Copenhagen International School gets Møller Mærsk donation

A donation of DKK200 million from the Møller Foundation means that Copenhagen’s International School (CIS) now has to raise only another DKK 100 million (about €150,000) before construction can start on its new building.

The new campus, which will be in the Nordhavn area of Copenhagen, will mean that it can increase its students from the present 800 to 1,200.

The total cost of the development will be DKK 600 million, most of which will come from the sale of the school’s two buildings in Hellerup and Østerbro.

A condition of the Møller Mærsk donation is that construction should start within a year. The container, shipping and energy conglomerate has decided to help pay for the project because of the need to attract international staff and businesses to Denmark. A report by the Danish association of councils published in May estimated that Copenhagen lacked about 2,000 places for children of international employees.

The present government has said that it will apply to the EU for funding to set up a free European School and the education minister has suggested setting up international sections within the country’s state schools.