The coronavirus pandemic challenges students—both socially and academically—especially international students. A newly appointed board of Polyteknisk Forening (PF student association) will intensify the work to combat a lack of social well-being.
All physical activities at DTU were shut down in connection with the coronavirus outbreak in Denmark. This has had a major impact on the students. The new board of Polyteknisk Forening (PF student association) points out that loneliness, depression, and stress are generally increasing among young people—and the coronavirus situation has been a reinforcing factor. Therefore, it is more important than ever to focus on well-being.
According to PF’s board, a lack of social well-being is particularly pronounced among DTU’s international students. Without the networks and forums that they are usually introduced to at the study start, this student group has found it particularly difficult to establish strong social relations. Therefore, PF wants greater focus on inclusion and well-being among international students—both those who only study at DTU for six months and those who attend DTU throughout their study programme.
“Being able to offer student hangouts via social environments and activities is a big and important part of PF’s work. In 2021, we will focus on creating social activities for students and continuously adapting them where possible. We normally hold parties and events where students can take a break from their studies, but our activities currently take place online. In the coming period, we will—for example—hold alternating online events every Friday,” says the newly appointed President, 22-year-old Andreas Baltzer Skov.
Education and politics
In addition to well-being, education is, of course, also one of PF’s key focus areas. After a year of online teaching and new ways of studying, many solutions have been tested. PF would like to evaluate these to find out which supplementary tools can be used in the future for the benefit of the students.
Politics is also a central item on PF’s agenda. In the coming year, both municipal and regional council elections will be held, and they are an obvious opportunity for local politicians to get to know PF, so that the student association will be consulted when important decisions are to be made. Therefore, the board will actively ensure that the students’ conditions are put on the agenda for the elections. This applies especially to the Municipality of Ballerup, the Municipality of Lyngby-Taarbæk, and the Capital Region of Denmark.
“Politics will become a big and important part of our work. Therefore—as something new—we’ve created a board member function that’s purely politically oriented. One of our tasks will be to make sure that the politicians will listen to us students, and another objective is to ensure that the students want to vote,” says 24-year-old Christian Rømer Thulstrup, Vice President with responsibility for the political work.
To the benefit of all DTU students
However, Andreas and Christian agree that the most important thing for the board is to communicate that PF has been established to handle student interests. No matter who you are and where you study, you can contact us if you experience social, academic, or political challenges.
“I’m looking forward to getting back on campus, so that we can feel that we’re contributing to making a difference. It will also make it easier for us to engage in a dialogue with the students. This is one of our great challenges at the moment,” says Andreas Baltzer Skov.
Christian Rømer Thulstrup adds: “What I’m looking forward to the most is getting back on campus properly and being allowed to reopen S-Huset, our student house. We can then start organizing physical activities.”
Watch video where President of DTU, Anders Bjarklev, meets president of PF, Andreas Baltzer Skov, to a talk about well-being and a good student life.
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