The day started with an individual breakfast. While some of us stayed at the hostel, others explored nearby cafés and enjoyed a traditional Danish breakfast accompanied by strong coffee – the perfect way to prepare for the day ahead.
Afterwards, we met at the 25hours Hotel, where we had booked a colourful meeting room that was probably as expensive as it was stylish. Following the daily briefing by the responsible group — clearly the best group of the entire study trip — we settled in with coffee and water and prepared ourselves for a day centred around one topic: data and digital government.
Our first session focused on Denmark’s position as one of the world’s leading countries in digital government. We were welcomed by the Executive Director of Digital Hub Denmark, a public-private organisation dedicated to promoting and exporting the Danish model of digitalisation. While the presentation naturally highlighted the success stories, it was impressive to see how seamlessly digital services are integrated into everyday life. With a single login, citizens can access banking services, health records, tax information and much more.
A particularly memorable quote came from the speaker, who admitted that he would not even know how to send a letter to a friend by post anymore. While amusing, it perfectly illustrated how deeply digital solutions have become embedded in Danish society.
Following an individual lunch break, during which some of us explored the city, went shopping or simply enjoyed another coffee, we spent the afternoon with the Data for Good Foundation.
The Danish non-profit organisation promotes the secure and transparent use of personal data for the benefit of society. Its goal is to give individuals control over their own data while enabling its use for research, healthcare and innovation through trusted data-sharing infrastructure.
One particularly interesting example was the Data for Care initiative, which explores how health data can be used securely to improve care for people with chronic diseases, especially in rural areas.
The session provided a practical perspective on how data can create social value when trust and transparency are placed at the centre.
To round off the day, most of us will join the celebrations of Sankthansaften, the traditional Danish midsummer festival where witches are symbolically sent off on a bonfire.
Stay tuned for our next update from Copenhagen!