During our stay, we came across the concept of doing ”hygge” that the Danes came to export to the world in a globalized time.

In essence, hygge means creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people.

The warm glow of candlelight is hygge.
Cozying up with a loved one for a movie – that’s hygge, too.

And there’s nothing more hygge than sitting around with friends and family, discussing the big and small things in life.

Perhaps hygge explains why the Danes are some of the happiest people in the world according to the World Happiness report.

I think our group dinners and the comfortable nights cuddling up with friends in the hotel during our stay in Copenhagen summed up our part of adding a little hygge for ourselves to the rapid lives we are all living in.

Pauline Babeau, Facundo Forgione, Anass Harrak, Anna Parolin, Myriam Schneider, Johannes Zeisel

MiM programme - IoT specialization

What I liked the most about Denmark and its way of life is the importance of trust in their culture. They have so much trust for each other. For instance, we can clearly see it in their daily lives, being in the transportation system or the business deals they do. When we first came from the airport, Ms. Emma gave us metro cards for our future rides. However, there was no need to stamp them before getting in. We only had to hold them in case the police came for inspection. In addition, in many of the presentations, trust was mentioned as an important factor and aspect of the culture and especially for business in Denmark.

According to my analysis, I think this is due to the culture of the Scandinavian people who are very honest and direct with each other. We could clearly see that the locals are very polite and direct but also distant. For example, when we ask an informative question about the city, they answer with a very exact answer, with no additional information.

Rita Maroun

MiM programme - IoT specialization

We particularly appreciated the fact that in Copenhagen many students have a part-time job while studying. Students are encouraged to purse an opportunity in a company to gain experience and have a hands-on approach. Companies allow students a lot of flexibility, so that they can plan their week with both university and professional commitments in the way they prefer.

Chiara Cattabriga, Alessandra Beguinot, George Ghorayeb, Antoine Nardone, Manav Veer Gulati

MiM programme - IoT specialization

During the free afternoon, we had the opportunity to visit the « round Tower » in Copenhagen. The tower is part of the Trinity Work, which was built to provide the scholars of the time with an astronomical observatory, a church and a university library. This building is remarkable for two aspects: the interior architecture and the view it offers of the city.

A spiral corridor leads to the top in 7 and a half turns. This very wide corridor was designed to allow carts to be taken up, which is why it only has steps for the last few metres. A niche in the wall near the top gives access to the central cavity of the tower where a glass plate prevents falls.Visitors can stand there and watch the base of the tower, 25 metres below, beneath their feet. This cavity marks kilometre zero in Denmark.

The view from the tower also helps to understand the organization of Copenhagen. The proximity of the sea and its influence on the city with the new districts and the factories that can be seen in the distance. These newer areas stand in stark contrast to the historic centre with its red tiled roofs, churches and their distinctive bell towers.

Lucile Reine

MiM programme - IoT specialization