UCPH staff to protest over sacked colleagues

“We are protesting to express our sympathy for those who have been fired.”

The words of Thomas Braunstein, assistant professor and applications specialist from the Department of Biomedical Sciences to Danish-language university news site Uniavisen.dk. He wants to “send a message to the politicians that we are heading in the wrong direction”.

The University of Copenhagen is to lose more than 500 staff after government-imposed funding reductions.

Everyone keeping a low profile

The protest against government cutbacks to education is due to take place on Wednesday 10 February, at 12 noon, at Nørre Allé 20 by the main entrance to the Panum buildings which house the Faculty of Health and Sciences.

Wednesday is the day that the faculty’s employees will be informed if they have been fired or not. Thomas Braunstein believes it’s important to demonstrate that enough is enough and is surprised that there haven’t already been larger protests.

“It’s astonishing that so few are doing something about the current situation. What I am missing is that all the affected faculties come out of the woodwork and show their displeasure. It seems as if everyone is keeping a low profile and hoping that they don’t get fired.”

universitypost@adm.ku.dk

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