Where is the minister? This is clearly exploitation.

For the deaf, there are only two types of problems in the world: those that cannot be addressed, and those that solve themselves.

The problem with hundreds of students from Bangladesh and Nepal filling up Danish universities does not fall into either of these categories. It neither solves itself nor is it impossible to solve.

However, if something is to be done about the blatant circumvention of rules, it obviously requires acknowledging the problem. And that is the challenge for the SVM government. People see things very differently depending on whether they are Christina Egelund (M), the education and research minister, or Kaare Dybvad Bek (S), who is the immigration and integration minister.

The government is not deaf or ignorant about the situation. It is deeply divided.

As Berlingske has (https://www.berlingske.dk/politik/vaekker-saerlig-mistanke-ny-eksplosiv-stigning-i-studerende-fra-bangladesh?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=ASWzDAhRMZ9IA9mcqYgBWfUb_h8nYMsv5A78xNOzun5Ze2WLohIWG8MOQZja4HxJS5k%3D&gaa_ts=6894858e&gaa_sig=VYEQM8Pis0l19jcB2654I1w85N-IGzx885BNTie-LDp-LGYyWmzFEyCKY85_0vP8H-en4rDM7wK83-cvOCwgIg%3D%3D) revealed in a series of articles, Bangladesh tops the list of countries from which foreign students come to RUC, and at Syddansk Universitet, SDU, they are in second place only surpassed by students from Germany.

In 2020, there were 66 students from Bangladesh at SDU, in 2024 the number had risen to 397.

There are significant problems with their academic qualifications and language skills. Universities are overwhelmed by the many applications from Bangladesh, and it appears that their motivation is more to work in sectors such as the hotel and restaurant industry rather than to study.

Their spouses can work as much as they want, and their children have requirements for care and education. Bureaucracies openly advertise all the opportunities available to earn money in Denmark.

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An economic benefit

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Christina Egelund is so far silent.

For the Moderates, it is an important mark of success to attract more foreign labor and students from countries outside the EU. Foreign students are a short-term economic benefit. Regardless of their motivations, they pay for their education, fill gaps in the bottom of the Danish labor market, and pay taxes to society.

"Now we ensure more international students to the benefit of Danish businesses," read the headline on the Moderates' website (https://moderaterne.dk/nu-sikrer-vi-flere-internationale-studerende-til-gavn-for-danske-virksomheder/) when the government last year unveiled its proposal for a completely new youth education and in the process established 400 new study places on English-speaking vocational academy and professional bachelor's degree programs.

Before the summer holidays, Christina Egelund (https://ufm.dk/aktuelt/pressemeddelelser/2025/nyt-initiativ-skal-fa-flere-afrikanske-studerende-til-danmark-og-styrke-samarbejdet-med-afrikanske-universiteter) presented a new initiative for 430 million kroner, which is intended to attract more African students to Denmark. A strategy that Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (M) has long pursued and already two years ago told about in an interview with Berlingske (https://www.berlingske.dk/politik/loekke-vil-udvikle-ny-strategi-flere-afrikanere-skal-til-danmark-og?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=ASWzDAhVxTIxl5WOT-cIa4kc2XAjaHPGqzZNxFbXDCQfkJcipPabKtqXysSrQFBQmzE%3D&gaa_ts=68949495&gaa_sig=AQtpcIEmXIPjHBiWyhAzfz9F77ehin-upFxiaPr726WjoC9Ktjv1u_Hpk4ufGsvGi17bovVUwTfaGF0k1WWYRw%3D%3D).

For the Social Democrats, it is something completely different. For the large governing party, it is more important to limit immigration from especially Muslim countries and combat social dumping.

The two governing parties almost came to blows over exactly this fundamental disagreement when the government before the summer holidays relaxed the requirements for labor from countries outside the EU, who wish to work in Denmark.

When the government hesitates to intervene over the students from Bangladesh and Nepal, who openly circumvent the rules, it is because the problem touches on the largest internal conflict that has split the government since its government agreement was written.

The compromise on the education front is clear.

The Social Democrats have had the universities emasculated, added vocational education significantly more funding, restructured youth education with a new vocationally oriented epx education and made primary school less bookish. In return, the Moderates have received more foreign students in Denmark.

The political trade-off is not easy to understand. In addition, Lars Løkke Rasmussen's big project with training Danish nurses (https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/efter-halvandet-aar-er-regeringen-stadig-ikke-i-maal-med-kontroversiel-plan-det-er) in India and the Philippines is suffering a final shipwreck.

Warning: This article was translated by a Large Language Model, in case of doubt, you can always visit the original source.