The University of Copenhagen’s inclusion survey: This is what surprised us

It is a familiar feature of the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) that it has a strategic focus on diversity, equality and inclusion. And with the release of the new inclusion survey — the first of its kind at UCPH — there is now a substantial data set to work from. The full inclusion survey is available on KUnet.

More than 8,000 students and staff at the University of Copenhagen responded to all or part of the questionnaire that was sent out last year. The results include both some surprising and some more predictable findings.

The survey asked participants whether they considered themselves to belong to a minority group. 43 per cent of students answered yes — as did 32 per cent of staff. It’s worth noting that these are self-reported affiliations. The reports show that both students and staff mainly experience challenges within four areas: a sense of belonging, exclusion, accessibility, and barriers to studies and career.

The five most surprising findings

Parochial and inward-looking UCPH, say internationals
UCPH is an international university according to official statements. But according to the survey, international students and staff face language and cultural barriers, exclusion from social contexts, and fewer career opportunities. 35 per cent of international staff report language-related challenges at work.

READ ALSO: Academics lose status when they teach Danish with an accent

A foreign colleague with brown skin was told there would soon be no Danes left in the workplace

Quote from a staff member in the report

»I have never encountered this lack of English-language websites/information at the other universities where I’ve studied before coming to Denmark,« one comment reads. Others include:

»A foreign colleague with brown skin was told there would soon be no Danes left in the workplace.«

»It looks inclusive on paper, but in daily life it feels different. I experience a kind of identity crisis at the university — it wants to be international/global but doesn’t quite manage to live up to a cosmopolitan culture in its day-to-day work.«

READ ALSO: UCPH’s language policy contradicts research-based education objectives

Political minorities feel excluded
Some right-leaning students report that they are afraid to speak their minds in class for fear of social ostracism, as they perceive a predominantly left-wing mindset in their study environment.

»There’s a bit of a trend that you need to have the right political views (especially left-wing, climate-focused, vegan) to be part of the social scene,« writes one student in a free-text comment.

According to the survey, 39 per cent of students who define themselves as part of a political minority feel they cannot be themselves at university. For students without this affiliation, the number is 9 per cent.

Technical-administrative staff feel like second-class employees
Many TAPs (technical-administrative personnel) report a more supportive and inclusive workplace culture than VIPs (academic staff) according to the survey responses. But they also report being deprioritised and belittled compared to VIPs:

»VIPs behave condescendingly towards TAPs and do not acknowledge (or are unaware of) their contributions and value.«

»This is not a good time to be a TAP at UCPH. I’ve never been treated or spoken of so poorly! It’s scandalous and shameful for UCPH leadership to refer to staff as if they are nothing more than tasks to be completed. All consideration and inclusion are thrown out the window. It starts with the rhetoric at the top and trickles down through the entire management structure.«

READ ALSO: Is the reform a foregone conclusion — or do employees have a say in the decision-making?

Discrimination in terms of the physical setting
42 per cent of students with physical disabilities report difficulty attending classes on campus. Among staff with disabilities or neurodivergence, up to a third say they sometimes or often feel excluded at work:

This is not a good time to be a TAP at UCPH. I’ve never been treated or spoken of so poorly

Quote from the report

»There are no social events that take people with mental or physical disabilities into account.«

»Accessibility for people with physical disabilities is unacceptable.«

READ ALSO: Wheelchair user: When are we going to start talking about ableism on Frederiksberg Campus?

Students feel pressure to hide parts of their identity
Many students — particularly those with minority backgrounds — report concealing aspects of their identity to fit in. This includes religion, sexuality, political views or mental health struggles. The report shows that trans people often feel the need to mask their identity in everyday life. 21 per cent of surveyed students who are gender minorities say they cannot be themselves:

»I hide my gender identity out of fear of transphobic behaviour.«

The five least surprising findings

Most are happy at UCPH
While the report focuses on problems, it’s worth noting that 82 per cent of staff and 74 per cent of students say they can be themselves at UCPH, and 84 per cent feel welcome.

Barriers from Danish drinking culture
Many students say Friday bars and intro parties are hard to take part in if you don’t drink alcohol:

»As a Muslim student, the atmosphere is generally good among students, but alcohol is such a big part of things and it can make it hard to join in at many events, where the main focus is basically drinking and partying.«

»Everyone I talked to from my class who went on the [intro week, ed.] cabin trip and didn’t drink alcohol felt left out. All the right things were said: that everyone is welcome, that you don’t have to take part in anything you’re uncomfortable with, that alcohol isn’t required to join. But in practice, it wasn’t like that at all (in my opinion).«

Unwritten rules, codes and language
22 per cent of student respondents say that unwritten rules and social codes at university are hard to navigate.

I’ve witnessed inappropriate and unacceptable comments about women, whether they were present or not

Quote from the report

»There are a lot of unspoken social norms at programme X. This includes your grades, which student organisations you’re in, whether you have a relevant job and where. People judge you quickly, and you don’t earn respect if you don’t meet these criteria.«

Underrepresented in their management, and in role models
22 per cent of students say they lack role models in their degree programme. Several also point out that UCPH leadership and teaching staff are still dominated by »older white men«:

»I experience low ethnic diversity among lecturers. And there are also more male than female professors.«

READ ALSO: They let in the women — and nothing was ever the same

Sexism remains a problem
5 per cent of male staff and 9 per cent of female staff see the culture at UCPH as sexist.

Female PhD students and professors report weekly sexist comments and expectations of invisible work:

»As a young female PhD student in a research group that otherwise only consisted of men, there were weekly sexist remarks — for instance, about female professors who had supposedly »slept their way« into their positions.«

READ ALSO: One in every three female PhD students in Denmark faces sexism

»I’ve witnessed inappropriate and unacceptable comments about women, whether they were present or not (…).«

The report also contains descriptions from male staff who feel marginalised in a culture where »old white men« are spoken of negatively:

»The negative talk about old white men has become so common that it’s bordering on harassment.«

READ ALSO: Is woke (also) dead at the University of Copenhagen?

This article was first written in Danish and published on 27 August 2025. It has been translated into English and post-edited by Mike Young.