From bachelor student at Absalon to full-time employed at Novo Nordisk

Becoming part of something completely new was one reason why Mikkel applied for the bachelor’s programme after his high school graduation:

“During high school, I studied the natural science programme and eventually, I began to flirt with the idea of making a career in engineering and later in the pharma industry. When I heard about the new bachelor programme at Absalon in Kalundborg, I was sure it would be the right choice for me”, Mikkel explains.

Embracing new opportunities

Mikkel, who lives in Slagelse, eyed many new opportunities in Kalundborg, which could benefit his education and career:

“I noticed there was a big cluster of industry which I could see myself getting involved in. I decided to study in Kalundborg because of the close collaboration with the industry throughout the bachelor’s programme”, he says.



As the bachelor’s programme is also offered in English, Mikkel had no second doubts:

“I could have decided to study in Danish, but I wanted to gain professional competences in English, directed towards the pharmaceutical industry. I also liked the idea of being part of an international environment, which turned out to be very present at Absalon. Students from all over the world have come to study in Kalundborg, and they have been eager to get to know new people and learn about the Danish culture. That contributed with an open-minded approach in the student environment”, Mikkel points out. 

Taking on new roles

During his studies, Mikkel became the vice chairman in the central student council at Absalon. He sought the role as an opportunity to shape the new student environment, where he created events for students at Absalon.

Mikkel also experienced how much the students benefitted from the close collaboration with the industry early during his studies.

“I started as a student assistant at Novo Nordisk during my 1st semester, where I assisted with archiving. My interest towards the pharma industry intensified during my student position, and it gave me insight knowledge”, he says and adds: “For instance, my colleagues made me aware of the internship opportunities at Novo Nordisk. So, prior to the internship semester, I applied for an internship in packaging, where I studied real optimisation solutions. That experience has been invaluable”, says Mikkel.

More than practical learnings

Mikkel continued the collaboration with Novo Nordisk during his bachelor’s thesis and used learnings from his education to analyse quality demands in manufacturing. Towards the end of the bachelor’s thesis, Mikkel received a call from his current leader, who gave him an exciting offer.

“I am sure my network has benefitted me during my time at Novo Nordisk. When my graduation approached, I was offered a full-time position as Professional, for a year. That was an opportunity I could not turn down, even though I thought about beginning a master’s programme this summer”, he says and adds:

“In general, I would advise other students to seize any given opportunity and not be afraid to be bold from time to time”.

According to Mikkel, the structure of the bachelor programme, the industry visits and external lectures have been valuable.

“When thinking of my student time at Absalon, I have been prepped towards understanding how companies function and learned about different industries. There has also been a close collaboration between students and teachers, as the approach to teaching has been dialogue-based”, Mikkel says.

“In the future, I aspire to continue in the pharmaceutical industry and in project management. It is important for me to co-create new things which can create continuous value”, ends Mikkel.