This year’s study trip of the MSc program in Public and Nonprofit Management leads to Copenhagen / Denmark and will bring students face-to-face with experienced practitioners and current developments in the field.
The week began with a visit to the Embassy of Switzerland in Denmark, where we were warmly welcomed by Deputy Head of Mission Pascale Dychter-Schmid, along with Sofie Untersee and Elina Häring. They provided an in-depth look at Switzerland’s diplomatic efforts and bilateral relations with Denmark.
Diplomacy plays a crucial role in fostering international cooperation, and Switzerland’s interest in Denmark goes beyond political engagement. Both countries share values of neutrality, innovation, and sustainability, making Denmark an important partner for Switzerland in Europe. This meeting helped students understand that embassies are not just administrative centers but also active participants in promoting economic, cultural, and political interests abroad and enhancing bilateral cooperation.
On the second day, we explored Denmark’s public sector digital transformation journey, starting with a visit to Digital Hub Denmark. Vanessa Lista shared Denmark’s path toward building one of the world’s most digitally advanced public sectors. A key takeaway was the importance of citizen trust in the success of eGovernment initiatives. Denmark has achieved high levels of trust by prioritizing user-friendliness and ensuring that digital services deliver real value to citizens. This trust empowers the government to innovate, as citizens feel confident that digital tools will improve their lives.
In the afternoon, we met with Annemette Broch and her team from the Data for Good Foundation, where we discussed the crucial role of data sharing in generating societal value. In an increasingly digital world, personal data has the potential to drive significant public sector innovations—if managed correctly. The team highlighted how personal data can be used to enhance services while implementing robust governance frameworks to safeguard privacy and security.
This conversation underscored the importance of balancing data-sharing for service innovation with the protection of data rights. Trust in how personal data is managed allows citizens to share information more freely, enabling public services to become more responsive and effective.
The MSc students majoring in Public and Nonprofit Management will take over this blog and document the week!
You can find all blog posts from our trip to Denmark under the following permanent link:
https://blog.zhaw.ch/sml-international/category/msc-pnp-study-trips/msc-pnp-study-trip-copenhagen-2024/