Supporting University Staff from Abroad-Perspectives from Denmark and Finland1) From your experience, what are the most common challenges that university staff encounter
when relocating from abroad?
Vibeke (Aarhus): The most common challenges are difficulties finding accommodation and also
issues relating to family members adjusting to their new life such as schooling for children. In manycases, spouses wish to find employment and establish their own network but this can be challenging todo in a foreign culture. There are many overwhelming practical issues when moving abroad so we try
to minimize these challenges through our support services.
Kirsi (Helsinki): Starting life in a new location is always challenging. In Finland, some people
struggle to fully integrate into Finnish society because they lack social networks and the language isdifficult to master. Spouses often encounter challenges if they want to work because it is still not easy
to find employment without Finnish language skills. To mitigate these challenges, it is really
important to manage people’s expectations about life in Finland before they arrive. For example, if aresearcher relocates from the United States it is important for us to manage their expectations about
the size of houses in Helsinki which tend to be smaller compared to those in the States. People tend tohave a lot of expectations related to everyday life and living. The quality of life in Finland is high but
it might still be different to what one is used to.
2) What kind of support services does your university offer staff who are relocating fromabroad?
Vibeke (Aarhus): We provide a suite of services which varies depending on the individual’s situationand circumstances. For example, we generally tend to provide more support to staff who areaccompanied by family members and to full Professors and Associate Professors compared withpostdoctoral students. Our services include a help desk which is open for four hours each day where
staff can come and ask questions about their life in Denmark. Through the Expat Partner Program,
we try to speak with an incoming staff member’s partner before they arrive in Denmark to help themfind employment (if they want to work) and to discuss how they will establish their own network. We
recently commenced a Cultural Training awareness program to help staff better understand and adjust
to Danish culture. We also have a University International Club that host events for our international
staff and their families to hear practical information on life in Denmark and to network with staff insimilar situations to their own. In the past there have been presentations on issues such as taxation,
Denmark’s school system and an international potluck.
Kirsi (Helsinki): We offer a range of services to staff who have relocated from abroad. To begin
with, HR services support all new staff members with any questions they have related to working at
the University. We also have services aimed at international staff members. For example, UniBuddy
is a scheme where existing members of staff voluntarily support new international staff and doctoral
students and introduce them to the social life of the University. We arrange an event called
Experiencing Finland which is co-hosted with Aalto University for new staff from abroad to learn
more about Finnish culture and its traditions, and to meet colleagues from both institutions. In thepast, the event has covered topics such as Experiencing Autumn and Winter in Finland, How toEffectively Communicate and Socialize with Finns, Finland with Children and Working with Finns.
This event is open to family members of staff who have relocated from abroad. The Rector of theUniversity hosts a university-wide annual networking event called International Evening for all
international staff and students. In addition to these events, we offer formal induction and training
sessions, such as This is Your Campus where we introduce the University and useful services.

13) What is covered in the cultural training sessions at the University of Helsinki?
Kirsi (Helsinki): The University of Helsinki organizes a training session every term on Finnish
society and working culture. The course examines intercultural communication in the workplace,different codes of conduct, personal experiences and possible challenges. It also discusses integrationin and outside the workplace, giving practical tips on how to make the most of one’s experience inFinland. The course is aimed at all new employees and researchers of the University of Helsinki,
especially those who have not worked or studied in Finland before, and gives attendees a basic
understanding of Finnish working culture and the necessary tools to ease their working life in Finland.
The course also raises the attendees’ awareness of relocating to another country and what kind ofadjustment a successful relocation requires.
4) Do you have any particularly memorable moments where the relocation support you haveprovided has had a lasting impact on the life of an international researcher, their partner orfamily?
Vibeke (Aarhus): Last summer at an event I met a family who had moved to Denmark about threeyears ago. I was amazed at how quickly the son had learnt Danish and had settled into school. I wasalso delighted to see that the mother had also found a job. It was really rewarding to see that thisfamily had adjusted to life in Denmark and it was a great reminder of how the right support can reallymake a big difference in people’s lives when relocating abroad. We receive a lot of positive feedback
from staff who say that our support helps reduce the stress of moving abroad which means that they
can focus on their research.
Kirsi (Helsinki): We receive a lot of positive feedback about our services. One of the most frequentcomments that I hear from staff is that through our office they have somewhere to ask questions. Ifthey have any concerns about their relocation to Finland they have somewhere they can be heard
which alleviates a lot of stress. We also welcome enquiries from the partners of staff who haverelocated to Helsinki which is really appreciated.
5) How important do you think it is to provide support to not just international staff working at
your institution but also their partners?
Vibeke (Aarhus): In many cases, it is the spouse who is the decision maker in a family, so in order
to attract researchers from abroad we also need to appeal to the spouse. In past years, people fromabroad would sometimes decline a job offer because they could not see a future for their family inDenmark, or they would leave shortly after arriving because they could not adjust to their new life.
Thankfully, this is not so common anymore because our support services help alleviate some of theanxiety associated with relocating. Our team tries to be involved in the recruitment process ofoverseas staff as early as possible. We often contact potential candidates during the interview stage
to inform them of the services we provide. The sooner we contact new staff from abroad the sooner
we can begin offering relocation assistance which increases the retention rate.
Kirsi (Helsinki): I think it is essential to offer support to the partners of international staff. From myexperience the main reason why international staff members decide to leave a country is because theirfamily is unhappy. By providing support to partners we increase the retention rate of internationalstaff.
6) What is your advice to someone who is working with a colleague who has recently moved
from overseas? How can they help their colleague adjust to life in their new country?
Vibeke (Aarhus): Include the new staff member in activities both in and outside of the workplace,talk to them, ask questions, and make sure that they are gently introduced to the local culture.
Depending on the new staff member’s culture, it is important to be aware that not everyone isaccustomed to asking questions. In Denmark we ask questions whenever we are unsure aboutsomething but this is not the case in all cultures. Be aware that not everyone is comfortable asking

2for help so you may need to create opportunities that make it easier for them to speak about any issues
that they are facing.
Kirsi (Helsinki): I would encourage the university staff member to make sure their colleague feels
welcome and is not excluded in any way. Casual conversations over coffee are really important andso is inviting the new staff member out for lunch. It is important to be sensitive to the fact that newstaff members are not in their comfort zone and they are new to everything. In Finland people do not
usually spend much time with their colleagues outside work. Finns are very friendly but it takes time
to make friends. Team building activities outside the workplace can really help a new person adjust.
I would encourage all new staff relocating from abroad to become involved in the UniBuddy scheme
and join all the social activities at the University.
7) What do you think attracts foreign staff to your institution?
Vibeke (Aarhus): People are attracted to Denmark in general because of our country’s excellent
work-life balance. There is a lot of flexibility for people to choose when, where and how they work
which is attractive to many people.
Kirsi (Helsinki): Excellent quality research, career prospects and quality of life in Finland draw
people to the University of Helsinki. Of course, we are in competition with other countries in theregion to attract the best international talent so it is really important that we project a good image of
the University of Helsinki and life in Finland in general. It is also important that we clearly outline
and promote the relocation support services that we offer. For example, staff relocating from abroad
can rent an apartment within the University for a very affordable price for the first two years of theirstay in Finland. This is quite an attractive incentive to staff relocating from abroad who might beconcerned about searching for accommodation. We need to make it as easy for new staff to establish
a new life in Helsinki and also clearly communicate the many opportunities that exist here to advancetheir careers and lead a good life.
8) Most universities that provide relocation support do so for incoming staff from abroad but I
read on the University of Helsinki’s homepage that you provide support to staff who arerelocating overseas. What kind of support do you provide?
Kirsi (Helsinki): Higher education and research is an international field. Academics and other staff
often work on international projects away from their home university. The University of Helsinki
supports staff who are going abroad on assignment. This means working for the University abroad
for research or other reasons, usually for 6 to 12 months. We provide assistance and information onmanaging matters related to working abroad, such as information on taxation and social security,insurances and practicalities. Staff going abroad are required to sign a contract with the University ofHelsinki which covers the reasons for their time abroad, period of travel, tasks that they will
undertake, and where they will be stationed. Human Resources provides support to about 100 staff
annually who travel abroad for work.
9) Do you think there is a need for long-term support for staff who have moved from abroad?
Or are their needs primarily only in the initial stages of their relocation?
Vibeke (Aarhus): Long-term support is important because it increases the retention rates for foreignstaff. We usually contact people who have relocated to Aarhus University from abroad around thesummer holidays and Christmas time to see how they are adjusting to life in Denmark. By doing so,it helps remind these staff that our support services are still available and that someone is willing tohelp them when they encounter difficulties.
Kirsi (Helsinki): The services offered by Human Resources are available to employees for theduration of their contract at the University of Helsinki. And of course it is also important to encourage
supervisors and colleagues to look out for new employees and be aware of questions such as: Arethey enjoying life? Do they have something more to do with their lives other than just work? It is3

important that we create social networking opportunities for staff over the short and long term.
Supervisors should be aware not only of the outputs and results of their colleagues (including staff
who have relocated from abroad) but also their wellbeing. Monitoring wellbeing is not just one
person’s responsibility – it is everyone’s business.
10) Are there any new services that you would like to offer in the future to international staff thatyou think would really help them through the relocation process?
Vibeke (Aarhus): If we had the financial resources, I would like to offer pre-arrival visits for new
staff members relocating from abroad. From my own personal experience relocating to China and theUnited States, it was really helpful to visit both of these countries before moving in order to visit
schools, search for accommodation and to get a better feel for the community where I would be living.
I would also like to be able to offer cultural awareness and cultural intelligence training courses to all
local staff at Aarhus University. I think that local staff would find it easier to help staff from abroad
if they had a better understanding of their own culture.
Kirsi (Helsinki): I would love to open a Welcome Centre which would serve as a physical presence
where staff could come for practical advice and guidance and also have a place to gather and chat. It
is really valuable for anyone coming from abroad to speak about the challenges that they encounter
with someone who has experience in supporting international staff. This kind of center would also
allow people to come and have a coffee and socialize. We could arrange information and training
sessions as well as social get-togethers for the whole University community. I would also love tointroduce a more formalized spouse program, similar to Hidden Gems offered by Tampere University.
We are lucky to have great public services too, such as International House Helsinki and I am surethat the services will become even better as the national Talent Boost program progresses. Naturally,
I want to offer excellent support services on internationalization to the whole Universitycommunity.

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