Student essays: Corona seen from a health perspective

NB: Danish version below.

English version

In the middle of the corona quarantine, a student initiative has spread at the University of Copenhagen. The essay competition "Corona seen with professional glasses" has now also reached the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, where 3,000DKK has been found for the best essay writer.

“Every single day during this extraordinary time our professionalism is brought into play, and with this student essay initiative, I hope we can reap some exciting considerations and stories from our many students at the faculty,” says Head of Department of Public Health, Steffen Loft.

The hope is to print an essay collection in which all the different areas of expertise at the University of Copenhagen deal with the Corona crisis - seen through the eyes of the students. "There is no doubt that both the students' good ideas, reflections and skills, together with the research, will play a major role in society now and on the other side of the corona epidemic," says Rector Henrik C. Wegner.

“We are all in the middle of a defining time in history and we have no idea where it ends. Let's write this chapter together while it's all happening around us - I can't find a better motivation for sharpening the pen” says initiator and co-ordinator, Kristian Engberg, a 4th semester student at the Department of Anthropology. He emphasises that the idea is not about strict science nor strict form requirements. 

“The important thing is that you bring your professionalism into play - and you can easily do this without a formal introduction with a problem formulation, analysis, discussion, conclusion and bibliography. You are of course welcome to approach the assignment as an exam essay - but you can also just write freely about what comes to mind. Unscientific, causative and subjective contributions are most welcome” says Kristian Engberg.

Read more about the terms of participation and ideas for your essay in the box to the right.

Danish version

Midt i Coronakarantænen har et studenterinitiativ spredt sig på Københavns Universitet. Essay-initiativet ”Corona set med faglige briller” er nu også nået til Det Sundhedsvidenskabelige Fakultet, hvor der er fundet 3.000,- til en pris til den bedste essayskriver.

”Hver eneste dag i denne helt ekstraordinære tid giver anledning til at bringe vores faglighed i spil, og med dette  essayinitiativ håber jeg at vi kan høste nogle spændende overvejelser fra vores mange studerende studerende på fakultetet,” siger Leder for Institut for Folkesundhedsvidenskab og medlem af dommerkomiteen, Steffen Loft.

Håbet er at kunne trykke en essaysamling, hvor alle Københavns Universitets forskellige fagligheder behandler Coronakrisen – set gennem de studerendes øjne. ”Der er ingen tvivl om, at både studerendes gode idéer, refleksioner og kompetencer sammen med forskningen kommer til at spille en stor rolle i samfundet nu og på den anden side af corona-epidemien,” siger rektor Henrik Wegner.

”Vi er allesammen midt i et stykke Danmarkshistorie, vi endnu ikke aner hvor ender. Lad os sammen skrive dette kapitel, mens det hele sker rundt om ørerne på os – jeg kan ikke finde mere fantastisk motivation til at spidse pennen,” siger initiativtager og tovholder Kristian Engberg, der er 4. semesterstuderende på Institut for Antropologi. Han understreger, at tanken ikke er streng videnskabelighed eller strikse formkrav.

 ”Det vigtige er, at du bringer din faglighed i spil – og det kan du sagtens gøre uden en formel indledning med problemformulering, analyse, diskussion, konklusion og litteraturliste. Du er naturligvis velkommen til at gribe opgaven an som et eksamensessay – men kan også blot skrive frit fra leveren. Uvidenskabelige, causserende og subjektive bidrag er særdeles velkomne” siger Kristian Engberg.

Læs mere om betingelserne for deltage og ideer til dit essay i boksen til højre.