In the coming years, Bornholm companies will have access to new knowledge, green skills, and potential future employees as about 600 students from four universities come to Bornholm through the Residential College Bornholm until the end of 2028.
The initiative is part of Residential College Bornholm, which aims to develop Bornholm into a strong study, knowledge and innovation environment where universities, companies and local actors collaborate to solve concrete challenges and create new growth.
Towards 2028, approximately 600 students are expected to visit Bornholm as part of courses, internships, and student projects focusing on, among other things, green transition, energy, sustainability, and business development. The project is supported by the EU’s Social Fund Plus and Denmark’s Enterprise Promotion Board.
For the Bornholm companies, this means a unique opportunity to access the latest knowledge and expertise from some of the country's leading universities.
Energy island Bornholm and the green transition create a historic opportunity for the development of Bornholm’s business life. If we are to fully exploit the potential, access to new knowledge and strong competences is required. Here, the students can play an important role by bringing new perspectives and concrete solutions into the companies, while at the same time gaining insight into the career opportunities that Bornholm offers.
Residential College Bornholm stems from DTU's ambition to bring education, research, and innovation closer to the needs of society. At the same time, the initiative aims to support Bornholm as a hub for green transition, not least in relation to Energiø Bornholm, but also in other fields such as production, construction, food, and tourism.
The goal is not only to carry out study activities on the island. The ambition is also to create lasting relationships between the students and Bornholm, so that more people become aware of the career and settlement opportunities on the island.
"We already know that some of the students choose to return to Bornholm after their stay. Therefore, the project is not only about education and innovation, but also about attracting and retaining young people who can contribute to the development of Bornholm’s business life and local communities for many years to come.," says Christa Lodahl.
Business Center Bornholm now encourages companies to get involved in the collaboration by making available case studies, development projects or internship opportunities for the students.
The more companies that participate, the greater the social benefit for Bornholm. The collaboration must both strengthen the companies’ innovation capacity and create stronger connections between young talent and the Bornholm labor market.
Residential College Bornholm is being developed in collaboration between Business Center Bornholm, Baltic Energy Island, four universities and local companies. The goal is to create a long-term foundation for innovation, competence development and access to qualified labor on Bornholm.