University College Copenhagen (KP) is a Copenhagen Science City-partner which offers educational programmes in health and care-subjects such as nursing and midwifery. KP recently launched a new strategy which adds focus on the society of which their programmes and graduates take significant part.

Reaching out to collaborators

The most noble mission of University College Copenhagen (KP) is to train skilled professionals who make a difference in practice. In daycare centres, schools, job centres, clinics, hospitals and several other community-supporting institutions. KP now wishes to reach out to society to an even greater extent. That is why KP approved the new strategy – “Together for subject professionals who succeed in practice”.

The four strategic action areas in the strategy are:

• Our world around us and the key societal challenges that our graduates must help solve.
• Our core task: the research, our study environments, our teaching and its distinctive features.
• To attract more students and contribute to lifelong learning
• An even more coherent KP with strong professional communities

A year-long process

Work on the new strategy has been going on for a year, with students and staff involved in workshops, events and seminars. It has been an exciting and inspiring process, explains principal Anne Vang Rasmussen from University College Copenhagen (KP).

A main characteristic at KP is that we train professionals in the intersection between theory and practice. Our students train and practice in laboratories and workshops while reading theories and gaining important knowledge and insight. And we are deeply dependent on close collaboration with our co- educators in institutions, municipalities, regions and companies. Just as they are deeply dependent on us”, says Anne Vang Rasmussen.

Still a new institution

KP was established in 2018 after a merger between the university colleges Metropol and UCC. The board of the new institution adopted the strategy ‘Together for excellent teaching’, which was based on the 21,000 students and the teaching that was now shared.

New strategy builds on previous

At the time of the merger, Jesper Fisker was newly elected chairman of the board of KP (Københavns Professionshøjskole), a position he still holds. He explains that the principles and focus areas from the old strategy still apply – but that KP is now ready to build on of these.

We still need to develop our education and have a strong focus on our students. However, we also need to become better at reaching out to the outside world. Be curious, proactive and to develop in step with a society that needs skilled professionals more than ever. Educating our students at the intersection of theory and practice is a crucial part of this”, says Jesper Fisker.