2024

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

September 2024

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

June 2024

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

April 2024

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. 

2023

Agreement on a reform of the State Educational Grant and Loan Scheme in higher education

December 2023

The Danish government and three opposition parties in the Danish Parliament have agreed on a reform of the State Educational Grant and Loan Scheme in higher education. The purpose of the reform is to ensure an alignment of the official duration of education programmes and the grant amounts.

The reform will apply to students admitted to a new higher education programme in the summer of 2025 and onwards and will encompass the following initiatives:

• Students can be awarded state education grants for the prescribed period of study for the higher education programme. Currently, students can be awarded 12 monthly study grants in addition to the prescribed period of study;

• The maximum monthly study grants will be reduced from the present 70 monthly study grants to 58 monthly study grants. This means that students can receive state education grants for a maximum of five years and not the current six years;

• All students can take out a ‘final loan’ if they have used all their state education grants and have 24 months or less left of their higher education programme;

• Students with disabilities and students who are a single parent can obtain 12 additional monthly study grants. In total, 70 monthly study grants;

• To ensure more flexibility for students with disabilities, the requirements for active participation in their studies will be adjusted, so the students can reduce their study load without loosing their right to state education grants.

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

New digitalisation strategy: Improved IT competencies for all education levels

November 2023

The Danish government has presented a new digitalisation strategy, which includes initiatives at all levels in education. The strategy aims to ensure that the Danes’ digital competencies keep abreast with the rapid technological development.

The strategy addresses a number of future opportunities and challenges and how to overcome these. One of the challenges the new digitalisation strategy addresses is the shortage of employees with specialised IT competencies in the Danish business sector.

The strategy includes the following initiatives in the area of education:

• Introduction of a new optional subject in primary and lower secondary education called Technology comprehension. The purpose of the new subject is to provide the pupils with knowledge about digital tools and practical experience with the technology;

• Technology comprehension as a new core competence among teachers to ensure that the teachers are qualified to teach the pupils in technology comprehension;

• Improving the lecturers’ qualifications and developing the digital curriculum in higher education to improve the graduates’ digital knowledge, understanding and competencies;

• Strengthening the adult and continuing education and training activities within the IT area;

• Ensuring that the international students remain in Denmark after completing their education by strengthening the IT part-time master’s degree programmes, where the student works while studying.

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

61,382 students have been admitted to higher education institutions

July 2023

61,382 students have been admitted to higher education institutions as of July 28 2023. This represents a two per cent increase compared to 2022. Of the 61,382 admitted students, 82 per cent were admitted to their first priority.

The rise in enrolment can be attributed, in part, to a significant increase in admissions to the STEM programmes (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Furthermore, there has been a substantial increase in enrolments for programmes taught in English compared to 2022.

Key trends in the admission to higher education institutions in 2023:

• Enrolments in major welfare-related programmes (Nursing, Teaching, Social Education and Social Work) are generally consistent with 2022 except for a five per cent decrease in the case of the Social Education programme;

• Enrolments have increased by three percent for bachelor’s programmes and six per cent for vocational academy programmes, while enrolments for professional bachelor’s programmes are unchanged;

• STEM programmes have experienced a five per cent increase;

• IT programmes have seen an increase of ten per cent;

• Enrolments in programmes taught in English have risen by 21 per cent;

• Outside the four largest cities, enrolments in higher education programmes have increased by six per cent.

For more information, please visit The Ministry of Higher Education and Science.

Agreement on a reform of the Danish university education programmes

June 2023

On 27^th June, the Danish government and four opposition parties in the Danish Parliament agreed on a reform of the Danish university education programmes. The reform includes new master’s degree programmes, improved opportunities for further education and more international students.

New master’s degree programmes

The majority of the master’s degree programmes remains as ordinary two-year 120 ECTS master’s degree programmes, while 30 per cent of the programmes are to be restructured. Of the 30 percent:

• 10 percent of the master’s degree programmes are to be restructured as 75 ECTS master’s degree programmes with a duration of one year and three months;

• 20 percent of the master’s degree programmes are to be restructured as 75 or 120 ECTS part-time master’s degree programmes, where the students are employed alongside their studies.

The agreement does not determine which master’s degree programmes that are to be restructured. A committee comprised of representatives from the universities, the students and the Ministry of Higher Education and Science will propose which master’s degree programmes they think should be restructured. The committee is expected to submit its proposals in October 2024.

Adjustment of the intake at academic bachelor’s degree programmes

To ensure a more balanced intake of students at the different types of higher education programmes, the agreement also includes a maximum limit on the number of students admitted to academic bachelor’s degree programmes. According to the agreement, the intake of students to the academic bachelor’s degree programmes will be reduced by eight per cent from 2025.

The objective is, among others, to ensure that more students apply for the professional bachelor’s degree programmes such as the programmes training nurses, teachers, and pedagogues.

Improved opportunities for further education

In addition, the agreement includes improved opportunities for further education for graduates from the 75 ECTS master’s degree programmes. This includes:

• Attractive opportunities for the graduates to return to university and study subjects, modules and specially developed master’s courses;

• Special master’s certificates after completed further education activities at the universities corresponding to 45 ECTS;

• Significantly lower tuition fees within the existing adult continuing education and training system;

• The opportunity to study a new master’s degree programme full-time after two years at the labour market to the extent that there are available study places at the programme.

More international students

The agreement also entails more international students by increasing the number of English student places:

• From 2024 to 2028, the universities can establish 1,100 English study places at the ordinary 120 ECTS master’s degree programmes every year;

• From 2029, the universities can establish 2,500 English study places at the ordinary 120 ECTS master’s degree programmes every year.

Furthermore, it is the ambition of the political parties behind the agreement that half of the study places at the part-time master’s degree programmes are to be filled by international students.

The agreement also describes how the implementation of the reform will be financially supported including investments.

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

New educational programme is to contribute to more pedagogues

April 2023

From the summer of 2023 it is possible to attend a new pedagogue training programme with award of credit for prior learning (meritpædagoguddannelse via sporskifte) at University College of Northern Denmark in Aalborg. It is a so-called sporskiftemodel, where the students can build upon their academic education with a pedagogue training programme while simultaneously working in a day-care centre or a school.

The programme’s target group is adults over the age of 25 with a higher education qualification at bachelor’s level as a minimum that wishes to change profession. The programme has a duration of two and a half years, which is one year less than the ordinary pedagogue training programme.

At the programme, students work 30 hours a week in a day-care centre or a school. In this way, the students obtain practical experience with the profession while studying. The students are paid for their work and are not entitled to state educational support for adults. The students pay tuition fees.

The sporskiftemodel was first introduced in Copenhagen in 2021 at University College Copenhagen. Today, the programme is offered in Copenhagen, Aarhus and Odense where it is in demand.

The purpose of the sporskiftemodel is to recruit more pedagogues in a time with shortages of qualified staff in the day-care centres and schools.

The University College of Northern Denmark expects to educate 25-30 pedagogues a year with the new pedagogue training programme (meritpædagoguddannelse via sporskifte).

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

Government green paper on a reform of the master’s degree programmes at the universities

March 2023

The Danish government has presented a green paper on a reform of the master’s degree programmes at the universities. The proposal is part of a comprehensive reform plan for the whole education system.

The objective of the reform proposal is to future-proof the Danish education system.

Presently, the focus is on reforming the master’s degree programmes at the universities. Later on, the government will present green papers on a reform of, among others, the primary and lower secondary education, the vocational education and training programmes and the professionally oriented education programmes, including the welfare education programmes (that is the programmes training nurses, social workers, teachers and pedagogues).

New and more flexible master’s degree programmes

The government proposes new and more flexible paths through university with varying lengths, different degrees of specialisation and new opportunities for further education.

The government proposes the following four new master’s degree programmes:

1. Master’s degree programmes with a duration of one year and three months with a clear labour market focus;

2. Master’s degree programmes with a duration of two years with a higher degree of specialisation;

3. Master’s degree programmes with a duration of two and a half years to three years with a high degree of specialisation;

4. Flexible part-time master’s degree programmes with varying lengths where the students are employed alongside their studies.

The new master’s degree programme with a duration of one year and three months are to be offered within all branches of study. The majority of the new study places is to be offered within humanities and social science, whereas a lesser part is to be offered within natural science, health science, and technical studies.

Improved opportunities for further education

In addition, the government wishes that more people participate continuously in education throughout their work life.

To ensure this, the government proposes developing new continuing education and training courses at master’s level, which are organised so that the students’ life situation is taken into consideration. For example, the courses can be organised as evening classes or take place during weekends. The government also proposes improved opportunities for further education for graduates from the new master’s degree programme with a duration of one year and three months. The government proposes the following:

• Graduates can return to university and participate in subjects, modules, special master’s courses or a new master’s degree programme;

• Significantly lower tuition fees within the existing adult continuing education and training system;

• Graduates can complete a second master’s degree programme on full-time after two years at the labour market.

More international students

Furthermore, the government proposes to increase the number of international students in areas where the Danish business world calls for a highly educated labour force. The government proposes the following:

• The universities establish 1,100 English study places every year from 2024 to 2028 and 2,500 study places every year from 2029;

• The universities establish part-time master’s degree programmes in English within areas where it is possible to recruit highly qualified foreign labour.

The development of the master’s degree programmes will take place in cooperation with the relevant stakeholders, including the universities, the artistic higher education institutions, the students, and the business sector.

For more information (in Danish), please consult the green paper: Forberedt på fremtiden I.

2022

Agreement on a reform of the teacher education programme for primary and lower secondary schools

September 2022

On 13^th September, the Danish government and a broad majority of the Danish Parliament agreed on a new and better teacher education programme for primary and lower secondary schools. In 2020, the government set up a committee whose recommendations on how to improve the teacher education programme form the basis of the agreement.

The agreement comprises three objectives for the new teacher education programme:

1. Higher quality, enhanced professional standards, and increased study intensity;

2. More teaching practice and an improved interaction between the teacher education programme and the everyday life as a teacher;

3. Greater autonomy at local level to implement the education programme and less regulation from the national level.

To ensure higher quality, enhanced professional standards, and increased study intensity, the agreement includes among others the following initiatives:

• Students will receive up to four more hours of instruction a week;

• Students will receive more practice-based instruction, for example training in classroom management, inclusion, and school-home cooperation etc.;

• Students will receive more academic feedback and guidance, including an annual status meeting that aims to give the students individual feedback and guide them in relation to their professional development and motivation;

• Improved opportunities for the students to study part of their education abroad.

Initiatives to achieve more teaching practice and an improved interaction between the teacher education programme and the everyday life as a teacher include:

• The time allocated to teaching practice will be extended so the students participate in teaching practice at schools during all four years of the education programme;

• More focus on practice in the final examination that consists of a written examination and an oral examination;

• Special needs education and Danish as a second language will be reintroduced as main subjects in the teacher education programme.

Initiatives to ensure greater autonomy at local level to implement the education programme and less regulation from the national level include:

• The many and detailed objectives in the present course descriptions will be simplified and replaced with clear objectives so the lecturers at and the curricula for the individual institutions will have greater autonomy;

• The present modular construction will be replaced by a structure where the students follow the instruction in a main class to ensure professional progression, improved coherence, and stronger social integration.

The new teacher education programme for primary and lower secondary schools is planned to begin in August 2023.

For more information (in Danish), please consult the agreement: En ambitiøs læreruddannelse tæt på folkeskolen og til gavn for folkeskolen.

Government proposal for a new and improved admissions system in higher education

June 2022

The Danish government has presented a proposal on how to improve the admissions system in higher education and invited the parties of the Parliament to negotiations. The government proposal encompasses four political objectives:

1. A balanced focus on marks and a healthy learning culture;

2. A better match between the applicant and the education programme;

3. Increased social mobility;

4. Several and more transparent ways into higher education.

The purpose of the proposal is to address challenges in the present system such as an unhealthy culture of perfection and increasing scramble for higher marks, a not well-considered choice of education for some applicants, too unequal ways into the higher education system, and a too complex admissions system.

The government proposes four initiatives:

1. More suitable use of marks in quota one*;

2. A more suitable admission through quota two;

3. More homogenous and transparent screening;

4. A more reflective choice of education programmes.

The government substantiates each initiative with specific suggestions on how to fulfil the objectives and improve the admissions system:

• Regarding a more suitable use of marks in quota one, the government proposes a maximum required average mark of ten and that selection on educational programmes with a required average mark of ten or higher is to be based on a subject-specific assessment;

• Proposals for a more suitable admission through quota two include a new common national admission test, five years of relevant work experience as qualifying for higher education, and a minimum of 25 per cent of the student places at all educational programmes offered via quota two;

• For the purpose of more homogenous and transparent screening, the government proposes simplified and homogenous admission requirements, and common criteria;

• Proposals for a more reflective choice of education programme include a strengthened educational guidance and reflection integrated in the application process in the form of questions to encourage reflection and inspire the young people to apply for other education programmes.

*For information on the Danish quota system, please visit: Regulations of Admission (Quota 1 and Quota 2)

For more information (in Danish): More ways, new opportunities: A new and improved admissions system in higher education.

Agreement on the implementation of more and better opportunities for education throughout Denmark

March 2022

In June 2021, a broad majority of the Danish Parliament entered into an agreement on the framework for more and better opportunities for education throughout Denmark. In January 2022, the higher education institutions have presented their proposals for the relocation and downsizing of study places, after which the political parties have entered an additional agreement on the implementation in March 2022.

The purpose of the agreement is to ensure more and better opportunities for education throughout Denmark so a larger share of the enrolment on higher education in the future takes place outside the four biggest cities. The agreement aims at increasing the number of people getting an education by ensuring that all types of educations are available all over Denmark. The reasoning behind the agreement is an uneven distribution of educational institutions and a future lower recruitment basis because of falling youth cohorts that risk challenging the supply of education outside the four biggest cities further.

Furthermore, the agreement emphasises the importance of creating better conditions for the recruitment of welfare personnel throughout Denmark by outlining an ambition regarding a 60/40 distribution of student places on the four biggest welfare educations (teacher, nurse, pedagogue and social worker). The ambition entails that in time 60 per cent of the study places on these welfare educations are to be located outside the four biggest cities.

Since January 2022, the political parties have negotiated an additional agreement based on the higher educational institutions’ suggestions on how to relocate and/or reduce enrolment. When preparing their input, the institutions had to allow for, among other things, public employers and business communities’ needs as well as continuing supply of educations with particularly high demand and employment. The additional agreement and the five sector plans for the higher educational institutions include the following new main elements:

• Ambitions about more than 100 new education initiatives outside the four biggest cities;

• 41 new educational initiatives receive extraordinary public grants for their establishment;

• Overall, the political parties have prioritised 805 million DKK in funding of start-up and development expenses from 2021-2028;

• In all, 413 million DKK in grants of which the majority is used in order for both existing and new supplies of education to receive increased decentralised basic subsidy and a 7-percentage point increase in the taximeter scheme.

In total, the additional agreement and the sector plans entail that:

• The study places in the four biggest cities are adjusted with 6.4 per cent towards 2030 corresponding to about 4,350 study places;

• Of the 4,350 study places, approximately 2,400 are relocated while 1,950 are downsized;

• If all the educational institutions’ registered plans are implemented by 2030, further 2,000 new study places will be established outside the four biggest cities;

• Because of the 60/40 ambition, 1,800 study places for the four biggest welfare educations are established outside the big cities of which 800 are relocated and 1000 are newly created.

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

Improved conditions for students with disabilities in higher education

February 2022

As a part of the follow-up on a political agreement on better conditions for pupils and students with physical and psychological disabilities, a work group has presented a report on the conditions for students with disabilities in higher education.

The purpose of the report is to clarify important conditions and frameworks with an impact on the equality between students with disabilities and their fellow students. This includes conditions that affect students with disabilities’ well-being and learning outcome. Furthermore, the report examines opportunities for support and compensation in order for students with disabilities to study on the same terms as students without disabilities.

Conditions for students with disabilities

Overall, the report compares the situation of students with disabilities and students without disabilities. In addition, the report focuses on two subgroups of disabilities: students with psychological disabilities and students with reading and writing difficulties. According to the work group, the share of students with disabilities has over a ten-year period increased from 3 to 11 percent in 2020. Furthermore, the work group observes that students with disabilities encounter more difficulties during their studies compared to students without disabilities on a number of parameters. Students with disabilities experience:

• Higher unemployment, higher dropout rates and longer average time of completion;

• Lower well-being and poorer affiliation;

• Lack of availability in their learning environment;

• More insecurity, difficulties and worries at the commencement of their studies;

• An additional work load as a result of administrative barriers;

• Lack of flexibility regarding the administrative and legal framework;

• Insecurity and worries in relation to their economy.

In particular, the group of students with psychological disabilities differ as they experience higher unemployment and dropout rates, longer time of completion and lower well-being.

The work group’s initiatives

In light of these findings, the work group presents four central initiatives to improve the conditions for students with disabilities in higher education:

1. Improved involvement of the group before and during the commencement of their education programme;

2. Improved availability in the learning environment of teaching aids and audio visual equipment and accessible teaching resources in time;

3. Regularly support during their education;

4. Increased flexibility of the organization of a full-time education.

The work group substantiates each initiative with specific suggestions on how to improve the conditions for students with disabilities in higher education:

• About the commencement of study, the work group suggests a universal and tolerant design, incorporated information on the available opportunities for students with disabilities in connection with admission, a more flexible application process and an invitation for coming students to contact the higher education institution in relation to the planning of their education;

• Suggestions for improved availability includes support for the use of teaching aids and audio visual equipment, accessible teaching resources in time and common guidelines on recording of lessons and flexibility in terms of group work;

• For the purpose of more regularly support courses the work group suggests visualising the process clearly and reducing the wait for special educational assistance (support scheme);

• Suggestions for increasing the flexibility includes the opportunity to take courses in another way (e.g. evening classes and online classes) and closer cooperation with training places.

For more information (in Danish): Improved conditions for students with disabilities.