Parties behind comprehensive reform require answers from the government after critical report.
DR-Politics in Politics
Wednesday, November 20, 2024 • 3:50 PM UTC - in Politics
Approximately 23 percent of Denmark's candidate programs may end up being shortened according to the government's candidate reform, as per the final report from the Candidate Selection Committee.
The report, which was released by the universities' rectors and the Danish Students' Council, indicates that the economy of the reform may necessitate the shortening of significantly more candidate programs than the agreed-upon 10 percent from 2028.
Last year, the Social Democratic Ministry of Education and Research reached a consensus with the Social People's Party, the Danish People's Party, Liberal Alliance, and the Conservatives on a reform that includes the possibility of shortening ten percent of candidate programs from the current two years to one year and three months.
However, the final report from the Candidate Selection Committee states that it may be necessary to shorten many more candidate programs than agreed upon.
The Candidate Selection Committee, which consists of the rectors of the eight Danish universities and representatives from the Danish Students' Council, was established by the Ministry of Education and Research to propose concrete ways to restructure candidate programs.
The Conservative Party's education spokesperson, Lise Bertelsen, expressed concern:
- We are very critical of shortening more than 10 percent of candidate programs. We have been against it all along. So we are deeply concerned when this report suggests that it will be extremely difficult to achieve, she said.
For the Social People's Party, it is crucial that no more than 10 percent of candidate programs are shortened.
- Our requirement for entering into negotiations on new candidate paths was that it should be at a level where we could follow it and maintain high quality. And we don't think that's possible if it's more than 10 percent, said the Social People's Party's education spokesperson, Sofie Lippert.
The Conservative Party's education spokesperson, Lise Bertelsen, is not confident that the government will find a way to uphold the agreement on 10 percent shortened candidate programs.
- We look forward to seeing what the government now plans to do, as both student representatives and rectors indicate that it will not be possible, she said.
Can you reject the idea of shortening more than 10 percent?
- I won't take a stance here and say whether we accept or reject one thing or another. What's important for us is creating high-quality education at our universities. And whatever it takes to maintain and create value for the labor market and businesses, that's what we need to consider.
Uddannelses- og Forskningsminister Christina Egelund (M) plans to discuss the Candidate Selection Committee's report with the universities, businesses, and the parties involved in the agreement.
- I agree with the other parties in the negotiation round that what we have agreed upon is what we have agreed upon. And I feel a great sense of responsibility to ensure that it ends that way, she said, referring to the 10 percent shortened candidate programs.
Are you prepared to allocate more funds to the reform?
- I cannot make a definitive statement one way or another. Of course, I take the concerns raised in the report seriously, both those that indicate it will work and those that suggest it may be challenging.
The government's candidate reform includes:
- There will be 2,700 fewer bachelor students starting at Danish universities compared to today, which is a reduction of eight percent.
- Every tenth candidate program will be shorter from 2028, lasting one year and three months instead of two years.
- More candidate programs will be established as so-called vocational candidate programs, where students both work and study over a period of more than four years. From 2032, 20 percent of students should take such a candidate program.
- There will be more international students, which means that from 2029, 2,500 annual places for English-language programs can be created.
- In total, the agreement adds 4,600 people to the labor market in 2030.
Source: Ministry of Education and Research (https://ufm.dk/laws/political-agreements/agreement-on-reform-of-university-education-in-denmark/final-agreement.pdf)
Can you guarantee that you will adhere to the political agreement on the 10 percent shortened candidate programs?
- 'Guarantee' is an unusual word in this context, as the mechanics of the reform are set up in such a way that there must be 20 percent vocational candidate programs for us to meet the 10 percent shortened candidate programs.
- And vocational candidate programs are not something we can legislate or regulate ourselves. They depend on collaboration with Danish businesses, and that's why we spend a significant amount of time talking to both Danish companies and business organizations.
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