Nordplus besøg på Rysensteen

Fra den 9. til 14. november besøgte omkring 35 unge fra henholdsvis Sverige, Norge og Island Rysensteen Gymnasium. Dette besøg var i forbindelse med udvekslingsprojektet Nordplus Junior. Danskere, der deltog, var alle værter for enten en eller to elever fra de andre Skandinaviske lande.

Teamet for ugen var velfærdsstaten, som vi jo har til fælles i Skandinavien. For at blive klogere på, hvad velfærdstaten egentlig er, fik vi undervisning af forskellige lærere og lavede gruppearbejde. Vi fik desuden besøg af Ove Kaj Pedersen, professor på CBS, der holdt et oplæg om konkurrencestaten. Vi fik også besøg af to repræsentanter fra tænketankene Cepos og Cevea, som delte deres organisations synspunkt på velfærdstaten.

Blandt os elever fik vi både lært lidt svensk, norsk og islandsk. De danske elever havde arrangeret filmaften, byvandring og shoppingture og der blev dannet nye venskaber og kontakter.

Nordplus projektet er opdelt i fire udvekslingsbesøg, hvor København var det tredje besøg. Projektet slutter med et fjerde udvekslingsbesøg i Oslo i foråret 2016.

Mette 2e og Anna 2b

Læs rektor Gitte Transbøls velkomsttale til Nordplusgæsterne nedenfor:

Reception speech Nordplus

My name is Gitte Transboel, and I am the Principal of  Rysensteen High School. It is my pleasure to welcome you to Copenhagen and to Rysensteen for this, the third week of the Nordplus collaboration. Before you lie intensive days of academic work and intercultural exchange that I am sure you will benefit from both as students and as human beings. 

Welcome to Elin and Tommy and the Students from Sweden; welcome to Guro, Nina and Britt and the Students from Norway and welcome to Greta, Inga and Bertha and the students from Iceland. 

As you probably know, Rysensteen is an International Profile school, meaning that we collaborate with more than 14 schools around the Globe – in exotic places such China, Turkey and Egypt.  Through the visits to these countries, the students of Rysensteen have learned about the rise of the Chinese economy and the complexities of Middle Eastern politics. In short, about subjects defining the phenemenon we call globalisation.

But globalisation is not just a phenomenon to be found ”out there”, faraway from our own backyard. It is knocking at our front door and challenging our Nordic societies as we speak  – both socially, economically and culturally. 

This week you will explore the effects of Globalisation on one of the most characteristic and defining aspects of the Nordic states – namely the wellfare system. Will it continue as it is? will it stop existing under the pressures of international, economic competition? or will it change into something new and more timely? These are questions of fundamental consequenses for all of us here – and especially you, the participating students.

During the week, you will explore the questions of globalisation and the wellfare state through lectures from some of the leading Danish experts in the field, discussions with the some of the most prominent debators in the country and not least through your own group work.  In other words, a most impressive programme has been prepared for you by Line, Klaus, Jeppe and Jesper.  Give them all a well deserved applause. 

Finally, I would like to thank the Danish Students for opening up their homes just as your Nordic friends have done it before you. The home stays that you will enjoy are extremely important for the intercultural understanding that is an integral part of this programme. And they can – if you are open for it – be the start of long lasting friendships. And wouldn´t it be something to finish this week off, being a lot smarter and more reflecting on the future of the Nordic well fare states and maybe a few friends richer? 

Gitte Transboel, November 2015