VIA University College

VIA University College is a university college (Danish: professionshøjskole) in Central Denmark. It was established in January 2008 and operates eight campuses.

University colleges in Denmark were established through a series of mergers of smaller educational institutions in 2007, and VIA is one of the university colleges. VIA is not an abbreviation; its name comes from the Latin word via, meaning "by way of".

From January 2008, all medium higher education in the Central Region previously under CVU (Center for Higher Education) was reorganized into a single unit under VIA. As a result of these mergers, VIA became the third-largest educational institution, after Copenhagen University and Aarhus University^[2], with approximately 2,000 employees and 20,000 students.

VIA University College offers the following vocational bachelor programmes:^[3] pedagogy, health professions, and technical-commercial studies. In addition, VIA offers a two-year high school exam. Overall, VIA offers more than 50 higher education courses in Danish and a number of courses in English. VIA also participates in various research and development projects.^[3] VIA is headquartered in Aarhus, but the activities are anchored across eight campuses spread across 39 locations in the region. VIA's annual turnover is 1.6 billion DKK.^[3]

Most programmes operated by VIA University College enroll students twice a year: in February and September. The statistics below encompass both enrollment periods.^[4] The number of students VIA University College is able to enroll is determined by the Ministry of Education, based on factors average unemployment rates. Thus, a local VIA institution might have its enrollment reduced if the unemployment rate in its area of operation is higher than the average, and vice versa.^[5]

VIA is organised similarly to most universities.^[8] At the top is a board of directors, which appoints the rector. The rector heads the executive board, together with the deans. Each faculty has one dean. The largest faculty in terms of students and turnover is the Faculty of Education and Social Studies, followed by the Faculty of Health Sciences and the School of Business, Technology and Creative Industries, and the Faculty of Continuing Education. The faculties are supported by a range of departments such as marketing, corporate finance, and the student administration. They are organised between the executive board and the faculties.^[8]

VIA University College has campuses across Central Region Denmark, in Aarhus, Grenå, Randers, Skive, Viborg, Holstebro, Nørre Nissum, Ikast, Herning, Silkeborg, Skanderborg, and Horsens.

VIA University College has its headquarters in Aarhus, where it operates two recently built campuses. The largest is VIA Campus Aarhus C, which is located in the residential area called CeresByen in central Aarhus. Campus Aarhus C primarily houses programmes from the Department of Education and Social Studies, as well as assorted business, media, design, architecture, and construction.^[9][10] The smaller campus, Campus Aarhus N, is located in the northern neighbourhood of Skejby, near the Aarhus University Hospital. It houses education programmes from the Department of Health such as nursing and nutritional educations.^[11]

Campus Horsens holds most of the engineering, technical, and business programmes of VIA University College^[12], but soon Danish programmes in nursing and in pedagogy will also be present here to increase the range of programmes offered.

The increasing campus population is around 4,000 students, of whom approximately half are international students from more than 40 different countries.^[13]

New student housing located directly on campus contributes to campus life, as does the student bar, social activities and group work after classes.

Above Campus Horsens towers the recently built 8,000 m² Vitus Bering Innovation Park, named after the famous Horsens resident and Arctic explorer Vitus Bering (1681–1741). The VBI Park also plays an important role in connecting programmes with companies that employ the students after graduation. Another facilitator of contact between students and companies is the Career Service Centre, also based on campus.

In March 2021, a new and improved campus has recently been completed and inaugurated in Horsens.^[14]

In Randers, VIA University College offers nursing, social education, and psychomotor therapy.^[15] The campus is situated in central Randers in a new three story building, which houses the aforementioned educations as well as COK educations.^[16] The latter is not offered by VIA, but by a third party.

From 2017, VIA also offers FIF-courses in Randers, which is a preparation course for refugees and immigrants.^[17] Additionally, the social education department offers a six-month 30 ECTS course in the Early Childhood Field.^[18]

In early 2018, a part of the teacher training in Aarhus relocated to Randers.^[19] The teacher training programme in Aarhus is part of the overall teacher programme.^[19]

Approximately 800 students attend the programmes housed at Campus Randers.^[20] In addition to the aforementioned educations, Campus Randers also offers counselling in entrepreneurship as part of VIA's growth initiatives, in collaboration with the municipality of Randers and the Business Academy Dania.^[21]

VækstVærket is located on campus Randers, but has its own facilities^[22] as well as budget. VIA and Dania each have a coordinator, who coordinates activities such as courses and teaching. VækstVærket also offers students excursions to various startup hubs as well as cultural events with students from different countries. Students from VIA and Dania can use VækstVærket for studying as well as work on growth projects. In addition, they also have the option of receiving counselling from a professional consultant.^[23] VækstVærket also offers various courses in entrepreneurship and a chance to partake in projects about entrepreneurship.

VIA campus Viborg houses, among other departments, The Animation Workshop (TAW), which is internationally recognized for animation education by the Animation Career Review.^[24] TAW offers BA programmes in Character Animation, Computer Graphic Arts and, Graphic Storytelling, introduced in 2013. Apart from its educational activities, TAW hosts the Viborg Animation Festival, the largest animation festival in Denmark.

VIA campus Silkeborg provides programmes related to teaching, social education, and nursing.^[25]

Campus Herning houses one of Scandinavia's largest educational centres within design and business aimed at the furniture, fashion, and lifestyle industry.^[26]

Campus Holstebro is an educational institution with health, educational, social work, and technical educations.^[27]

The table below lists the various programmes VIA offers in English.

Every year, VIA offers a variety of summer schools at Campus Horsens. All courses are taught in English^[28].

VIA University College is engaged in various international research and development projects, either as the leading institution or as a partner. Projects are initiated under a variety of funding programmes and are often interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral, while rooted within the educational fields of VIA's Faculties and Schools.

VIA's partners universities include the following:

• California State University East Bay
• Edinburgh Napier University
• Universidad Politécnica de Valencia

VIA participates in the following programmes:

• Erasmus (Life Long Learning Programme)/Erasmus+
• Erasmus Mundus
• Leonardo da Vinci
• EU – Australia
• DK – USA/Canada
• Tempus

There are other university college organisations in Denmark:

• University College of Northern Denmark (UCN)
• UCL University College
• West Jutland University College
• University College South Denmark
• University College Sealand
• University College Capital
• Metropolitan University College