21-23 September 2026, Vilnius University had the pleasure of welcoming a group of Danish students from Grundtvigs Højskole in Denmark. Højskole, or "folk high school" in English, is a uniquely Danish concept. These schools provide a sort of third space for young people after they finish their basic education. Folk high schools function as boarding schools for either a fall or spring semester, and the curriculum usually includes a wide variety of subjects to help young people develop their individual interests and find their social niches, ranging from politics and writing workshops to photography, music, art, and even sports.
Folk high school education also includes all sorts of educational trips. On 21 September, a flock of 71 chattering and experience-hungry young Danes, together with six teachers, came to Vilnius for such a trip. The guests were welcomed by students and teachers of Scandinavian Studies. After a short introduction, mixed groups of Danish and local students were formed and began exploring the old campus of Vilnius University and the city centre, with Lithuanian students serving as guides.
I, together with other Scandinavian Studies students from all years and language groups, both undergraduate and graduate, enjoyed participating in the activities with the Danes. It was a very nice reunion with Grundtvigs' students for me personally, as I had the honour of completing an internship for my bachelor's degree at their school in Hillerød, Denmark. Having spent two weeks with their student body as part of the community, it was very exciting to be able to show them our beautiful university grounds and the Old Town of Vilnius in return.
Grundtvigs Højskole is named after the profoundly influential N. F. S. Grundtvig, who, among many other things, was a famous Danish priest and poet. He established the folk high school tradition in Denmark and was the most important figure behind Højskolesangbogen (The Folk High School Songbook), which is an inseparable part of the Danish singing tradition. The first edition of the songbook included mostly Grundtvig's works; out of more than 500 songs in the book, only a few were written by other authors. Grundtvig believed that singing together helps people relax and open up to one another, and our Danish guests brought this tradition with them to Vilnius University.
Before we headed into the city, Grundtvigs' students joined Scandinavian Studies students in the Vincas Krėvė-Mickevičius Room to start the visit with The Beatles' A Little Help from My Friends. After touring the Old Town and sharing their cultures and experiences around the dinner table, the Danish and Lithuanian students concluded the official part of the visit on Gediminas Hill, beside the Tower, bidding farewell to the sun with a song. After sunset, we stormed the city, and the rest of the evening was history...
The educational visit of students and teachers from Grundtvigs Højskole was incredibly warm and successful. Vilnius University students were exceptionally helpful and engaged, and many friendships and connections were formed throughout the week, in large part thanks to the amazing Vice Principal Ditte Thomassen, who organised the trip together with Birutė Spraunienė.
