Politics

After multiple temporary extensions, universities can finally breathe a collective sigh of relief. On the Danish government’s 2024 budget is an increase in government subsidies that will be made permanent from 2025.

Ten per cent of master’s study programmes will be shortened. The number of admitted bachelor students is to be cut by eight per cent. Up to twenty per cent of all admissions need to be on a business master's degree. A temporary increase in the government’s funding to the humanities and social sciences degree programmes is to be permanent.

The 2003 Danish University Act strengthened universities' ties to society. But according to a thorough investigation, the legislation adversely affected the freedom of research, and it damaged the management and running of the universities. 

Negotiations are heating up over a reform to Danish master's degrees. But the government and the universities are still far apart. And universities have to make a choice between a rock and hard place if they want to make concessions to the government's ambitions, according to the UCPH prorector.

Denmark is ranked high in an international study of academic freedom. But two researchers are sceptical about the criteria that the study is based on. And they recommend that academic freedom is enshrined in the Danish constitution.

The chairman of Conservative Students discovered Friday morning 12 May that their offices had been vandalized. A politically motivated attack, according to the student organisation. Management has come out in support of them.

The new 1-year master’s degree programme is one of the most comprehensive Danish university reforms in recent times. But how did this proposal actually get off the ground? Here is an overview.