History

Niels Brock is named after one of the greatest Danish merchants of all time. The merchant Niels Brock was a respected businessman and he was very concerned with how to renew Danish society. He believed that the way to reform society was through education

Niels Brock was born in 1731 and when he passed away in 1802 he left behind a sizeable estate. It was left for the purpose of establishing a school of commerce that would provide education for young self‐made businessmen.  In his will he clearly stated that the college should not only be for wealthy children, but for gifted children from all layers of society. Moreover, the college should teach students about entrepreneurship and cultural understanding because Niels Brock himself had done business across national borders and knew the importance of internationalization.

Based on the will of the merchant Niels Brock, Niels Brock’s business college was established in 1881 and quickly became a well-regarded provider of both upper secondary as well as higher education. Niels Brock is the oldest business college in Denmark and the developer of the Higher Commercial Examination (HHX). The establishment of the school was the beginning of the Danish business education movement.

Because of our great history, strong traditional values and our ability to continue developing our educational methods, we are able to attract the best and most competent employees, which helps ensure the personal and professional growth of our students. Furthermore, the will of Niels Brock, the merchant, clearly states that innovation is the key to success. Niels Brock is constantly developing new programs and courses. Amongst those innovative programs are the IBB program (International Business Baccalaureate) and an elite high school program, both of which were the first of their kind in Denmark.

Moreover, in 2014 Niels Brock – Copenhagen Business College was accredited as an American University, the first of its kind in Denmark. This status gives us the privilege to offer American bachelor’s degrees in Copenhagen as well as overseas via partnership agreements around the world.

Internationalization

The merchant Niels Brock had a global vision. Not only did he do business in Denmark but across the Baltic countries as well and even further afield. Niels Brock  continues to be an international provider of education. In the early 1990s Niels Brock was very active in the former Soviet Union countries, such as Estonia and Ukraine, offering international programs mostly for industry. In 1999 Niels Brock launched its first joint program in Shanghai, China, and in 2010 in Hanoi, Vietnam. Again Niels Brock was the first educational institution in Denmark to offer Danish and later on American programs outside the Kingdom of Denmark.

Niels Brock today 

Niels Brock - Copenhagen Business College is a self-governing and nonprofit institution domiciled in the Municipality of Copenhagen, the capital region of Denmark.

Today Niels Brock in Denmark has 5 specialist departments:

• Vocational education and training programs
• High school programs
• Higher education programs
• Business courses including an executive MBA
• Niels Brock International (a Niels Brock controlled subsidiary)

Niels Brock has approx. 10,000 full-time and part-time students in Denmark. Our staff consists of approx. 600 employees who come primarily from Denmark; however, we do have a substantial number of international faculty teaching mainly on our international higher educational programs in Denmark.

Our modern institution has a lot more in common with the old merchant, its namesake, than one would think. What drove Niels Brock were strong values and a passion for trade. He understood the significance of education both for the individual and for society as a whole, and he had a strong international mindset.

Today, educating skilled and honest business people at home and abroad is the paramount objective of our institution. We understand the importance of holding on to the old values, and although Niels Brock is constantly developing, we continue to hold the old merchant, and the spirit of his will, as an important role model for the modern institution.

• We are proud of our history and we know that with the name Niels Brock comes great responsibility
• We behave properly in all relations
• We are the preferred school of the corporate world, and we are professional
• We are global and enterprising.

At Niels Brock we adhere to the rules and norms of society and conduct ourselves with respect for natural resources and sustainability. We take the massive responsibility of dealing with and shaping young people very seriously. As the preferred school of the business world, Niels Brock listens to the educational needs of companies and of society.