University to get millions, but forced to cut jobs

A proposed new Danish government budget for 2012 will give the University of Copenhagen the chance to deal out DKK 30 million to its faculties right away. This is according to university director Jørgen Honoré on the university intranet (KUnet.dk – staff login is required). The government proposal is a huge step in the right direction, he continues. Bad news is that the previous government’s directive to shed jobs in administration is still in force.

If the bill is accepted and implemented in its current form, Denmark’s universities will receive DKK 214 million for research. For the University of Copenhagen, this means a 2012 budget with an extra DKK 30 million.

Long term struggle

The proposed bill does not give any indication as to how the government will distribute the funds in the coming years.

For this reason, the university is in the midst of an uphill struggle in the longer term, Jørgen Honoré says. He argues that there is still the need to ensure that universities’ research will remain at a high level.

And the previous government’s policy statement that forces universities to shed administration jobs will still hold true, according to Danish news site Altinget.dk.

Still looking to find jobs to cut

The University of Copenhagen has already got rid of 100 staff as a result of the policy. But according to Jørgen Honoré, it is not over yet.

»We have shed 100 jobs in 2010 and 2011, but we still need 40-50 in 2012,« he says.

anfj@adm.ku.dk

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