2026

New Agreement on Strengthened Knowledge and Technology Transfer

In January 2026, Denmark adopted a new agreement to strengthen knowledge and technology transfer from universities to the private sector. The reform aims to improve the commercialisation of research and support research-based entrepreneurship. It introduces legislative changes and new collaboration frameworks to enhance innovation capacity and economic growth.

In January 2026, the Danish government and a broad majority in Parliament concluded an agreement on strengthening knowledge and technology transfer between public research institutions and the private sector. The agreement aims to improve the framework conditions for translating research results into innovation and entrepreneurship. It builds on recommendations from a government-appointed taskforce and follows earlier national initiatives to promote research-based entrepreneurship. 

Strengthening the role of universities 

A central element of the agreement is an amendment to the University Act. Innovation and entrepreneurship are introduced as explicit statutory tasks of universities. This clarifies that higher education institutions are expected not only to conduct research and provide education, but also to contribute actively to the development of knowledge-based enterprises. 

Improved collaboration with industry 

The agreement introduces more flexible conditions for collaboration between universities and external partners. Universities are given expanded opportunities to: 

• cooperate with companies and external stakeholders;

• support entrepreneurial activities on campus; 

• contribute to the development of innovation environments and districts. 

These measures aim to strengthen interaction between students, researchers, companies and investors. 

Simplifying commercialisation of research 

To enhance the commercialisation of research, the agreement includes initiatives to reduce administrative barriers related to intellectual property (IP). Key measures include: 

• introduction of standardised agreements for the exploitation of research results; 

• more flexible rules for pricing and transfer of IP rights;

• adjustments to ownership structures in collaboration with private actors. 

These changes are intended to make it easier for companies and entrepreneurs to access and utilise research-based knowledge. 

Strengthening links to the capital market 

The reform also seeks to strengthen the link between higher education institutions and the capital market. Universities are granted expanded possibilities to engage in investment activities through affiliated entities, including: 

• participation in investment activities through affiliated entities;

• the possibility to invest in funds and provide financing to start-ups based on research outcomes;

• increased flexibility in ownership and investment structures. 

Overall, the agreement is intended to create a more coherent and efficient system for knowledge and technology transfer, with the objective of increasing the number of research-based start-ups and strengthening the contribution of higher education institutions to innovation and economic development.

For more information: New Agreement on Strengthened Knowledge and Technology Transfer.

2025

New initiatives to improve the foreign language education programmes

The Danish Minister for Higher Education and Science implements DKK 68 million to initiatives which aim at improving young people’s foreign language skills and preparing them for a new world order.

The new global situation entails that Europe has become more important for Denmark’s international cooperation and has emphasised the importance of cooperation and the ability to understand each other across the European continent.

In light of this, a new foreign language package contains initiatives to improve foreign language instruction at the primary and lower secondary teacher training programme and the universities so students can practice their foreign language skills to ensure they are better prepared to use foreign languages in their professional life.

In addition, more students should be given the opportunity to supplement their non-linguistic education programme with special foreign language courses. For instance, this entails that the law student can obtain French language skills to work for the EU or the engineering student can benefit from an understanding of German language and culture.

The new foreign language package contains the following initiatives:

• DKK 26 million to increase the number of hours allocated to practical language training at the university education programmes offering German, French, Spanish and Italian.
• DKK 11 million to increase the number of hours allocated to practical language training in the subjects German and French at the primary and lower secondary teacher training programme.
• DKK 4 million as a special grant to establish small French classes at the primary and lower secondary teacher training programme.
• DKK 24 million to improve opportunities for students at the universities to acquire supplementary foreign language skills.
• DKK 3 million to improve the development of didactics within foreign languages at the universities.

For more information (in Danish), please consult the Ministry of Children and Education's website: Nye initiativer på sproguddannelserne skal ruste de studerende til en ny europæisk virkelighed.

Government proposal for a new marking scale

The Danish government proposes to introduce a new marking scale to remove the big leap in the middle of the current marking scale, to remove the current negative mark (-3) and to focus on what the pupils and students can do instead of deficiencies in their performance.

Background

Experts have highlighted a number of challenges with the current 7-point marking scale. For instance, it has been highlighted that children and young people experience that the current marking scale contributes to a zero-error culture.

A central challenge is the big leap from the mark 7 to the mark 10, which entails that pupils and students only regard 10 and 12 as good marks and regard a 7 or 4 as having a negative impact on their total average mark.

A new 8-point marking scale

Therefore, the Danish government proposes to replace the current 7-point marking scale with a new 8-point marking scale without big leaps in the middle of the scale and without minus marks.

The government proposes to:

• Replace the current mark 7 with the marks 6 and 8
• Remove the mark -3 as it represents an unnecessary negative signal to pupils and students. The current -3 and 00 marks will be replaced with 00 and 01.

The new marking scale will still include two ‘fail’ marks to clearly indicate whether a performance is close to or far away from a ‘pass’. The government proposes the following new scale: 00, 01, 02, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12.

Furthermore, a new marking scale should be able to recognise extraordinary performances by adding a star to the mark 12. The star will not affect the total average mark.

New descriptions

In addition, it is important for the government that the assessment of pupils and students is based on a marking scale that focuses on the positive and what the individual is good at. The marking scale should support a positive learning culture. 

Therefore, the government proposes to adjust the descriptions attached to each mark. It must be clear that the mark is given based on what the pupil or student is good at instead of deficiencies in their performance.

The ensuing process

The government aims to implement the new marking scale at all upper secondary education programmes and all adult and continuing education and training programmes from August 2030 and in primary and lower secondary schools and higher education from the beginning of the school year 2031/2032.

The new marking scale has not been adopted yet. The government will enter into negotiations about the new marking scale.

For more information (in Danish), please consult the Ministry of Children and Education's website: Regeringen præsenterer ny karakterskala, der skal mindske karakterpres.

Agreement on a reform of the professional bachelor education programmes and the academy profession programmes

The Danish government and seven opposition parties in the Danish Parliament have agreed on a reform of the academy profession programmes (short cycle) and the professional bachelor education programmes (first cycle). The reform is part of a comprehensive reform plan for the whole education system.

The main purpose of the reform is to enhance the quality and the academic level at the education programmes.

Quality enhancement at the professional bachelor education programmes and academy profession programmes

To improve the quality of the education programmes and make them more attractive for students, the reform prioritises about DKK 2 billion annually to the education programmes. This will ensure, among other things, that students receive more lessons, more feedback, instruction in smaller classes, more practice-based instruction or workplace and simulation instruction as well as enhanced opportunities for lifelong learning and continuing professional development.

As part of the quality enhancement effort, the reform also includes initiatives aimed at improving the work placement during the education programmes. This may include the following initiatives:

• Strengthening the cooperation between the training places and education institutions;

• Improving the connection between theory and practice at the education programmes;

• Ensuring more support and guidance for the students during their work placement.

Furthermore, the reform includes a separate effort to enhance the quality of the education programmes that are directed at central functions in the welfare sector such as pedagogues, social workers and nurses.

New organisation of the academy profession programmes

The reform includes a number of changes in the current organisation of the academy profession programmes:

• The current top-up education programmes with a duration of 1.5 years for graduates from the academy profession programmes will be phased out;

• New, three-year professional bachelor education programmes will be established to replace the current separate process where students complete a two-year academy profession programme followed by a top-up education programme;

• Approximately 15-20 per cent of the current number of study places at the academy profession programmes will be rearranged as professional bachelor education programmes.

Flexible pathways to welfare-related education programmes

The reform includes improved opportunities for persons with relevant work experience or academic qualifications to train as a teacher, pedagogue, nurse or social worker through merit-based education programmes that award credit for prior learning. The reform will:

• Remove the tuition fees at the current merit-based pedagogue and teacher training programmes;

• Establish merit-based programmes without tuition fees for nurses and social workers.

Opportunities for practice-oriented continuing and further education and training

From 2030, there will be established new opportunities for tuition-free, practice-oriented continuing and further education and training so graduates can enhance their qualifications later in life. It will be possible to participate full-time while receiving state educational grants or part-time without state educational grants.

Furthermore, the reform establishes two new continuing education and training programmes:

• For graduates from academy profession programmes, the reform establishes new, one-year top-up programmes. By completing the new top-up programme, the graduate can obtain an education at professional bachelor level (first cycle);

• For graduates from professional bachelor education programmes, the reform establishes new, practice-oriented professional master programmes targeted complex tasks in the welfare sector. The professional master programmes will be placed at the same level as master degree programmes at the universities (second cycle).

More international students

To increase the intake of international students, the reform will also enable education institutions to establish 800 new study places at professional bachelor education programmes and academy profession programmes taught in English. The new study places will be established outside the biggest cities and within the STEM/IT area.

The different initiatives in the reform will be implemented gradually towards 2030.

For more information (in Danish), please consult the agreement: Reform af professionsbachelor- og erhvervsakademiuddannelserne i Danmark. 

2024

Initiatives to improve conditions for students with functional impairments and disabilities in higher education

With the political agreement on a reform of the university education programmes, DKK 10 million were set aside annually to improve conditions for students with functional impairments and disabilities. Against this background, the Danish government and four opposition parties have agreed on the following initiatives:

• Improving the guidance at Study and Career Guidance Denmark by establishing guidance options targeted young people with functional impairments and disabilities and organising workshops on the transition to higher education;

• Assigning the Student Counselling Service with a research centre function to strengthen and further develop inclusive learning environments. For instance, by creating tools and concepts to improve learning frameworks for students with functional impairments and disabilities so they can participate in the instruction on equal terms with their fellow students. 

The initiatives are based on recommendations from the work group that has been commissioned to present recommendations on how to implement the DKK 10 million set aside in the political agreement on a reform of the university education programmes. 

The work group’s recommendations are based on their report from 2022, which shows that the number of students with functional impairments and disabilities has increased and that students with functional impairments and disabilities experience challenges such as higher unemployment, higher dropout rates, longer average time of completion, and lower well-being.

The work group consists of representatives for higher education institutions, student organisations, Disabled People’s Organisations Denmark, and the Danish Association of Youth with Disabilities.

For more information (in Danish), please consult the Ministry of Higher Education and Science’s website. 

DKK 45 million to educational projects and activities aimed at improving digital competences

As part of the Danish government’s digitalisation strategy from November 2023, two funds have been set up to support projects and activities by higher education institutions that aim to strengthen digital competences. The purpose of the funds is to support the increasing demand for IT competences at the Danish labour market through higher education.

The higher education institutions can apply for two different funds to finance projects and activities aimed at strengthening digital competences:

1. Funds for strengthening teachers’ and students’ digital knowledge, understanding, and competences;

2. Funds for supporting the increasing demand for specialised IT competences at the Danish labour market.

The first fund consists of DKK 35 million. The funding is given to projects and activities such as continuing education and training of teachers, development of ordinary education programmes and continuing education and training activities with a focus on digital competences, and cooperation and networking activities aimed at sharing experiences and distributing knowledge about digital competence development.

The second fund consists of DKK 10 million. The funding is given to projects and activities such as continuing education and training targeted IT employees and projects aimed at attracting international students and encouraging them to stay in Denmark after completing their education programme.

The higher education institutions develop and define the concrete projects and activities in their applications for the funds.

The funding will be implemented in 2024.

For more information (in Danish), please visit The Ministry of Higher Education and Science. 

Agreement on the adjustment of student intake at academic bachelor’s degree programmes

In June 2023, the Danish government and four opposition parties agreed on a reform of the Danish university education programmes, which included an adjustment of the intake of students at academic bachelor’s degree programmes. In April 2024, the contracting parties agreed on the degree to which the different universities must reduce their intake of students at academic bachelor’s degree programmes in the period 2025-2029.

The purpose of adjusting the student intake at academic bachelor’s degree programmes is to ensure a more balanced intake of students at the different types of higher education programmes, including more applications for professional bachelor’s degree programmes such as the programmes training nurses, teachers, and pedagogues.

The reduction in student intake at the different universities is determined according to a number of political considerations, mainly the unemployment rates among graduates from the universities. This entails that universities with the highest unemployment rates have to reduce their student intake more than universities with lower unemployment rates.

However, the agreement takes different considerations into account, including the wish to ensure education programmes outside the four biggest cities. This entails that the universities’ regional activities on bachelor’s degree programmes outside the four biggest cities are exempted from the reduction.

The main points from the agreement on adjustment of student intake are:

• In total, the eight universities must reduce their intake of students in the period 2025-2029 by ten per cent compared to the average intake of students in the period 2018-2022. This entails that 2,654 fewer students will be admitted to academic bachelor’s degree programmes in 2025-2029 compared to 2018-2022;

• The eight universities have to reduce their student intake with 6.5 to 14.1 per cent in the period 2025-2029;

• Roskilde University and Aalborg University have to reduce their study places by the largest percentage (14.1 and 9.5 per cent respectively), while the Technical University of Denmark and the IT University of Denmark have to reduce their study places by the lowest percentage (6.5 and 6.7 per cent respectively).

The reduction of student intake will be adapted every five years based on the demographic development to ensure that the number of study places at the universities keep abreast of the number of young people, which is declining.

For more information (in Danish), please visit the Ministry of Higher Education and Science's website.