Heard of the International Staff Office? Find out more about their events and activities here– even if you speak Danish, there’s something for you

The beautiful white building on Trøjborgvej that houses the International Staff Office is a welcoming space in more ways than one. In this bright, expansive setting, there is room for cultural differences, for questions big and small, and for the realisation that adapting to a new and different culture is not always easy.

“When international staff come to AU, they are often alone, and they don’t know the language. We are here to help them with practical issues, such as getting a CPR number, but also to introduce them to networks and communities that can ultimately foster their well-being,” explains Marianne Condelli, who works as an events coordinator and a mobility consultant at the International Staff Office.

In collaboration with her colleagues at the International Staff Office, she has helped put together a catalogue of events and activities to make life easier for her international colleagues at AU – all the way from recruitment and onboarding to leading a fulfilling everyday life in Aarhus or one of AU’s other locations.

“At the International Staff Office, we have something for those who’ve just arrived – such as our Workplace in Focus workshop and information meetings with the municipality – and for our colleagues who’ve been here a little longer, where we also consider accompanying partners and children,” says Marianne Condelli.

Many of our events are also open to Danish-speaking members of staff. These include events aimed at the whole family, such as our Fastelavn party, Christmas party, or Summer Potluck get-together, and events aimed at promoting collaboration across national borders. Because fostering a good workplace culture is a responsibility we all share.

“Misunderstandings and conflicts with colleagues are some of the things that can make you feel like you don’t belong, and both culture and language can be major barriers to collaboration between people with different geographical backgrounds. That’s why we’ve developed initiatives like the Cross-Cultural Communication Workshop, where international and Danish-speaking members of staff get together to share some ‘aha’ moments about Danish workplace culture,” says Anne Pletschette Langer, who is a senior communications and mobility officer at the International Staff Office. She adds:

“Researchers move around. They go wherever their research takes them. But if they and their families aren’t happy, they won’t stay. So we help them establish some kind of connection to the university and their colleagues, so that they don’t feel alone. We want them to enjoy their time at AU and to want to come back if the opportunity arises.”

About the International Staff Office

• The primary target group for the International Staff Office is international researchers from postdoc level upwards. Read more.
• The International Staff Office also offers services to accompanying partners, visiting scholars and PhD students. Read more.
• Another target group includes managers with hiring responsibilities and administrative staff involved in recruiting and onboarding international researchers. Read more.
• The International Staff Office collaborates with Aarhus Municipality and some of the city’s cultural institutions and international communities.
• You can find the many different events organised by the International Staff Office right here.