What is PF, and why is it important?
The short story – 1846 to 2023
Polyteknisk Forening is one of the oldest student organizations in the world. We were founded in 1846 (3 years before the Danish Constitution) with the purpose of representing all students at DTU.
In the long history of PF, the association has seen a lot: We helped establish the civil engineering study line at the Polytekniske Læreanstalt (former DTU) in 1862, during the Second World War, PF supported the resistance movement – 19 polytechnicians fell in battle – and during the counterculture of the 1960ies and 1970ies, PF played a big role in securing the students’ rights at DTU.
Today, PF attend to all DTU students’ interests – academically, socially, and politically.
So PF is like the student councils from school, but with a fancy title?
No, this term is not nearly wide enough to describe our association.
PF tends to the interests of the students. It is us who arrange the study start – both the rustrips for the new bachelor students, and the Introduction Week for the new master students. PF also makes sports events, concerts, parties, LAN, board game nights, football tournaments, bar crawls, and much more. S-Huset, Kælderbaren, and Verners Kælder is also run by PF.
PF also has a lot of clubs where you can meet over anything from board games, music, or crocheting, to wood and metal work, wine tasting, or electronics. No matter your interests, we are sure we can find something that is relevant for you.
You are lucky enough to have been accepted into a university where the students have a huge influence on the academic part of the studies – and on DTU in general. Here, PF plays a big role, and there are many opportunities for you to influence your courses – and on life on campus in general.
PF also has a political front that works together with other student organizations in the country when we need to act upon changes made at Christiansborg (home of the politicians) – changes that for example could deprive us of some of the influence that we fought so hard for in the 1970s.
Why is it important today?
The influence we have at our university did not come by itself – and today we have extremely good opportunities for changing our university in the way we wish.
Student politics is not very sexy in 2019. We understand that – we have had extremely good conditions ever since the counterculture of the 1960ies and 1970ies. But it is important that someone still engage in politics – otherwise we might lose our right to influence.
In PF, we work in close collaboration with the directory board at DTU. That is important, as we can take the worries of the students with us directly to the top of the university.
At DTU, the students are heard.
Why become a member?
As a part of PF you get the possibility to influence your studies and the social life at campus. As a member you also support the voice that we as the student association have at DTU. Furthermore, we continuously work on getting more benefits for PF members – right now you get a discount on our concert tickets, and a lot of different discounts in shops in Lyngby and Copenhagen.
The most central part of a PF membership though, is the experiences and opportunities you get as an active part of the association.
You can get leadership experience, help plan and execute huge events, learn about politics or get a job at S-Huset – either in the café or as a bartender – and you can get a network that allows you to reach out further than your own study line.
Where do I begin?
You can read more about the association here, and if you have any questions, you are very welcome to write us an email or stop by our secretariat by S-Huset in Lyngby and hear more.
If you would like to become a member and support PF, you can sign up here.
If you are already a member, we would like to thank you for your support!
If you are a member and would like to hear more about how to become an active part of the association, you can contact your student council. These are people who studies the same as you and who, together with all the other student councils, help set the direction for PF.
We hope that you will enjoy your time here at DTU. You have been accepted to a great university with a high academic level, great educators, and a board of directors who do not put the education second in line. If you have any questions, you are more than welcome to contact us. If we do not know the answer, we probably know who does!