ISA Newsletter November 1st, 2014

International Education Week (IEW)

International Education Week is an opportunity to highlight the importance

of international education and student exchange, and a chance to

underline the importance of sharing knowledge across borders. This

Internationalization happens both abroad, while the students are on

exchange, but also at home. By making week 41 in October CBS

International Education Week, we want to encourage Internationalization

and bring focus to both the opportunity for students to go on exchange as

well as the International Community that is CBS. Internationalization at

CBS is about inclusion and diversity both at an academic and a social

level. It is about crossing borders within CBS by reaching out to the

otherness that is each other. CBS is a community consisting of Danish

students, exchange students and international full-degree students, and it

is this community we want to celebrate with International Education Week.

Every year, Copenhagen

learns to embrace Halloween

(pictured, top) to a fuller

extent. Here are a few

suggestions for this year.

Index

This month’s CBS Life article

delves into the fascinating tips

and tricks on leadership

provided by Per Wimmer at

CBS Talks.

2

5

3 CBS has a myriad of student

organizations to offer - our

correspondent delves into the

CBS Debating Society.

7 Find out more about ISA and

upcoming events for the

month of November!

2 ISA Newsletter

Some interpret Halloween as an opportunity to wear a costume, others as a cultural plague taking over the

country. Regardless of where you fit in, there will not be a lack of holiday spirit or events to attend.

1

Halloween in Denmark

Every year, on the eve of October

31st, hundreds of thousands of

kids in America stroll through cities

and suburban neighborhoods,

knocking on doors and yelling out

“Trick or Treat!” in the expectation

of delicacies, filling their bags with

candy and creating business for

dentists nationwide.

This cultural pandemic has now

spread to some areas in Denmark,

mainly major cities – however, with

the exception of some spur-of-the-

moment costume wearers, the

general population has generally

been more averse to celebrating

the “practicalities” of Halloween as

the general spirit of the holiday.

Danes nonetheless celebrate their

own version of the holiday on a

day in February. “Fastelavn”, as it

is known, already seems to fulfill

the cultural void left by Halloween.

All characteristics are still present:

adults as well as children will wear

costumes, pumpkins will abound,

seasonal coffees and cookbooks

will sell, and the customary query

for candy will take place.

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That is not to say, however, that

this October, Copenhalloween™

will not offer a few surprises of its

own. A few suggestions worth

taking into account for the coming

week are:

1. Tivoli Gardens: Beginning mid-

October each year, Tivoli becomes

an entirely new universe (pictured)

and a battleground for terror, fear

and dread. Families are welcome.

2. Confectionaries (Summerbird

particularly): Probably quickest to

embrace the Americanization of

Denmark, this chocolatier provides

holiday-based treats. My advice:

go for the flødeboller.

3. Strøget: For the lights, shops,

and music.

© Karl-Henrik Smith, ISA

W.o.W Words of Wisdom (W.o.W) are ongoing

and consist of monthly sharing of

some of Copenhagen’s best quotes

pertaining to individual perspectives

on internationalization in Denmark.

Question: What are the best and worst

things about living in Copenhagen?

“Danes are very friendly, the weather

not so much. Unless you’re Russian,

Canadian, or Scandinavian, it’s not a

thriving environment.” – Isabella

Fernandez Souza, 26, Brazil

“Best: life quality. Worst: high prices.” –

Tjeerd Vlijm, 22, the Netherlands

“I like that Copenhagen still has a

community-like feel even though it’s a

capital city. The cold doesn’t bother

me so much.” – Niels Enoksen, 23,

Greenland (autonomous country in

the Kingdom of Denmark)

Fastelavn in October: Halloween

3 ISA Newsletter

“The community encapsulates quaint

personalities, in tandem with solemn intellect,

contemplative wit and an imaginative foresight par

excellence.“

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Student organizations and life on campus

Copenhagen Business School offers a wide range of student

organizations that enable students to engage themselves with other

students across the campus. Attending a university is not only about

participating in lectures, seminars and workshops, but also about the

way in which you spend your time outside class. To this end, many

organizations offer students the opportunity to participate in, and

engage with, activities or practices that they happen to find challenging,

engaging or funny. A plurality of benefits can be derived from the

participation thereof; but above all, it is about the sense of community

that we feel from interacting with other people, different from those with

whom you take courses in microeconomics or history of ideas.

The classmates with whom we interact

on a daily basis constitute one social

sphere, which we all find very pleasant

and comfortable – but beyond that, we

must also transcend the narrow

boundaries of our own study program;

we must take departure from our own

comfort zone to explore the world – the campus – around us! Yet, many

people feel reluctant to commit themselves to an organization, lest it

would occupy too much of their time, if not outright interfere with their

other social activities. The reticence of these people is far from

irrational, but they do however proceed from an incompleteness of

information. Participating in student organizations does not necessarily

have to occupy the majority of your time, and many organizations are

fairly liberal and permissive with respect to your attendance. The

organizers of CBS debating society, to avail myself of an example that

comes close to my heart, conducts two debating practices a week

(Wednesdays and Fridays) that are accessible to anyone who might be

interested; there is need to sign-up and you have no obligation to attend

– fairly flexible, you must concede!

All of this is very well, but the subsequent question will then be: what

particular benefits can we anticipate from participating in these so-called

student organizations? Well, each student organizations are, chiefly,

unique in their own respect, and so the rewards from participating may

differ substantially.

(Continued)

Panel Debate - Ukraine (IBP Union)

Ukraine – A debate on the future of a

nation (IBP Union organized event)

On Wednesday November 12th will be

held a panel debate with the leading

experts on Russia and Ukraine, namely

regarding recent events in the region

(i.e. the Crimean annexation, protests

and pro-separatist movements, and

the democratic transition).

Moderated by Edward Ashbee, this

debate will consist of a wide variety of

speakers, from analysts to journalists,

news correspondents and authors.

Where: Solbjerg Plads 3, Frederiksberg,

auditorium SP202.

When: November 12th, 18:00 – 20:00

“Is there a way out of the next 20

years of despair that Ukraine faces?

Does Ukraine need a hand to lend

the way out of the shadows towards

progress or can it reform to save

itself?” – IBP Academic

4 ISA Newsletter

CBS Debating Society

2

The pleasure of being part of

CBS Debating Society

As example, my experience in

CBS debating society (CBSDS)

has been very rewarding over the

past year or so. I would describe it

as a small, but vibrant, community

comprised of a multitude of unique

members. The community

encapsulates quaint personalities,

in tandem with solemn intellect,

contemplative wit and an

imaginative foresight par

excellence. To meet these

remarkable personalities is a

reward per se, but the esteemed

practice of debating has also been

surprisingly rewarding.

Debating on a university level has

a long and far-reaching

institutional history, far greater

than one would otherwise have

imagined. When you are debating,

you are participating in a social

practice imbued with the values of

argumentation, deliberation and

persuasion. These are essentially

the values that CBSDS attempts to

propagate and proliferate, with a

view to develop and foster the

oratory and argumentative abilities

of university students. On a more

general level, their quest is

twofold: first, they strive to kindle

the interests of those who like to

argue, debate or in other

discursive practices; second, for

those who are not overly

interested in arguing and

3

disagreeing with each other, but,

on the other hand, find themselves

poorly equipped to articulate their

ideas to a larger, public audience,

they strive to foster and enable the

person to harness his or her ability

to convey his or her thoughts to

the audience.

During the debates, participants

are given a topic and a side for

which they have to argue in favor.

As a result, debaters learn to

create good arguments and not

merely reinforce their own biased

views, insofar as they do not

choose the side of the debate they

are on. In this sense, debating is

not so much about thrusting your

own opinions down the throat of

other people, but more about the

ability to eloquently convey your

ideas to the audience. Debating is

not merely about winning (with the

exception of competitions), but

above all to engage intellectually

with your opponents with sincerity

and while maintaining your

intellectual integrity.

As emphasized in the beginning,

student organizations are about

the community it involves. Social

events are commonplace in

CBSDS, furnishing the debaters

with the opportunity to engage,

after debating, on a more personal

basis. Everyone is welcome,

regardless of ethnicity, gender,

mental faculties or profession.

© Alexander Chen

Practices with the Debating Society

are held twice a week, Wednesdays

at Solbjerg Plads and Fridays at Kilen

(pictured), from 4:30 to 6:30. Featuring

a guest speaker (internal or external

to the CBS society), they will present

various topics, including the role of

the ECB, intervention in conflicts, the

death penalty, and more!

Tournaments are also held, many of

which take place across Europe (e.g.

Lund in Sweden or Cambridge in the

UK) or even the world (WUDC 2014 in

Malaysia). Beyond practices, the CBS

DS helps you speak to the best of your

ability and helps your confidence -

don’t forget about traveling, meeting

internationals, and socializing!

Follow the CBS Debating Society on

Facebook (page by the same name).

5 ISA Newsletter

Per Wimmer – CBS Talks

CBS Talk’s first event of the year featured a talk from Per Wimmer, Danish philanthropist, space advocate, entrepreneur, financier, adventurer, author and future space tourist. Mr. Wimmer’s life is a tour de force, probably involving very little sleep. At the tender age of 46, he already has five degrees, including an MBA from Harvard, and has been a Director at Goldman Sachs, published several books, and broken several world records. His next step is to be the first Dane in space.

Today, he owns and administrates his own international corporate financial advisory firm. How, you might wonder, does Mr. Wimmer do it? You’ll find the not-so-secret secrets below as we recap the wisdom Per Wimmer shared with us during his two-hour talk at CBS.

1. “Follow Your Passion and the Money

Will Emerge.”

Per Wimmer knows you can’t teach passion. You have to go out and look for it until you find it. He suggests that you have fun and find out what you really care about. If you

know that, you will excel. You won’t think about the cost, the pain, or the time. Just about doing what you love.

2. “Nothing is Better Than Being Under

Pressure.”

Per Wimmer believes in the power of competition and timing in driving results. He’s always challenging his limits. During his law degree, he wrote his masters thesis in six months. It’s supposed to take eighteen. In high school, he moved to France and completed three years of schooling in one. He also wrote his first book about the future of Europe – in French – in just four/five months time before he started at Harvard.

3. “Find Your Edge.”

Per Wimmer knows what his special spice is. He understands where he can make a difference and do something that’s different from everyone else. This is what helped him stand out, get into Harvard, and land awesome jobs. He explained that while stellar grades are important, so is having a story to tell that separates you from the crowd. We all want to learn about someone who has done something interesting. If you can express what makes you unique in any application process, you have much better odds. (We almost forgot to mention that Per has also been a recruiting captain for Goldman and on the student admissions board at Harvard so he really knows his stuff).

4.”Be Part of a Company When it IPOs.”

Per Wimmer is a much-wanted man. After finishing his MBA at Harvard, Clinton’s administration wanted him in the White House and Goldman Sachs wanted him as part of their family. Goldman sent Wimmer through 38 interviews spending around one million dollars to bring him in. They won. He worked at Goldman during the dot.com tech era and when the company went public. He highly recommends working at a company during its IPO. He said it makes very profitable times.

5. “Beware of the Bubbles.”

Per Wimmer thinks we are currently in middle of two bubbles: the Dot.com bubble number two and the Green Bubble (his book about the second just came out this week). He showed that in today’s tech arena, many of the companies are not producing real revenue. Take WhatsApp. It sold for for 19 billion dollars to Facebook. This must mean that it’s a big company worth a lot of money, yet it only has 55 employees and is making 20 million dollars in revenue. These inflated deals are a warning sign of a bubble. He suggests that if you are building a tech company, make sure you hurry up with it, sell it, and get the hell out. Also make sure you take real cash – not paper.

(Continued)

“Goldman sent Wimmer through 38 interviews spending around one million dollars to bring him

in. They won.”

"With a conversational, yet straightforward tone, we guarantee that after reading our blend of insightful commentary and reporting, you’ll be pretty damn prepared to make the most of your time at CBS. We are always open to feedback from our loyal readers!” – CBS Life mission statement

CBS Life defines itself as “CBS’ student blog, written for students, by students.” Their aim is to report news both on and off campus, and they explore a wide variety of topics. From student politics to the best bakery in Copenhagen, there is something to accommodate all tastes. Not to mention that you can find one of our articles on their blog at least once a month!

Per Wimmer thinks the Green Bubble is going to burst because the energy industries rely too heavily on government subsidies. Real, competitive companies are not sustainably built this way. Per Wimmer suggests we apply some business logic to this sector and produce green energy solutions that are commercially sustainable. Per wants the government to stop giving subsidies to companies after 6-7 years. If their product is not ready by then, it’s not meant for commercial use. The government’s basket of money should instead go to technical universities that can work on R&D solutions.

6. “Make History.”

Per Wimmer doesn’t follow the rules. He makes them. He was the first person to ever tandem skydive from Mount Everest. He plans on breaking the world’s fastest landspeed record. He has flown a jet pack to and from work. He will be the first Dane to enter space and is working on deep diving to the Titanic. It’s also pretty cool that he’s always hanging out with celebrities including Richard Branson on his island.

7. “Execute. Execute. Execute.”

Per Wimmer uses his time wisely. He outsources all the noise and stuff that he doesn’t want to do in order to

focus on what he’s good at. He compartmentalizes his year. He knows that business deals happen in the spring and follow ups happen in the fall. That obviously leaves August and January for book writing and adventuring. If only it were that simple.

8. “The Champagne Moment is Never The Goal.”

Per Wimmer knows that winning and money can’t buy happiness. The real joy comes from the learning process that happens on the way to the top.

© Analisa Winther

Photo ©: Philip Peng Rosenthal

If you have any queries regarding the ISA newsletter or other student-related activities around CBS, other universities in Copenhagen (or even Denmark), please don’t hesitate to e-mail us at isa@cbs.dk, or drop by our office in Dalgas Have!

7 ISA Newsletter

About: ISA is made up of two teams, each with separate sub teams.

Internationalizing Student Life (ISL)

Tasks include arranging Quiz Nights at Café Nexus; arranging the International Lounge - where the Ambassadors answer hands on questions from international students, while at the same time promoting upcoming events and activities; arranging the International Career mobility - seminars ex. "How to get a job in Denmark as an international student" etc.; preparing lectures about culture awareness and company visits.

Danish Cultural Awareness/Immersion (DCAI)

Tasks include Peer Advising - help potential and admitted students with questions via Skype, Mail and during Office hours; arrange the Welcome event for the new international students; administration of a couch surfing platform for students to help the newly admitted before they find a place to live; plan trips that provide insight into Danish culture.

Acknowledgments: The ISA newsletter is not a one-person effort. Gratitude and thanks go to the following people on behalf of ISA: Alina Bocaleana, Alexander Chen, and Philip Peng Rosenthal. Also, thanks to Analisa Winther, who wrote the CBS Life article.

Editor in Chief: Karl-Henrik Smith.

Calendar Friday 31st of October – Saturday 1st

of November: Halloween + Events

around Copenhagen

Wednesday 5th of November: CBS’

monthly ISA Quiz Night

Thursday 6th of November: J-dag

celebration.

Friday 7th of November: ID Studietur

USA 2015 (CBS)

Tuesday 11th of November: Ed

Sheeran performance at Forum

Wednesday 12th of November: IBP

Union: Ukraine - A debate on the

future of a nation

Friday 14th – Sunday 16th November:

DTU Political Conference Fall 2014

Monday 17th of November: Microsoft

Company Visit

Tuesday 25th of November: That’s up

to you, we have nothing planned.

Saturday 29th of November: CBS

Sport Christmas Party

Sunday 30th of November: Opening

of Christmas Tree at City Hall

Monday 1st of December: Monthly

ISA Newsletter.

© Alina Bocaleana