From August 20th-29th, a delegation from Tokai University, School of Medicine, Department of Nursing spent ten days in Denmark. The study group consisted of 11 nursing students and two accompanying teachers, and the first four days of the study program in Denmark were spent at TUEC, with a program provided by TUEC in the Copenhagen area.
On the day of arrival, the group were introduced to Danish society and culture through a presentation by TUEC’s Director – Head of Administration, Jakob Skyt Jensen.
 
The group’s first program visit was to the Danish Nurses’ Organization (DNO) in Central Copenhagen. They were welcomed by the president of DNO’s student organization (SLS) who introduced the organization’s many activities with a strong focus on the political engagement for improving working conditions for nurses and nursing education in Denmark.  
In addition, Tokai nursing students were invited by SLS leaders to make a joint video, briefly introducing nursing-related data in Denmark and Japan. The recording has been uploaded on SLS SoMe platforms and has already generated over 50.000 viewings in total on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
 
After the DNO visit, the group enjoyed sightseeing in Copenhagen accompanied by TUEC staff.
 
The following day, the group visited Marthagården Kindergarten, an institution affiliated with University College Deaconess (UCD), which is a formal partner of Tokai University. The delegation was welcomed by the kindergarten’s manager who spoke about various aspects of childcare in a Danish kindergarten. The students were given a tour of both indoor and outdoor facilities at the kindergarten.
 
Finally, the delegation also visited the Center for Rehabilitation and Acute Care (CRA). A presentation about CRA was held in Japanese by a Japanese nurse living and working in Denmark. The students obtained insights concerning working culture for nurses in Denmark along with various comparative health and medical-related statistics in Denmark and Japan. Based on her own personal experiences, the Japanese nurse was able to answer the students’ questions thoroughly based on her intercultural perspective.
 
In the evening on Friday, August 22nd, a garden party to celebrate the delegation visit from Japan was held at TUEC in collaboration with Tokai University Alumni Association Denmark. The Tokai nursing students provided delicious Japanese food for the Danish guests and entertained during dinner with Japanese song and dance. 
 
On Sunday, August 24th, the delegation left TUEC and travelled to Silkeborg in Western Denmark, where VIA University College, Department of Nursing, had prepared a three-day study program for the Tokai nursing students.

The second delegation, which we received, was the delegation from the Department og Health Management, consisting of 9 students and 2 professors. This group spent a total of 8 days in Denmark from August 26th to September 3rd, visiting various places of academic interest following a program coordinated by TUEC in collaboration with the professors.

This group visited a total of ten different places during their stay, so some of these will only be mentioned briefly here. In broad terms, the group learned about various ways, in which Denmark, as a nation and state, takes care of its citizens health and well being.

On the first day, the group visited DBS, the Danish Association for Blind Citizens, to hear about what the organization does to help Blind Citizens in Denmark, both through local initiatives and broader political ones. One of the students from the study group was blind herself, so this was especially inspiring for her to learn about.
Later the same day, the group visited a Homework Café run by local volunteers in HøjeHø Gladsaxe, and were invited to hear about the café, as well as observe it whilst the elementary school pupils received free assistance.
Next day the group visited the Nursing Home Ingeborggården. Here they were taught about how the Nursing Home operates and takes care of the elderly citizens. One of their key values is to have the elderly maintain their own autonomy, dignity and sense of self-worth.

These values are also shared by Ældresagen, whose main office they visited later that day. Here the study group learned how the organization works to ensure a good life for elderly citizens in Denmark, both through political lobbyism, and voluntary aid in their local chapters. The following day the group also met with a volunteer from a local chapter of Ældresagen, near TUEC, to hear more about their specific initiatives. The aim of these initiatives is to improve the elderly citizens’ quality of life, mainly through social interactions and activities, and help with everyday tasks they might struggle with. In this way, the elderly also become part of a local community and safety network.

Another visit which the study group made was to the Department of Public Health of Copenhagen University. This is also where one of the professors of the group, Dr. Manami Hori, did her research exchange whilst in Denmark. Here, the group was presented with a broader understanding of the Danish Health Care System, and how each citizens health data is being used across different public sectors in relation to treatments and care.

The next week the group visited Bosei, the Danish folk high school in Præstø which was formerly Tokai’s own boarding school. Here they would attend activities together with the Bosei students, such as an interactive English class, where they baked cakes together, an afternoon assembly, and a Mixed Martial Arts and Fitness training class.

On their last full day, they also visited Fontana Skolen, a school for young students with special needs, many of whom have neurodivergent diagnoses. The group were shown around the school, and were able to hear directly from students there, how the school helped them, and enabled them to grow both professionally but also personally.
                                                                                                              
Lastly, the study group went to Københavns Idrætsefterskole. “Efterskole” is often translated as a boarding school, however, the concept is more unique than that. An “efterskole” is in many ways quite like a Danish folk high school, as they’re both based on Grundtvigs values of teaching the students, how to become active democratic citizens of society. This was conveyed to the study group as well, who were also able to see the school’s many facilities aimed at its students specializing in various sports.