Jamie Hocking Selected to Welcome Crown Princess Mary to New University Campus Horsens

H.K.H The Crown Princess and the Minister of Education celebrated a festive inauguration of VIA's new campus in Horsens, Denmark on 24 September 2021.

Many VIA employees and students were among the 350 people who queued up on the inner balconies of the three-story high main building of the new campus for the greatly anticpated event. 

During the tour, H.K.H. The Crown Princess talked to students studying to become engineers, nurses and educators at VIA.

Jamie Hocking, who studies Mechanical Engineering at VIA, was one of the students with whom the Crown Princess spoke.  Jamie was also chosen to present Crown Princess Mary with a bunch of flowers on behalf of VIA upon her arrival at the campus.

“I never imagined in my wildest dreams that the first Australian I would see after nearly two years from home would be Crown Princess Mary of Denmark,” shares Jamie.

“She is a beautiful person with a warm heart. We spoke briefly, first in English and then in Danish. It was a surreal moment.”

Left to right: Jamie Hocking, Harald Mikkelsen - principal at VIA University College, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary and Minister Jesper Petersen. Photo credit: Gregers Kirdorf, supplied by VIA 

Jamie is one of Australia’s most successful Vaulting athletes and in 2017 made history when he become the first ever Australian to compete at an FEI Vaulting World Cup, where he claimed bronze. Jamie is currently based in Demark where he studies at VIA and also pursues Vaulting at the highest level throughout Europe. Jamie originally hails from South Australia.

Campus Horsens opened its doors in August 2021 and houses 2,900 students and 350 employees in 28 programs on a daily basis.