International House Odense: Shaping Odense into a thriving Hub for International Talent
Odense is rapidly establishing itself as a life science hub, attracting both innovative companies and highly skilled professionals from around the world. A key factor in the city’s success is the support international employees and their families receive through International House Odense.
Supporting International Recruitment and Retention
By offering guidance on everything from housing and schooling to navigating the Danish labor market, International House Odense ensures that families can settle in smoothly. This support not only helps employees focus on their work but also strengthens companies’ ability to attract and retain top global talent.
For Camilla Bak Matthiesen, HR Manager at the fast-growing life science company Evosep, this support is a crucial part of the company’s international recruitment and retention strategy. If employees and their families do not thrive outside work, it can be difficult for them to focus fully on their roles, and in some cases, families may even return to their home countries.
“If our international employees are not content outside work, for instance if the family simply isn’t thriving, it becomes difficult for them to manage their jobs. In such cases, it’s always a risk that the family will end up returning to their home countries. Therefore, International House Odense’s services for highly skilled employees have become a crucial part of our international recruitment- and retainment process. They are both proactive and agile and help the accompanying partners build a mind-set centered around job search in Denmark,”
International House Odense provides guidance to accompanying partners, helping them navigate the Danish labor market – an approach that has already delivered tangible results.
A Personal Perspective: Veronica’s Story
Italian-born Veronica Macaluso relocated to Odense in 2023 when her husband joined Evosep. With a Ph.D. in theoretical chemistry, she initially faced challenges entering the Danish job market, unsure of how to convince companies in a new country to hire her despite her strong academic background.
“Fortunately, International House Odense were able to help me personalize and customize my applications. Most importantly, they kept my spirits up by inviting me to networking events and activities, among other things. They also encouraged me to be more proactive and outward, and that made a positive difference,”
Thanks to this support, Veronica secured a full-time position at Evosep as a bioinformatician and data scientist after completing a successful internship. Her experience has since led her to reflect on her first impressions of Denmark — and what she has come to appreciate about Odense in particular.
“I’m glad to be living in Odense although it was hard in the beginning. I was straight out of Barcelona where the weather was warm and there were people all around. The weather here was gloomy and cold. But it turns out Odense the easiest place to settle down. The scenery is green and everyone practically speaks English. On top of that, Danish people are very laid back and friendly, which I didn’t expect in Scandinavia,”
A competitive advantage for Odense-based companies
The experiences of Camilla and Veronica demonstrate how Odense, together with International House Odense, effectively supports the attraction and retention of highly skilled international professionals. This ability gives Odense a clear competitive edge in the global race for talent, making the city an attractive destination for businesses looking to grow and thrive.
Further information
Lone Krogsbøll
Investment Manager - Life Science
I help foreign companies in the biotech and life science industry to establish in Odense and connect them to relevant business partners and opportunities here. My background is in health tech, but I’ve focused on broader life science sectors since 2018.
+45 5177 7344
loak@odense.dk
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Joost Nijhoff
Director - Invest in Odense
I’ve started companies in Holland, Germany, and Denmark – and I know how tough that can be. Let us at Invest in Odense take care of the troublesome parts – so that you can focus on what you’re best at: growing your business further - by using the City of Odense as a major stepping stone.
+45 4046 9001
joni@odense.dk
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