University of Copenhagen delays final phase of reform cuts

Management at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) has drawn up a new timetable for when savings from the controversial administration reform are to be fully implemented.

This is according to a message on the university’s intranet (login required) from Rector David Dreyer Lassen and University Director Søren Munk Skydsgaard.

The reform was to save DKK 300 million annually and was originally scheduled to be fully phased in by 2028.

But the timeline has now been extended. The final savings of just under DKK 50 million will not be achieved until 2029–2030, they state.

According to David Dreyer Lassen and Søren Munk Skydsgaard, this is because »digitalisation takes time«, and because in the area of education »there is a need to make many difficult decisions over joint practices«.

Local layoffs cannot be ruled out

The final portion of the savings corresponds to a reduction in salary expenses equivalent to around 150 full-time positions in the university administration and 35 temporary positions in support units.

The rector and university director cannot rule out local layoffs, but they say they do not expect a major round of dismissals as a result of the administration reform.

This is because ten per cent of the approximately 2,100 full-time staff in the university’s administration typically find new jobs or retire in the course of an ordinary year.

As part of the administration reform, a major round of layoffs among administrative staff at the University of Copenhagen was originally planned for autumn 2024. This was later cancelled when it turned out that mitigation measures — a qualified hiring freeze and voluntary resignations — led to a sufficient reduction in staff to meet the savings targets.

READ ALSO: Staff representative after cancelled layoffs: »Management should have done many things differently«

David Dreyer Lassen and Søren Munk Skydsgaard go on to write that the re-hiring of vacant administrative positions will be closely monitored to avoid breaching budget targets. At the same time, they stress that leaving too many positions unfilled could harm the quality of the administration and the working environment.

The DKK 300 million that the administration reform is intended to free up annually will be redirected to education, research and innovation. It has been decided that around DKK 50 million will be used to support the implementation of the Danish master’s degree reform in 2026.

This article was first written in Danish and published on 14 January 2026. It has been translated into English and post-edited by Mike Young.