The frame was the English language, the context theoretical leadership. In practice this meant that the students dealt with complex aspects of leadership from an English platform – in study groups supervised by instructors from the respective faculties.

A Realistic case
These aspects were incorporated into a case study on a fictitious, yet authentic and relevant scenario, namely the merger of two officer academies. The case was modified and adapted between the two cross-curricular days so as to support the focal theoretical leadership aspects and to highlight the progression and the outcome of the days to the students.

The objective was quite simply to give the students a somewhat authentic context in which to practise their English-language proficiencies in aspects of leadership which have earlier been taught in Danish – because of their complexity.

Relevant Training
The feedback from the students has predominantly been positive and constructive. Also from the instructors’ point of view working in cross-curricular mode on a relevant subject was rewarding: working with leadership in both English and Danish consolidated the understanding of leadership principles, and as the officers’ on-the-job language is English, it is natural to practise and improve English-language proficiencies.

In other words the cross-curricular unit was a success – and we will pursue yet another one next year, because as we all know, success is not a one-time act; you need to repeat one success with a second (and a third, and a fourth…).