the students make it are very important for the study start campaign team at Student Affairs this year.
From left, Beannie Kauling Sloth and Kristina Jørvad from the study start campaign team. Foto: Morten Madsen
“We want both new and returning students to remember that CBS is a university where everyone is welcome. Everyone feels insecure on their very first day, and with the campaign, we hope to remind them of that, as well as the fact that they are the sum of CBS,” says Kristina Jørvad, Senior Communications Advisor at Student Affairs, and a member of the study start team working on the messages that meet all students when they return.
This year, Student Affairs is launching not one but two campaigns to help both new and returning students to have a good start and feel welcome. The first campaign in weeks 34 and 35 will end with the Bachelor Kick Off on 1 September. It is an upcycled version of the study start campaign from last year, whereas the second campaign, running in weeks 36 and 37, is a new campaign.
“We see the second campaign as a second chance to remind the students of our points. They receive a lot of information during the first couple of weeks, and taking it all in can be difficult,” says Kristina Jørvad.
Kasper Alsted, bachelor student from FIR (Finance and accounting) is trying his luck in the Treasure Hunt, teaching students their way around my.cbs.dk. Photo: Birgitte Ramsø Thomsen
In previous years, the study start campaigns were only in English, because then everyone would understand. But this year, the new campaign is in both English and Danish.
“Some of the students commented last year that they thought the campaign was not targeted towards them, since they were taking Danish-speaking degrees. And that was, of course, not our intention, which is why we changed this in the second campaign,” says Kristina Jørvad.
Real students are the faces of the new campaign
To make the advice as relevant as possible, Student Affairs found four students to be the faces of the campaigns. They were recruited from among the coming study start guides for the introduction week.
“It was important to us that actual students are sending the messages and not ‘the grown-ups’ from Student Affairs. We wanted the campaign to be relatable to the students,” says Kristina Jørvad.
Relatable messages from students and study start guides welcome the new students at the CBS campus. Photo: Maja Golebiowska
The second campaign reflects feedback from last year’s students, who needed options for meeting people taking other degrees.
“Previously, students would meet across degree programmes at Nexus’ Thursday bars, but after those closed, some students found it difficult to meet people outside their own programmes. The second campaign is a reminder of the many places they can meet other students, like the many different student societies here at CBS,” says Kristina Jørvad.
She admits that student societies usually require a bit more commitment than simply showing up at Nexus, but the wants to show the students that the opportunities are still there, if they are willing to seize them.
Bachelor Kick Off and semester start celebration all on one day
On 1 September, the autumn semester will be kicked into gear by President Nikolaj Malchow-Møller at the Bachelor Kick Off. His opening speech will start a long daypacked with activities for the new bachelor students that will wrap up with a semester start celebration party.
“Last year, the day began at KB Hallen and then moved to CBS later, but many did not make it back to CBS. As student feedback showed the CBS part was the best part of the day, that made it a logical decision to host the whole thing here this year,” says Beannie Kauling Sloth, Senior Communications Advisor at Student Affairs, and one of the Bachelor Kick Off planners.
HA Almen study start guides welcoming new bachelor students to CBS. Foto: Kristina Jørvad
Another key aim when planning the Bachelor Kick Off this year was to give the new students the opportunity to meet current students. At the Nordic Nine fair, for instance, students can learn about the Nordic Nine principles from other students, lecturers, and representatives from the business world. In the afternoon, following football matches, Nexus will throw open its doors at 16:00 for the semester start celebration.
“We wanted to create a day centred around community because the students have requested this and we know how important it is,” says Beannie Kauling Sloth.
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